Jerome — Commentary on Scripture

Jeremiah 11:6

Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.

(Version 6.) And the Lord said to me, proclaim (or read) all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Listen to the words of this covenant and do them. The most merciful God often predicts the future, so that the hard heart may be softened to believe. He predicts both in the city of Jerusalem and in the field outside, so that the same repentance may apply to both, which is the common distinction of those places.

Jeremiah 11:7-8

For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

(Verses 7, 8.) For I solemnly warned your fathers on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, 'Obey my voice.' Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not do.' Up to this point it is not found in the Septuagint, and what follows is inserted by them, connected with the end of the previous chapter, in which it is written: 'Hear the words of this covenant and do them,' but they did not do. But as for the morning rising, and God frequently speaking to them through the prophets, and leading them out of Egypt, and often admonishing them and saying, 'Listen to my voice'; and that they went astray after the wickedness of their own hearts, and afterwards received what they deserved, as we have already mentioned.

Jeremiah 11:9-10

And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

(Vers. 9, 10) And the Lord said to me: A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have turned back to the iniquities of their former fathers, who refused to listen to my words. And so they went after foreign gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers. As for the conspiracy, which we have interpreted according to Symmachus, Aquila, and the Septuagint, Theodotion has translated it as 'connection,' which we can also call 'binding.' And so Athalia, when she discovered that an ambush was being prepared for her in the Temple, spoke the same word: Conspiracy, conspiracy (2 Kings 11:14). The Scripture properly uses this word when it refers not to a sudden and accidental sin, but to a deliberate plot and conspiracy aimed at committing a crime, and when they all have the same mind and intention and work together to despise God's commandments. And it is said that both the fathers and the sons, with one mind and one judgment, neglected God and worshipped idols, both in Israel and…

(Vers. 9, 10) And the Lord said to me: A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have turned back to the iniquities of their former fathers, who refused to listen to my words. And so they went after foreign gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers. As for the conspiracy, which we have interpreted according to Symmachus, Aquila, and the Septuagint, Theodotion has translated it as 'connection,' which we can also call 'binding.' And so Athalia, when she discovered that an ambush was being prepared for her in the Temple, spoke the same word: Conspiracy, conspiracy (2 Kings 11:14). The Scripture properly uses this word when it refers not to a sudden and accidental sin, but to a deliberate plot and conspiracy aimed at committing a crime, and when they all have the same mind and intention and work together to despise God's commandments. And it is said that both the fathers and the sons, with one mind and one judgment, neglected God and worshipped idols, both in Israel and in the house of Judah, that is, in the ten tribes as well as in the two tribes whose authority was in Jerusalem, so that, in their contempt for God, the punishment they suffered in captivity was equal.

Jeremiah 11:11-12

Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.

(Verse 11, 12.) Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I am bringing upon them evil from which they cannot escape. They will cry out to me, but I will not listen to them. And the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer libations, but they will not save them in their time of distress. God does not listen in the time of necessity and distress because they also refused to listen to the voice of the Lord, just as Saul did. For when he was terrified by the Philistine armies and could not receive the word of the Lord, he turned to the Pythoness in order to learn from idols what he should have obtained through instant prayer and tears from the Lord (1 Kings 21). From this we learn that even if the Lord does not hear, we must by no means give up or turn to demons, who cannot help their worshipers, but to the Lord's help, who is quickly moved to anger and changes his mind if those who angered him are changed. But all that is now said pertains to the tribe of Judah and the city of Jerusalem, against which captivity threatens.

Jeremiah 11:13

For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

(Verse 13) For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars of confusion to burn incense to Baal. Let us read the books of Kings and Chronicles (2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 33), and we will find that Judah and Jerusalem have done far worse than Israel, so that as many cities as they had, they had just as many idols. And as many squares and street corners as there were in the city of Jerusalem, they had just as many altars of confusion, on which they would sacrifice to the idols of Baal.

