Jeremiah 31:11 | |
11. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. | 11. Quia redimet Jehova Jacob et redimet e manu (est quidem aliud verbum, sed idem significat, |
He goes on with the same subject. He had said before that it would not be a difficult or an arduous work for God to deliver his people; he now says,
"Though your enemies are strong, and ye are like sheep in the jaws of wolves, yet nothing can hinder God from redeeming you."1
To the same purpose is what God says often by his Prophets,
"Ye have been sold for nothing, and redeemed shall
ye be without price," (Isaiah 52:3)
as though he had said, "I am not bound to pay anything to the Chaldeans, for I did not sell you to them as by a contract, but I sold you on account of your sins; as to them, they have given me no price: let nothing, therefore, terrify you as though they could oppose your deliverance against my will." How so? "Because they have no right to detain you; therefore, if ye only accept my favor, the strength of your enemies, which appears so formidable, shall not hinder your redemption." This is the reason why he says that the Chaldeans were stronger or more powerful than the Israelites.
This truth is also of no little use to us at this day; for when we consider how great is the strength of our enemies, despair must overwhelm our minds; but this promise comes to our aid -- God testifies that he will in such a way be the Deliverer of his people, that the power of men shall not prevent nor delay his work. It follows, --
1 The difference between the two verbs seems to be this:,
For Jehovah will deliver Jacob,
And recover him from a hand stronger than his own.
Forcible deliverance is no doubt meant here; and the latter verb is very striking, as it implies that God was vindicating his own right in extricating Jacob from the grasp of a hand stronger than his own. -- Ed.
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