Jeremia 45:5

5 En zoudt gij u grote dingen zoeken? Zoek ze niet; want zie, Ik breng een kwaad over alle vlees, spreekt de HEERE; maar Ik zal u uw ziel tot een buit geven, in alle plaatsen, waar gij zult henentrekken.

Jeremia 45:5 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 45:5

Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek [them] not
Riches and wealth honour and esteem, peace and prosperity; these were not to be sought after and expected, when the whole nation would be involved in such a general calamity. Baruch perhaps expected that his reading the roll to princes would have been a means of preferring him at court, of advancing him to some post or office, in which he might have acquired wealth, and got applause, and lived in peace and plenty all his days; but this was not to be looked for; when, if he observed, the very roll he wrote and read contained in it prophecies of the general ruin of the nation. The Jews restrain this to the gift of prophecy they suppose Baruch sought after, which was not to be enjoyed out of the land of Canaan: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh;
not upon every individual person in the world; but upon all the inhabitants of Judea, who should either die by the sword or by famine, or by pestilence, or be carried captive, or be in some distress or another: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither
thou goest;
suggesting that he should be obliged to quit his native place and country, and go from place to place; as he did, after the destruction of Jerusalem, along with the prophet; and even into Egypt with the Jews that went there; where his life would be in danger, and yet should be preserved; he should be snatched as a brand out of the burning, when Jerusalem was taken; and in other places, when exposed, though he should lose everything, yet not his life; which should be as dear to him as a rich spoil taken by the soldier, being a distinguishing mercy.

Jeremia 45:5 In-Context

1 Het woord, dat de profeet Jeremia gesproken heeft tot Baruch, den zoon van Nerija, als hij die woorden uit den mond van Jeremia in een boek schreef, in het vierde jaar van Jojakim, den zoon van Josia, den koning van Juda, zeggende:

2 Alzo zegt de HEERE, de God Israels, van u, o Baruch!

3 Gij zegt: Wee nu mij, want de HEERE heeft droefenis tot mijn smart gedaan; ik ben moede van mijn zuchten, en vind geen rust!

4 Zo zult gij tot hem zeggen: Zo zegt de HEERE: Zie, dat Ik gebouwd heb, breek Ik af, en dat Ik geplant heb, ruk Ik uit, zelfs dit ganse land.

5 En zoudt gij u grote dingen zoeken? Zoek ze niet; want zie, Ik breng een kwaad over alle vlees, spreekt de HEERE; maar Ik zal u uw ziel tot een buit geven, in alle plaatsen, waar gij zult henentrekken.