Jeremiah 11:14

Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

(Verse 14.) So you, do not pray for this people, and do not take on praise and prayer for them: for I will not listen to their cry to me, in the time of their affliction. It is commanded to Jeremiah, not to intercede for them to the Lord, for their sentence is already accomplished: lest his prayer appear weak, and not be heard because of their own wickedness. Do not, he says, pray for them, nor take on praise, so that by recalling the kindness of the old story, by which I have always had mercy on them, and by praising, you try to change my judgment. For if you do this, I will not hear those who are forced to ask me in their time of need. From them we learn that it is in vain to ask for someone else when he does not deserve to receive, for whom God is asked.

Jeremiah 11:15-16

What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

(Vers. 15, 16.) What is it that my beloved has done many wicked deeds in my house? Will the holy flesh take away your malice, in which you have boasted? The Lord called your name a fruitful, beautiful, and pleasant olive tree, but when the great fire of his voice blazed in it, its branches were consumed. He called the people of Judah his beloved and most beloved, who placed idols in his temple and worshiped them, thinking that by offering many sacrifices he could appease God's anger and boasting in the multitude of offerings, which cannot take away the wickedness of sins. But Jerusalem, or rather the whole people of the Jews, is compared to fair and fruitful olive trees, which, exalted by pride, did not act humbly, nor did they understand their Creator and Lord; but, elevated by pride and speaking arrogantly, they were consumed by the fire of the Lord; so that their branches, or rather their orchards, were burned and reduced to nothing, and the entire people of their adversaries were destroyed by the sword. This sense is also found in another place (Chapter II), where it is said to J…

(Vers. 15, 16.) What is it that my beloved has done many wicked deeds in my house? Will the holy flesh take away your malice, in which you have boasted? The Lord called your name a fruitful, beautiful, and pleasant olive tree, but when the great fire of his voice blazed in it, its branches were consumed. He called the people of Judah his beloved and most beloved, who placed idols in his temple and worshiped them, thinking that by offering many sacrifices he could appease God's anger and boasting in the multitude of offerings, which cannot take away the wickedness of sins. But Jerusalem, or rather the whole people of the Jews, is compared to fair and fruitful olive trees, which, exalted by pride, did not act humbly, nor did they understand their Creator and Lord; but, elevated by pride and speaking arrogantly, they were consumed by the fire of the Lord; so that their branches, or rather their orchards, were burned and reduced to nothing, and the entire people of their adversaries were destroyed by the sword. This sense is also found in another place (Chapter II), where it is said to Jerusalem: I planted you as a productive vine, the true vine: how have you turned into a bitter foreign vine? When its walls are destroyed, and a wild boar from the forest devastates it, and all the animals devour its fruits (Psalm 78), let us say this chapter to the princes of the churches: What is it that my beloved has done many crimes in my house? Or surely to the rich, who plunder another's goods and do not take away the malice of their heart, they think they deserve God's mercy: Will holy meats take away your malice from you, in which you have boasted? But now the names of those offering are being publicly recited, and the redemption of sins is turned into praise: they did not remember the widow in the Gospel, who by putting in two small coins surpassed the offerings of all the rich people (Mark 12).

Jeremiah 11:17

For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

(Verse 17.) And the Lord of hosts, who planted you, spoke evil against you, for the evils of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, who have made themselves a provocation to me by pouring out offerings to the Baals. The Lord your God called you a fruitful and beautiful olive tree, and planted you. But because at the sound of his speaking, a great flame of God descended upon you and consumed all your branches, therefore the one who planted you has now spoken evil against you: not by the injustice of his judgment, nor by a sudden perversity of his speech, but because of the evils that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have done to themselves, and they have diligently made offerings to the Baals in order to provoke me to anger. And since God can do whatever He wants, He gives reasons so that He does not appear to act unjustly, according to what is written: That you may be justified in your words, and win when you are judged (Psalm 50:6).

Jeremiah 11:18-19 · 2 passages

And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.

