Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
He continues to promise the return from captivity to Judea through Zerubbabel, and then, verse 15, through Christ the return to salvation and every good. For this reason this chapter is placed last in the Alexandrian Arabic Bibles, as if it were the remedy for Jeremiah's sad oracles, and the awaited crown of a better lot and a happier age.
Vulgate Text: Jeremiah 33:1-23
1. And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying: 2. Thus says the Lord who will do it, and will form it, and will prepare it, the Lord is His name. 3. Call upon Me, and I will hear you: and I will tell you great and sure things, which you do not know. 4. For thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the king of Judah, which have been destroyed, and concerning the fortifications, and concerning the sword 5. of those coming to fight against the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the corpses of men whom I have struck in My fury and in My indignation, hiding My face from this city because of all their wickedness. 6. Behold, I will bring to them a scar and healing, and I will cure them: and I will reveal to them the prayer of peace and truth. 7. And I will restore the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Jerusalem: and I will build them up as from the beginning. 8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they sinned against Me: and I will be merciful to all their iniquities by which they offended Me and despised Me. 9. And it shall be to Me for a name, and for a joy, and for a praise, and for an exultation. among all the nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good things that I will do for them: and they shall fear, and shall be troubled at all the good things and at all the peace that I shall make for them. 10. Thus says the Lord: There shall still be heard in this place (which you say is desolate, because there is neither man nor beast: in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, which are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without cattle) 11. the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those saying: Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for His mercy endures forever: and of those bringing offerings into the house of the Lord: for I will restore the captivity of the land as from the beginning, says the Lord. 12. Thus says the Lord of hosts: There shall still be in this desolate place, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, a dwelling of shepherds making their flocks lie down. 13. In the cities of the hill country, and in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the surroundings of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, flocks shall still pass under the hand of one who counts them, says the Lord. 14. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, and I will fulfill the good word which I spoke to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. 15. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David: and He shall execute judgment and justice in the land. 16. In those days Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell securely: and this is the name by which they shall call Him: The Lord our Justice. 17. For thus says the Lord: There shall not fail from David a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel. 18. And from the priests and from the Levites there shall not fail a man before Me who shall offer burnt offerings, and burn sacrifice, and slay victims all days. 19. And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 20. Thus says the Lord: If My covenant with the day can be made void, and My covenant with the night, so that there should not be day and night in their season: 21. then also My covenant with David My servant may be void, so that he should not have a son to reign on his throne, and the Levites and priests My ministers. 22. As the stars of heaven cannot be numbered, and the sand of the sea cannot be measured: so will I multiply the seed of David My servant, and the Levites My ministers. 23. And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 24. Have you not seen what this people has spoken, saying: The two families which the Lord chose He has cast off: and they have despised My people, so that it is no longer a nation before them? 25. Thus says the Lord: If I have not made My covenant between day and night, and if I have not set laws for heaven and earth: 26. then indeed I will cast off the seed of Jacob and of David My servant, so as not to take from his seed princes over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will restore their captivity, and will have mercy on them.
Verse 1
1. A second time — in prison. 2. Who will form it — what He predicted through me in the preceding chapter, and here repeats and confirms, namely the return from Babylon and the former happiness; in Hebrew it is otah, "her," that is, "it": for the Hebrews use the feminine for the neuter; although Vatablus and Pagninus explain it thus: "her," namely, God will form, that is, rebuild and restore Jerusalem.
Verse 3
3. Call upon Me — not to prevent the destruction of Jerusalem already absolutely decreed by Me, but to obtain the return from captivity. For although I have also decreed this, I have nevertheless decreed not to grant it unless asked through your prayers, those of Daniel, Ezekiel, and others. Therefore I admonish you to pray for it, indeed to cry out: for I "will hear you." So St. Thomas. Sure things. — In Hebrew betsuroth, that is, strong, fortified, so that they cannot be broken or hindered by anyone: in Chaldaic, reserved, that is, hidden, namely concerning the future restoration of Jerusalem, or rather of the Church through Christ. So Lyranus and Vatablus.
