Comments on Jeremiah 15 This chapter is one of the clearest examples of the intercessory nature of the calling of prophet in the Scriptures. Some of the more plain examples we have discussed have been Moses (cf. Exod. 32:11-14) and Amos (cf. Amos 7:1-9). Here we have Jeremiah acting in the same capacity. v1-9 The Lord announces the destruction of Israel by pronouncing a multitude of covenant curses against them for their rebellion: plague, sword, famine, captivity (v. 2), beasts to devour (v. 3), infamy (v. 4-5), grief and lamenting (v. 8-9). All of this because they have forsaken Him, and He is no longer willing to relent (v. 6). All of these woes are formula covenant curses from Lev. 26, Deut. 28. v1-4 The KJV rendering is obscure. The JPS renders it as follows: 1 The Lord said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel were to intercede with Me, I would not be won over to that people. Dismiss them from My presence, and let them go forth! 2 And if they ask you, 'To what shall we go forth?' answer them, 'Thus said the Lord: Those destined for the plague, to the plague; Those destined for the sword, to the sword; Those destined for famine, to famine; Those destined for captivity, to captivity. 3 And I will appoint over them four kinds [of punishment] declares the Lord the sword to slay, the dogs to drag, the birds of the sky, and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. 4 I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, on account of King Manasseh son of Hezekiah of Judah, and of what he did in Jerusalem.'" The JPS rendering on v. 1 makes it much more clear the issue at hand is Jeremiah approaching the Lord as an intercessor on behalf of Israel. The Lord tells Jeremiah to forget it because He is so angry with them that nobody, not even Moses or Samuel, could change His mind about the impending disaster foretold in v. 2-4. The impending disaster being the Babylonian invasion. v4 addresses the sins committed under the kingship of Manasseh son of Hezekiah, grandson of Ahaz. Unfortunately for Judah Manasseh was much like Ahaz and not like his father Hezekiah. Manasseh undid all of the reforms of his father and plunged Jerusalem back into the idolatries of Ahaz, cf. 2 Kings 21. This kind of quick turnaround indicates the changes under Hezekiah were largely superficial, and surely made the Lord very angry indeed. Now, Menasseh was dead and gone before Jeremiah showed up on the scene, but the kings in the meantime (Amon, Josiah) and the kings who came to power during Jeremiah's ministry (Jehoahaz, Jehoikiam) were not reformers. Hence the curses in the preceding verses. v10 is a parenthetical comment put into the mouths of "my people" described in v. 7-8. This is what they will say on the eve of their destruction. v11-14 The KJV is obscure, the JPS rendering is as follows: 11 The Lord said: Surely, a mere remnant of you Will I spare for a better fate! By the enemy from the north In a time of distress and a time of disaster, Surely, I will have you struck down! 12 Can iron break iron and bronze? 13 I will hand over your wealth and your treasures As a spoil, free of charge, Because of all your sins throughout your territory. 14 And I will bring your enemies By way of a land you have not known. For a fire has flared in My wrath, It blazes against you. Verse 11 in particular is obtuse in the KJV. The JPS translation makes it much clearer the subject is that of the sparing of a remnant from the immanent disaster. v15-18 Here the subject changes to Jeremiah's plea to the Lord for the righteous' sake. When read straight through, it sounds very much like Jeremiah is praying for himself alone. However, when we get into v. 19-21 it becomes plain that while he was praying seemingly in the first-person he was in fact praying on behalf of all of those who are like him as well. Jeremiah asks the Lord not to forget him, and to remember that he has suffered as a result of his convictions (v. 15). Jeremiah rejoiced at the word of the Lord and internalized them because he is His servant (v. 16). Jeremiah did not keep company with the partiers, he was separated from them and filled with gloom because of his calling (v. 17). Jeremiah's calling has caused him great pain and suffering, and he feels at times as though the Lord has abandoned him, and if the Lord does fail to hear his plea on behalf of the righteous then He will be abandoning His people (v. 18). Overall, Jeremiah is lamenting the terrible fate of one in his calling. He is called to summon an unrepentant people to repentance, the result is he is offering salvation to a people bent on destruction. This depresses him and leaves him mourning. So much so that sometimes he feels as though the Lord has afflicted him in giving him this calling. Furthermore, Jeremiah sees the impending disaster as all too real and knows the consequences of it, and the Lord is presently refusing to relent. All of this must be overwhelming to Jeremiah. v19-21 Again, as in v. 15-21, the text reads as though it was a conversation between the Lord and Jeremiah alone. However, lets look at what the text is saying. Verse 19 says that if he returns then the Lord will make him His spokesman. But Jeremiah already is the Lord's spokesman, cf. 1:9. The v. 20 says He will make him a fortified wall of bronze. But the Lord already promised that to Jeremiah in 1:18. And in v. 21 the Lord promises to deliver him, which was already promised in 1:19. So, is this merely a repetition of the promises in ch. 1? Perhaps, but the context of the chapter suggests otherwise. Verse 1 makes it clear the subject at hand is that of intercession by a prophet. Jeremiah is approaching the Lord to intercede. The Lord demands He will not relent in v. 1, and goes on for another 13 verses detailing how He is about to punish Judah. Jeremiah recognizes the futility in appealing to Him at a corporate level on behalf of a deliberately rebellious Judah, and so makes a first-person appeal in v. 15-17. Jeremiah says the Lord needs to remember there are individuals who are faithful to Him and these have suffered for Him, using himself as an example. The result is in v. 19-21 the Lord promises at the individual level, not the corporate level, that those who repent and return to Him will be made His servants, be made strong, and will be spared. This makes sense of the admonition to repent in v. 19 and the repeated promises in v. 20-21. The Lord is saying to Jeremiah that any others who are like him as described in v. 15- 18, will be granted the same promises he was granted in ch. 1, which include a promise of physical protection from the impending destruction. This is what Jeremiah was looking for. The Lord said He was going to reduce the people to a remnant in v. 11, not Jeremiah wants to be sure the righteous are spared and are found among that remnant. He holds himself up as an example, and says "You have promised to spare me, now I want you to promise to spare others who are faithful to You as I am." And the Lord does. Thus, while Jeremiah has not succeeded in interceding for Judah at a corporate level (we would assume he was approaching the Lord for that purpose, hence the vehement rejection in v. 1), he has succeeded in obtaining a conditional promise of protection at an individual level. And thus it becomes "like prophet, like people" as the Lord promises His prophet, so He promises His people. v17 "I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced", the KJV is obscure. The JPS renders it "I have not sat in the company of revelers and made merry!" The meaning is he has not kept company with those social circles who party and revel, cp. Isa. 5:11-12. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.