It is the consensus of all the church that these words are spoken by Christ through the person of Jeremiah. For the Father made it known to him how he should speak and revealed to him the zealotry of the Jews—he who was led like a lamb to the slaughter, not opening his mouth and not knowing. But the word sin is implicitly added to this last phrase, in agreement with what was said by the apostle: “When he did not know sin, he was made to be sin on our account.” And they said, “Let us put wood on his bread,” clearly referring to the cross on the body of the Savior, for he is the one who said, “I am the bread that descended from heaven.”They also said “let us destroy (or eradicate) him from the land of the living.” And they conceived the evil in their soul that they would delete his name forever. In response to this, from the sacrament of the assumed body, the Son speaks to the Father and invokes his judgment while praising his justice and acknowledging him as the God who inspects the interior and the heart. He asks that the Father would return to the people what they deserve, saying, “…

It is the consensus of all the church that these words are spoken by Christ through the person of Jeremiah. For the Father made it known to him how he should speak and revealed to him the zealotry of the Jews—he who was led like a lamb to the slaughter, not opening his mouth and not knowing. But the word sin is implicitly added to this last phrase, in agreement with what was said by the apostle: “When he did not know sin, he was made to be sin on our account.” And they said, “Let us put wood on his bread,” clearly referring to the cross on the body of the Savior, for he is the one who said, “I am the bread that descended from heaven.”They also said “let us destroy (or eradicate) him from the land of the living.” And they conceived the evil in their soul that they would delete his name forever. In response to this, from the sacrament of the assumed body, the Son speaks to the Father and invokes his judgment while praising his justice and acknowledging him as the God who inspects the interior and the heart. He asks that the Father would return to the people what they deserve, saying, “Let me see your vengeance on them,” obviously referring only to those who continue in sin, not to those who repent. Concerning the latter, he said on the cross: “Father forgive them, for they do not realize what they are doing.” He also “disclosed his cause” to the Father, that he was crucified not because he deserved it but for the sins of the people, as he declared: “Behold, the prince of the world came and found nothing against me.” The Jews and our Judaizers believe that all of this was said only by Jeremiah, arguing from prophecy that the people have sustained these evils in their captivity. But I fail to see how they hope to prove that Jeremiah was the one crucified, since such an event is nowhere recorded in Scripture. Perhaps it is just a figment of their imagination.

(Verse 18 onwards) But you, Lord, have shown me and I have known: you have revealed to me their desires, and I, like a gentle lamb being led to the sacrifice, did not know that they were plotting against me. Let us cast wood into his bread, and let us wipe him from the land of the living, so that his name may be remembered no more. But you, Lord of hosts, who judge justly and test the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for I have revealed my cause to you. This is the consensus of all the churches, that under the person of Jeremiah, these things may be understood to be said by Christ, that the Father has shown him how he ought to speak, and has revealed to him the intentions of the Jews, and that he himself, like a lamb led to the slaughter, has not opened his mouth and has not known, sin being implied; according to what is said by the apostle: He who knew no sin, was made sin for us: and they have said: Let us place wood in his bread, namely the cross in the body of the Savior. For it is he who says: I am the bread that came down from heaven; and we will uproot…

(Verse 18 onwards) But you, Lord, have shown me and I have known: you have revealed to me their desires, and I, like a gentle lamb being led to the sacrifice, did not know that they were plotting against me. Let us cast wood into his bread, and let us wipe him from the land of the living, so that his name may be remembered no more. But you, Lord of hosts, who judge justly and test the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for I have revealed my cause to you. This is the consensus of all the churches, that under the person of Jeremiah, these things may be understood to be said by Christ, that the Father has shown him how he ought to speak, and has revealed to him the intentions of the Jews, and that he himself, like a lamb led to the slaughter, has not opened his mouth and has not known, sin being implied; according to what is said by the apostle: He who knew no sin, was made sin for us: and they have said: Let us place wood in his bread, namely the cross in the body of the Savior. For it is he who says: I am the bread that came down from heaven; and we will uproot or crush him from the land of the living (John 6:51). For they have conceived this wickedness in their hearts, that they may erase his name forever. But on the contrary, in accordance with the sacrament of the assumed body, the Son speaks to the Father, and he calls for his judgment, while praising his justice, and invokes God, the observer of the kidneys and the heart, that he may give to the people what they deserve. And he says: Let me see your vengeance upon them, namely, those who persist in wickedness, and not upon those who turn to repentance. He said about them on the cross: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). And he reveals to the Father and opens his cause: because he was crucified not by any merit of his own, but by the crime of the people, saying: Behold, the prince of this world is coming, and he finds nothing in me (John 14:30). The Jews and our Judaizers understand these things to be said in the person of Jeremiah: they confirm that he endured these things from the people on account of his prophecy of future events and the coming evils of captivity. But I do not know how they can approve that Jeremiah was crucified, since the Scripture does not mention it, unless perhaps they have thought about it and not acted upon it.