Verse 4
4. Concerning the houses — about the houses, for this is the Hebrew al. Concerning the fortifications — about the fortifications and about the sword. Note that the inhabitants of Jerusalem, when they were besieged by the Chaldeans, tore down their houses to erect fortifications and war machines in them against the Chaldeans: many also came from all Judea into Jerusalem with swords and weapons to defend it, and it happened, while they tried to resist, that many of them fell by the weapons and arms of the Chaldeans, and the demolished houses were filled with corpses — not of the enemy, but of the Jews, as God took vengeance: this is what the Prophet says here. So the Chaldean, the Septuagint, and Vatablus.
Verse 6
6. Behold, I will bring to them — namely, to the Jews. The Hebrew and the Septuagint have "to it," namely to Jerusalem. Until now God has shown Himself a just avenger on account of the crimes of the Jews; now He shows Himself merciful toward them, like a physician who heals the wound he has inflicted.
heals: for it is the mark of a good physician first, to lance; second, to anoint: let pastors and prelates do this in the diseases of the soul. Note: He speaks of the restoration and happiness of the people returning from captivity, both the temporal one begun through Zerubbabel, as Theodoret holds, and rather, under this and its type, He speaks of the spiritual one (which was greater and fuller), accomplished and completed through Christ. So Rabanus, Hugo, St. Thomas. The Prophets, says St. Jerome on Malachi Chapter 1, so weave the prophecy of future things that they do not abandon the present time; for they mingle the discourse of both, and from the occasion of the one, they predict the happiness of Christ. See what was said in Chapters 30 and 31.
I will reveal to them the prayer of peace and truth. — It is a hypallage, that is, the peace and truth of prayer, that is, the peace that was prayed for; and I will also provide the truth, that is, the faithfulness of the promises about giving it, indeed in a preliminary and temporal way through Zerubbabel, but spiritually and completely through Christ. Whence, second, I will give peace and truth both of doctrine and of life, that is, a perfect life and every exercise of virtue (for this is called truth in Scripture, namely truth of life), through Christ, for whom all the Saints prayed. So St. Thomas. Hence Vatablus, Pagninus, and R. David translate: I will give them an abundance or multitude of peace and truth; and the Chaldean: Behold, I will bring upon them medicine and health, and I will heal them, and I will reveal to them the gate of repentance, and I will show them how to walk in the way of peace and truth; the Septuagint translate: I will reveal to them so that I may hear, as if to say: I will show them the manner of praying by which they may gain My ear, so that I may hear them and make for them peace and faith.
Verse 7
7. And I will restore their captivity — that is, their exile. Thus "conversion" is taken in verses 11 and 26, and in Chapter 30:3 and 18. And I will build them up — as if to say: I will build for them their destroyed houses, and will place them in them; I will make them dwell in new houses given to them by Me. Thus He said in Chapter 12:16: "They will be built up," that is, they will dwell, "in the midst of My people." As from the beginning — when He brought them from Egypt into Canaan and established them there.
Verse 9
9. And it shall be — namely Jerusalem temporal, or rather spiritual, that is, the Church restored through Christ, abounding in peace, grace, goods, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. For a name of God (so that through it the fame of God's name may be spread among the nations, who will rejoice, and with admiration, and with holy fear and reverence) they will tremble — at so great a goodness and grace of God conferred on the Apostles by the Church. So St. Thomas, Rabanus, and Hugo. Moreover, "they will tremble" because they will see that God, who has heaped so many good things upon His faithful friends, can also destroy His unfaithful enemies and afflict them with every evil: wherefore many of them will be converted to God. Note: "In all peace" means in every prosperity and abundance of things: for this is what peace means for the Hebrews, as is clear.
Psalm 121:7: "Let there be peace in your strength, and abundance in your towers." Again, "in peace" means "on account of peace." For the Hebrew beth is often so taken, meaning "in." 10. There shall still be heard in this place, etc., and outside Jerusalem. — The word "outside" is a noun, not an adverb. Whence the Hebrew and Chaldean have: in the streets of Jerusalem. We saw something similar in Chapter 11:6.
