Yirmeyah 33

1 3 Moreover the Devar Hashem came unto Yirmeyah the second time, while he was yet imprisoned in the Khatzer of the Guard, saying,

2 Thus saith Hashem the Oseh (Maker) thereof [of the Earth], Hashem the Yotzer who formed it to establish it: Hashem Shmo;

3 Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee gedolot (great things) and unsearchable things, which thou knowest not.

4 For thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel, concerning the batim (houses) of this city, and concerning the batim (houses) of the melachim of Yehudah, which are torn down for defense against siege ramps and against the cherev;

5 They come to fight against the Kasdim (Chaldeans), but it is to fill these places with the pegarim (dead bodies) of adam, whom I have slain in Mine anger and in My wrath, and all for whose wickedness I have hid My face from this city.

6 Hineni, I will bring it health and marpeh (healing), and I will heal them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of shalom and emes.

7 And I will cause the captives of Yehudah and the captives of Yisroel to return, and will rebuild those places, as at the first.

8 And I will cleanse them from all their avon (iniquity), whereby they have sinned against Me; and I will pardon all their avonot, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have committed peysha’im against Me.

9 And it shall be to Me a Shem Sasson, a Tehillah and a Teferet before kol HaGoyim of Ha’Aretz, which shall hear all the tovah that I do unto them; and they shall fear and tremble for all the tovah and for all the shalom that I procure unto it.

10 Thus saith Hashem; Again there shall be heard in this makom, which ye say shall be desolate without adam and without behemah, even in the towns of Yehudah, and in the streets of Yerushalayim, that are desolate, without adam, and without inhabitant, and without behemah,

11 The kol (sound, voice) of sasson, and the voice of simchah, the voice of the Choson, and the voice of the Kallah, the voice of them that shall say, Hodu Hashem Tzva’os; for Hashem is tov; for His chesed endureth l’olam; and of them that shall bring the todah (thank offerings, sacrifice of praise) into the Beis Hashem. For I will cause the captives of the land to return, as at the first, saith Hashem.

12 Thus saith Hashem Tzva’os; Again in this makom, which is desolate without adam and without behemah, and in all the towns thereof, shall be a naveh (dwelling) of ro’im (shepherds) resting their tzon.

13 In the towns of the hill country, in the towns of the Shephelah, and in the towns of the Negev, and in Eretz Binyamin, and in the places around Yerushalayim, and in the towns of Yehudah, shall the tzon pass again under the hands of him that counteth them, saith Hashem.

14 Hinei, the days are coming, saith Hashem, that I will perform that davar hatov which I have promised unto Bais Yisroel and unto Bais Yehudah.

15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Tzemach Tzedakah (Righteous Branch, i.e., Moshiach Ben Dovid Yehoshua, see 30:9; 23:5; Zech 3:8Ezra 3:8; 6:11-12; Mt 2:23; Isa 4:2; 9:2-7; 11:1-12; 53:2; Moshiach the new "Joshua" Isa 49:8) to sprout up unto Dovid; He shall execute mishpat and tzedakah in ha’aretz.

16 In those days shall Yehudah be saved, and Yerushalayim shall dwell securely; and this is what she shall be called, Hashem Tzidkeinu.

17 For thus saith Hashem; Dovid shall never lack an ish to sit upon Kisse Bais Yisroel;

18 Neither shall the kohanim the Levi’im lack an ish before Me to offer olah, and to burn minchah, and to do zevakh continually.

19 And the Devar Hashem came unto Yirmeyah, saying,

20 Thus saith Hashem: If ye can break My Brit HaYom, and My Brit HaLailah, that there should not be yomam v’lailah (day and night) in their appointed times;

21 Then may also My Brit (covenant) be broken with Dovid Avdi, that he should not have Ben to reign upon his kisse; and with the Levi’im the kohanim, My mesharetim (ministers, servants).

22 As the Tzeva HaShomayim cannot be numbered, neither the chol (sand) of the yam (sea) measured, so will I multiply the zera Dovid Avdi, and the Levi’im that minister unto Me.

23 Moreover the Devar Hashem came to Yirmeyah, saying,

24 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two mishpekhot which Hashem hath chosen, He hath even cast them off? Thus they have despised My people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

25 Thus saith Hashem; If My Brit be not with yomam valailah, and if I have not appointed the chukkot of Shomayim vaAretz;

26 Then will I cast away the zera Ya’akov and Dovid Avdi, so that I will not take any of his zera to be moshelim (rulers) over the zera Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’akov; for I will cause their captives to return, and have mercy on them.

Yirmeyah 33 Commentary

Chapter 33

The restoration of the Jews. (1-13) The Messiah promised; happiness of his times. (14-26)

Verses 1-13 Those who expect to receive comforts from God, must call upon him. Promises are given, not to do away, but to quicken and encourage prayer. These promises lead us to the gospel of Christ; and in that God has revealed truth to direct us, and peace to make us easy. All who by sanctifying grace are cleansed from the filth of sin, by pardoning mercy are freed from the guilt. When sinners are thus justified, washed, and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Holy Spirit, they are enabled to walk before God in peace and purity. Many are led to perceive the real difference between the people of God and the world around them, and to fear the Divine wrath. It is promised that the people who were long in sorrow, shall again be filled with joy. Where the Lord gives righteousness and peace, he will give all needful supplies for temporal wants; and all we have will be comforts, as sanctified by the word and by prayer.

Verses 14-26 To crown the blessings God has in store, here is a promise of the Messiah. He imparts righteousness to his church, for he is made of God to us righteousness; and believers are made the righteousness of God in him. Christ is our Lord God, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. But in this world prosperity and adversity succeed each other, as light and darkness, day and night. The covenant of priesthood shall be secured. And all true believers are a holy priesthood, a royal priesthood, they offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God; themselves, in the first place, as living sacrifices. The promises of that covenant shall have full accomplishment in the gospel Israel. In Ga. 6:16 , all that walk according to the gospel rule, are made to be the Israel of God, on whom shall be peace and mercy. Let us not despise the families which were of old the chosen people of God, though for a time they seem to be cast off.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 33

This chapter is a continuation of prophecies of spiritual blessings on the church of Christ in Gospel times, of which the return of the Jews from captivity, and the benefits following on that, were types. The place where Jeremiah had this prophecy communicated to him, the prison, Jer 33:1; the author of it, Jehovah, who describes himself, Jer 33:2; encourages the prophet to pray unto him, promising an answer, and a discovery of great and hidden things, Jer 33:3; not so much concerning the destruction of the city, and the rebuilding it, Jer 33:4,5; as spiritual blessings to the church, signified by it; such as a healthful state and condition through Christ, the sun of righteousness, arising with healing in his wings, and a revelation of abundance of peace and truth by him, Jer 33:6; a release of captives, and a rebuilding of the church, Jer 33:7; free and full forgiveness of all sins, Jer 33:8; the church a praise in the whole earth; much joy in it, and glory to God by it, Jer 33:9-11; spiritual pastors or shepherds feeding their flocks, and taking very diligent care of them, Jer 33:12,13; a promise of the Messiah as a righteous Branch; as the Saviour and safeguard of his people; and as the Lord their righteousness, Jer 33:14-16; an assurance of the continuance of the kingly and priestly offices in him, whereby the covenant of God with David and the Levites would be for ever secured, Jer 33:17-22; and the chapter is concluded with a promise of the perseverance of the saints and people of God; which is represented as certain as the covenant with day and night, and as the ordinances of heaven and earth, in opposition to a suggestion to the contrary, Jer 33:23-26.