Jeremiah 30

13. none to plead--a new image from a court of justice.
bound up--namely, with the bandages applied to tie up a wound.
no healing medicines--literally, "medicines of healing," or else applications, (literally, "ascensions") of medicaments.

14. lovers--the peoples formerly allied to thee, Assyria and Egypt (compare Lamentations 1:2 ).
seek thee not--have cast away all concern for thee in thy distress.
wound of an enemy--a wound such as an enemy would inflict. God condescends to employ language adapted to human conceptions. He is incapable of "enmity" or "cruelty"; it was their grievous sin which righteously demanded a grievous punishment, as though He were an "enemy" ( Jeremiah 5:6 , Job 13:24 , 30:21 ).

15. Why criest thou--as if God's severity was excessive. Thou hast no reason to complain, for thine affliction is just. Thy cry is too late, for the time of repentance and mercy is past [CALVIN].

16. Therefore--connected with Jeremiah 30:13 , because "There is none to plead thy cause . . . therefore" I will plead thy cause, and heal thy wound, by overwhelming thy foes. This fifteenth verse is inserted to amplify what was said at the close of Jeremiah 30:14 . When the false ways of peace, suggested by the so-called prophets, had only ended in the people's irremediable ruin, the true prophet comes forward to announce the grace of God as bestowing repentance and healing.
devour thee . . . be devoured . . . spoil . . . be a spoil . . . prey upon . . . give for a prey--retribution in kind Exodus 23:22 , Isaiah 33:1 ).

17. ( Jeremiah 8:22 , 33:6 ).
Outcast--as a wife put away by her husband ( Isaiah 62:4 , contrasted with Jeremiah 30:12 ).
Zion--alluding to its Hebrew meaning, "dryness"; "sought after" by none, as would be the case with an arid region ( Isaiah 62:12 ). The extremity of the people, so far from being an obstacle to, will be the chosen opportunity of, God's grace.

18. bring again . . . captivity--( Jeremiah 33:7 Jeremiah 33:11 ).
tents--used to intimate that their present dwellings in Chaldea were but temporary as tents.
have mercy on dwelling-places--( Psalms 102:13 ).
own heap--on the same hill, that is, site, a hill being the usual site chosen for a city (compare Joshua 11:13 , Margin). This better answers the parallel clause, "after the manner thereof" (that is, in the same becoming ways as formerly), than the rendering, "its own heap of ruins," as in Jeremiah 49:2 .
palace--the king's, on Mount Zion.
remain--rather, "shall be inhabited" Jeremiah 17:25 ). This confirms English Version, "palace," not as others translate, "the temple" (see 1 Kings 16:18 , 2 Kings 15:25 ).

19. thanksgiving--The Hebrew word includes confession as well as praise; for, in the case of God, the highest praises we can bestow are only confessing what God really is [BENGEL], ( Jeremiah 17:26 , Jeremiah 31:12 Jeremiah 31:13 , 33:11 , Isaiah 35:10 , 51:11 ).
multiply them--( Zechariah 10:8 ).

20. as aforetime--as flourishing as in the time of David.

21. their nobles--rather, "their Glorious One," or "Leader" (compare Acts 3:15 , Hebrews 2:10 ), answering to "their Governor" in the parallel clause.
of themselves--of their own nation, a Jew, not a foreigner; applicable to Zerubbabel, or J. Hyrcanus (hereditary high priest and governor), only as types of Christ ( Genesis 49:10 , Micah 5:2 , Romans 9:5 ), the antitypical "David" ( Jeremiah 30:9 ).
cause him to draw near--as the great Priest ( Exodus 19:22 , Leviticus 21:17 ), through whom believers also have access to God ( Hebrews 10:19-22 ). His priestly and kingly characters are similarly combined ( Psalms 110:4 , Zechariah 6:13 ).
who . . . engaged . . . heart to approach--literally, "pledged his heart," that is, his life; a thing unique; Messiah alone has made His life responsible as the surety ( Hebrews 7:22 , 9:11-15 ), in order to gain access not only for Himself, but for us to God. Heart is here used for life, to express the courage which it needed to undertake such a tremendous suretyship. The question implies admiration at one being found competent by His twofold nature, as God and man, for the task. Compare the interrogation ( Isaiah 63:1-3 ).

22. ye shall be my people, &c.--The covenant shall be renewed between God and His people through Messiah's mediation ( Jeremiah 30:21 , Jeremiah 31:1 Jeremiah 31:33 , 32:38 , Ezekiel 11:20 , 36:28 ).

23, 24. ( Jeremiah 23:19 ). Vengeance upon God's foes always accompanies manifestations of His grace to His people.
continuing--literally, "sojourning," abiding constantly; appropriately here in the case of Babylon, which was to be permanently destroyed, substituted for "whirling itself about" ("grievous" in English Version) where the temporary downfall of Judea is spoken of.