Jeremiah 11:21-23

Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:

(v. 21 onward) Therefore, thus says the Lord to the men of Anathoth who seek your life and say: Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand. Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will visit them. The young men shall die by the sword; their sons and daughters shall die by famine, and there shall be no remnant of them. For I will bring disaster upon the men of Anathoth in the year of their visitation. It seems that this contradicts the previous opinions, in which we wanted to approve what was said from the person of Christ, and not from Jeremiah, who resided in the village of Anathoth, which is three miles from Jerusalem. But if we understand the etymology of the town of Anathoth (which means obedience), it will clearly show that the men of Anathoth, who once obeyed the Lord's commands, were all called Jews, and especially the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem, upon whom the final judgment came, that they would perish in the evils of the siege, by sword, famine, and disease. In order to free ourselves from all the annoyance of interpretation, let…

(v. 21 onward) Therefore, thus says the Lord to the men of Anathoth who seek your life and say: Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand. Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will visit them. The young men shall die by the sword; their sons and daughters shall die by famine, and there shall be no remnant of them. For I will bring disaster upon the men of Anathoth in the year of their visitation. It seems that this contradicts the previous opinions, in which we wanted to approve what was said from the person of Christ, and not from Jeremiah, who resided in the village of Anathoth, which is three miles from Jerusalem. But if we understand the etymology of the town of Anathoth (which means obedience), it will clearly show that the men of Anathoth, who once obeyed the Lord's commands, were all called Jews, and especially the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem, upon whom the final judgment came, that they would perish in the evils of the siege, by sword, famine, and disease. In order to free ourselves from all the annoyance of interpretation, let us follow this rule: Whatever the prophets have done in the manner of the Lord and Savior, and whatever has been fulfilled in the present time in Jeremiah, let it be prophesied in the future about the Lord.

Jeremiah 12:1-2

Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

(Chapter 12 - Verses 1 onwards) Indeed, you are just, O Lord, if I argue with you (or because I want to satisfy you); however, I will speak to you about judgments. What is it that the way of the wicked prospers? It is well for all who break the law and act unjustly. You have planted them and they have taken root, they grow and bear fruit (or they have borne children and produce offspring). You are near their mouths, but far from their hearts. Truly, this is a discussion of all those who act unjustly, and the meaning is summarised in the 72nd Psalm, in which the Prophet says: How good is the God of Israel to those who are upright in heart! But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners, etc. (Psalm 73:1-2). However, this is especially said against heretics, who, though they are impious, prosper in their ways; and they beget children whom they have deceived in their heresy, and they act deceitfully and unjustly, so as to rob the Church. And while they persist in their wickedness of opinion, they boast tha…

(Chapter 12 - Verses 1 onwards) Indeed, you are just, O Lord, if I argue with you (or because I want to satisfy you); however, I will speak to you about judgments. What is it that the way of the wicked prospers? It is well for all who break the law and act unjustly. You have planted them and they have taken root, they grow and bear fruit (or they have borne children and produce offspring). You are near their mouths, but far from their hearts. Truly, this is a discussion of all those who act unjustly, and the meaning is summarised in the 72nd Psalm, in which the Prophet says: How good is the God of Israel to those who are upright in heart! But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners, etc. (Psalm 73:1-2). However, this is especially said against heretics, who, though they are impious, prosper in their ways; and they beget children whom they have deceived in their heresy, and they act deceitfully and unjustly, so as to rob the Church. And while they persist in their wickedness of opinion, they boast that they are planted by God, and that they have sent forth roots, and have begotten children and brought forth fruit. But although they often repeat the name of Christ, they do not have God as their dweller, according to that of Isaiah: This people honors me with their lips: but their heart is far from me (Isaiah 29:13).