Verse 11
11. The voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride — as if to say: You will celebrate joyful weddings with the Jews in Jerusalem, and you will especially exult in the wedding of Christ and the Church, and rejoicing you will sing the song which David sang before you, and which he predicted you would sing in this happy and favorable state of affairs, Psalm 136, saying: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures forever." For that the Jews sang this refrain in their return from Babylon is clear from 1 Ezra 3. Of those carrying vows — of those who bring victims and offerings which they vowed to God in thanksgiving for so great a redemption, both from Babylon and rather from sin: for in Hebrew instead of "vows" it is todah, signifying confession and praise, that is, a sacrifice of praise, celebration, and thanksgiving offered to God.
Verse 12
12. A dwelling of shepherds making their flocks lie down — as if to say: There will be most abundant pastures there, so that shepherds will dwell there with "flocks lying down," that is, flocks that because of the abundance of pastures and their satiety in the meadows will lie down and recline in their customary manner. All these things are the antithesis of the evils with which He threatened them, Chapter 7:34 and Chapter 16:9 and Chapter 25:10, as is clear to one comparing these passages with each other.
as well as other passages, has been corrupted by the Jews, so that they might be forced to confess that Christ is God. For both our translator and the Septuagint and the Chaldeans translate "they will call Him," namely Christ, not "it," namely Jerusalem. But Francis Lucas in his Notes shows the opposite, namely that it is not the Hebrew but the Latin text that is corrupted here; and that St. Jerome translated not "Him" but "it": because eleven Latin manuscripts have "it," not "Him." The Venetian Chaldaic edition also has la, that is "her," not le, that is "him." It seems therefore that the reading of Chapter 23:6 was transferred here, so that "Him" crept in for "it"; because that reading was more familiar to scribes, since it is read daily in the Church during the season of Advent. But against the Jews it is sufficiently proven that Christ is God from the similar passage in Chapter 23:6, as I said there. Therefore they would have corrupted this passage in vain: for they would have needed to corrupt that one as well as this one.
Verse 13
13. Of one counting. — For a shepherd is accustomed in the evening, when the flock has been brought back to the sheepfolds, to count the sheep at the entrance as they pass through, lest any be missing. This literally happened after the return from Babylon, say Theodoret and St. Thomas; but much more did it happen spiritually through Christ and the Apostles and other shepherds. Thus Christ, John 10:3 and 14, calls His sheep by name. For the Prophet signifies here the duty, care, and vigilance of the Gospel shepherds, so that they watch over each individual sheep, lest any go astray and perish. So Rabanus, Lyranus, and Vatablus. Thus did Christ, when He said, John 10:14: "I know My sheep." And John 17:12 and Chapter 18:9: "Those whom You gave Me, I have not lost any of them."
Otherwise Sanchez says, as if to say: Your herds, namely cattle, donkeys, horses, etc., which when you were led away to Babylon became wild and untamed in the deserted land of Judea, so that they would not allow themselves to be handled and counted by men; those, when you return to Judea, will again be tamed, and will become domestic, and will allow themselves to be handled and counted. For your shepherds will again tend them; and so they will tame them so that they come to hand and allow themselves to be sheared and milked, and voluntarily offer the profits which the master wishes to take from them. This meaning is fitting and appropriate.
Verse 14
14. I will fulfill the good word — that is, the consoling, prosperous, favorable word. Thus says the Poet: Now good words must be spoken on a good day. Second, "good" means benign, propitious, beneficent. Thus says Virgil, Aeneid XII: You, O my shades, Be favorable to me, since the gods above are opposed in will.
Verse 15
15. I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David. — That is, I will produce Christ the son of David, who will be most just and the justifier of all. So the Chaldean. 16. This is the name by which they shall call Him. — In Hebrew: this is the name by which he will call her, namely Jerusalem, that is, the Church: The Lord our Justice, that is, Christ our justifier; He Himself is our Lord, He Himself is our God: for in Hebrew it is Jehovah. The name therefore of Christ, given to Him in Chapter 23:6, is here communicated to the Church; indeed, Christ Himself communicates His own name to His spouse according to custom, so that she may always have her Spouse on her lips, praise and celebrate Him, saying: The Lord Christ is my justice, that is, the author of my justice.