Jeremiah 12:3

But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

(Verse 3.) And you, Lord, you know me: you have seen me, and you have tested my heart with you. Gather them together like a flock for the sacrifice, and sanctify them on the day of slaughter. There is no scandal, it is said, that the wicked, or all heretics, flourish for a time: For you, Lord, know me, and you have seen me, and you have tested my heart with you. How does the Father God know his Son this way? For no one knows the Son except the Father: and no one knows the Father, except the Son, and whom the Son wants to reveal (Matt. XI, 17). It is permitted, he says, that they may prosper, that they may generate children, and that heretics may produce fruit, and you may be close to their mouth and far from their kidneys, that is, their conscience: nevertheless, there is some consolation, in that they are fattened like sheep for the slaughter. Gather them in the city of Jerusalem, or in their assemblies: so that they may be slaughtered as if they were victims of death, and then may be sanctified, when they have been beheaded by the sword of the Church: for the killing of heretics is…

(Verse 3.) And you, Lord, you know me: you have seen me, and you have tested my heart with you. Gather them together like a flock for the sacrifice, and sanctify them on the day of slaughter. There is no scandal, it is said, that the wicked, or all heretics, flourish for a time: For you, Lord, know me, and you have seen me, and you have tested my heart with you. How does the Father God know his Son this way? For no one knows the Son except the Father: and no one knows the Father, except the Son, and whom the Son wants to reveal (Matt. XI, 17). It is permitted, he says, that they may prosper, that they may generate children, and that heretics may produce fruit, and you may be close to their mouth and far from their kidneys, that is, their conscience: nevertheless, there is some consolation, in that they are fattened like sheep for the slaughter. Gather them in the city of Jerusalem, or in their assemblies: so that they may be slaughtered as if they were victims of death, and then may be sanctified, when they have been beheaded by the sword of the Church: for the killing of heretics is the salvation of those who had been deceived.

Jeremiah 12:4

How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

(Verse 4) How long will the earth mourn, and all the herbage of the region wither because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it? The animal and the bird have perished because they have said: Our last things will not be seen (or God will not see our ways). Whatever happens in the world, whether good or evil, happens not without the providence and chance of God, but by his judgment. The earth is now barren, the herbage dries up. Do you want to know the reason? Those who dwell in wickedness do this: so that the animals on the earth and the birds of the sky are consumed, because all these creatures were created for the use of humans: who have risen to such blasphemy as to say that God is ignorant of His own ways, and does not know what each individual will suffer. But what he says, 'How long?' signifies the enduring wrath of God, because the hearts of sinners were not inclined to repentance.

Jeremiah 12:5

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

(Verse 5) If you have struggled running with foot soldiers, how will you be able to compete with horses? If you have relied on the land of peace, what will you do in the pride or tumult of the Jordan? If, as they say, you have been wearied by the frequent captivities of neighboring nations, the Moabites and Ammonites, the Philistines and Edomites, what will you do in the face of a long captivity that will be led by the Chaldeans all the way? And he compares foot soldiers to horsemen, for in truth both the Persians and the entire Chaldean empire and the armies of those regions take delight in cavalry according to history. But these nations, which I mentioned above, are not so suited for battle because of the difficulty of the terrain, as they are for robbery. And he preserves the metaphor and says: If you became weak with fatigue while running alongside foot soldiers, what will you do if you want to keep up with horses? And if you had any confidence in your own land, what will you do when you cross the Jordan and endure its currents?

Jeremiah 12:6

For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.

(Verse 6.) For even your brothers and the household of your father themselves fought against you, and they cried out after you with a loud voice: do not believe them when they speak good things to you. To such an extent, he says, you will be overwhelmed by the most violent waves of the Jordan, and the multitude of horsemen coming from afar will devastate you, so that even your brothers from the Edomite lineage, and the household of your father, who are descendants of Lot, Moab and Ammon, themselves will fight against you in times of necessity and distress, and will insult you (Genesis 19). Beware of trusting them and having hope in kinship, through which they may rage against you more than your enemies. This can also be understood in reference to Jesus, that his brothers and the household of his father fought against him and cried out loudly, saying: Crucify him, crucify him: we have no king but Caesar (John 19:15).

Jeremiah 12:7-8

I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

(Vers. 7, 8.) I left my house, I abandoned my inheritance: I gave my beloved soul into the hands of its enemies. My inheritance became like a lion in the forest: it roared against me, therefore I hated it. He who spoke in the Gospel: Rise, let us go from here (John 14:31). And again: Your house will be left desolate (Luke 13:35), here and also in the same prophet he threatens; and he says that he has done what he was going to do. For the inheritance of the Lord is Israel, and his inheritance is as a rope. But when he says: 'I have given my beloved soul into the hand of his enemies,' that means, I have the power to lay down my soul, and I have the power to take it up again (John 10:18). Indeed, the inheritance of the Lord, the people of the Jews, once rebelled against him like a lion in the forest: when they shouted with a loud voice against him in their suffering. And because they raised their voice against him, he therefore hated them, and rejected them, and what was once beloved and cherished is now called hateful.

Jeremiah 12:9 · 3 passages

Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.

(Ver. 9.) Is my inheritance like a colorful bird to me? Is it like a bird dyed all over? Come, gather all the beasts of the earth; hurry to devour. LXX: Is the den of the hyena my inheritance? Is there a den all around it, above it? Go, gather all the animals of the field; let them come and eat it. According to the letter, he calls the colorful and fully dyed bird a peacock. He says that Israel had such great beauty and Jerusalem was distinguished by such virtues that there was nothing good that could not be seen in it. Therefore, since an inheritance was once made for me, that is, the people of Israel, like a lion in the forest, and they spoke against me, and I detested them with all hatred: therefore come and gather against them all the beasts of the earth, a multitude of diverse nations, and devour them who have not known their Lord. But if, as the Septuagint and other interpreters have translated, it is read: Is my inheritance to me a den of hyenas, shall we return to the uncleanness of the nocturnal beast, which lives on the corpses of the dead, and is accustomed to dig up bodie…

(Ver. 9.) Is my inheritance like a colorful bird to me? Is it like a bird dyed all over? Come, gather all the beasts of the earth; hurry to devour. LXX: Is the den of the hyena my inheritance? Is there a den all around it, above it? Go, gather all the animals of the field; let them come and eat it. According to the letter, he calls the colorful and fully dyed bird a peacock. He says that Israel had such great beauty and Jerusalem was distinguished by such virtues that there was nothing good that could not be seen in it. Therefore, since an inheritance was once made for me, that is, the people of Israel, like a lion in the forest, and they spoke against me, and I detested them with all hatred: therefore come and gather against them all the beasts of the earth, a multitude of diverse nations, and devour them who have not known their Lord. But if, as the Septuagint and other interpreters have translated, it is read: Is my inheritance to me a den of hyenas, shall we return to the uncleanness of the nocturnal beast, which lives on the corpses of the dead, and is accustomed to dig up bodies from tombs, and there is no filthiness that it does not feed on. Such is Israel offending his Lord, and delivered to the bites of all beasts.

The house of God has been made a den of thieves! This is the house of which Jeremiah says, “Has not my house become for me the den of a hyena?” Here we have “you have made it a den of thieves,” in Jeremiah, “the den of a hyena.” We have to know the nature of this animal. Then from that, we shall be able to learn why the prophet called God’s house a hyena’s den. The hyena is never seen in the daytime but always at night. Never is it seen in the light but always in the darkness.

I beg you, therefore, and admonish you again and again: do not look to your military experience for a standard of clerical obligation. Under Christ’s banner, do not seek worldly gain, lest having more than when you first became a clergyman, you hear people say, to your shame, “Their portion shall not profit them.” Welcome poor people and strangers to your homely table, that with them Christ may be your guest.