If therefore you ask what is this city? By what name is the Church called? I respond that it is called the Church of Christ, or the Church in which all say: Christ is our justice. Father Gordon, Controversy I, Chapter 10, maintains that this passage
Verse 17
17. There shall not fail from David a man — namely Christ, ruling the Church forever by Himself and through His Vicars the Pontiffs. For it is clear that these things are not true of the temporal kingdom of the Jews and of David, as a learned man holds from Theodoret (for this was extinguished under Zerubbabel and Ezra), but of the spiritual; the same applies to the priesthood that follows. So say all interpreters generally, except Theodoret who holds that the Maccabean leaders and pontiffs had mothers from the line of David and Judah; and thus both the lineage and the kingdom and principate of David endured in them. But this is uncertain and insufficient, both because genealogies are traced through men and fathers, not through mothers; and because the principate of the Maccabees did not last long and has now been completely extinct for 1,600 years.
Verse 18
18. And from the priests and from the Levites there shall not fail a man who may burn sacrifice. — He alludes to the victims of the old law, which were burned after being slain; but by these he understands the Eucharist, where Christ (who restored the ancient priesthood just as He restored the kingdom of David), set on fire with charity, is as it were slain, immolated, and consumed for God. It is a catachresis. So Theodoret, Lyranus, and others. Mystically, all Christians as priests offer oblations, prayers, and sacrifices of good works to God, Romans 12:1 and 1 Peter 2:9. So Rabanus, Hugo, and St. Thomas. Therefore it signifies the Evangelical sacrifice, namely of the Eucharist, which will be perpetual and will last until the times of the Antichrist, indeed until the end of the world. So St. Hippolytus, in his book On the Consummation of the World.
20 and 21. If My covenant with the day can be made void, and My covenant with the night, so that there should not be day and night in their season: then My covenant may be made void with David — with Christ, the son of David. First, Theodoret explains it thus: Just as day cannot be night, nor night day, so it cannot be that My covenant with David should not be a covenant and should be void. Second, and genuinely, Rabanus says: "Just as the laws of heaven, of day and night, persist immovably in their order, so the promise of God will remain immovable." Whence the Chaldean translates: Just as it cannot be that these things should fail. And thus Jeremiah explains it, Chapter 31:36, saying: "If these laws should fail before Me." A similar figure and pathos is in Seneca's Octavia: Sooner shall the savage seas be joined to the stars, And fire to water, the gloomy underworld to heaven, Nourishing light to darkness, dewy night to day, etc.
Verse 24
24. The two families — the two families, one the royal family of David, the second the priestly family of Aaron, so Theodoret, Rabanus, and Hugo: or, as Lyranus, Judah and Benjamin, which two tribes alone remained, the other ten having been carried off into Assyria, whence God was said to have chosen and preserved these two for Himself; which when the wicked saw — either the Chaldeans, as Rabanus and St. Thomas, or rather, as Vatablus and Hugo, the unbelieving Jews — now likewise cast off by God and about to be captured by the Chaldeans, they despised the people of God, as if they were never to be restored to their former dignity. So that it is no longer a nation — so that it seems to them that the nation of the Jews is not to be counted, or is of no consequence. So the Septuagint.
If My covenant between day. — Just as it cannot be that I did not make, both at the beginning of the world and in Genesis 8:21 with Noah, a covenant about the stability of heaven and earth, or that I should revoke or change it: so it cannot be that I should altogether cast off the children of Jacob and David, or not free them from captivity: indeed I will most certainly bring them back, and I will give Apostles who will succeed the priests and princes of the old law and kingdom, as pontiffs and princes of the Church, Psalm 44:17. These therefore will be the princes of the seed, that is, of the posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, namely of the true Israelites, who are the children of Abraham not according to the flesh but according to faith and spirit, as if to say: The Apostles and their successors will be the princes of the faithful, that is, of Christians: for these are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; children, I say, of promise, not of the flesh, Romans 9:6 and following. 26. Their captivity — See what was said at verse 7.