Teks -- Jeremiah 45:5 (NET)

45:5 Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. But I will allow you to escape with your life wherever you go.”’”

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Wesley: Jer 45:5 - Seek them not

Dost thou expect what none is like to meet with who feareth God? Upon all flesh - I am bringing calamities upon the whole nation.

JFB: Jer 45:5 - seekest thou great things for thyself

Thou art over-fastidious and self-seeking. When My own peculiar people, a "whole" nation (Jer 45:4), and the temple, are being given to ruin, dost thou expect to be exempt from all hardship? Baruch had raised his expectations too high in this world, and this made his distresses harder to be borne. The frowns of the world would not disquiet us if we did not so eagerly covet its smiles. What folly to seek great things for ourselves here, where everything is little, and nothing certain!

JFB: Jer 45:5 - all flesh

The whole Jewish nation and even foreign peoples (Jer 25:26).

JFB: Jer 45:5 - but thy life . . . for a prey

Esteem it enough at such a general crisis that thy life shall be granted thee. Be content with this boon of life which I will rescue from imminent death, even as when all things are given up to plunder, if one escape with aught, he has a something saved as his "prey" (Jer 21:9). It is striking how Jeremiah, who once used such complaining language himself, is enabled now to minister the counsel requisite for Baruch when falling into the same sin (Jer 12:1-5; Jer 15:10-18). This is part of God's design in suffering His servants to be tempted, that their temptations may adapt them for ministering to their fellow servants when tempted.

He begins with Egypt, being the country to which he had been removed. The forty-sixth chapter contains two prophecies concerning it: the discomfiture of Pharaoh-necho at Carchemish by Nebuchadnezzar, and the long subsequent conquest of Egypt by the same king; also the preservation of the Jews (Jer 46:27-28).

Clarke: Jer 45:5 - And seekest thou great things for thyself?

And seekest thou great things for thyself? - Nothing better can be expected of this people: thy hopes in reference to them are vain. Expect no national amendment, till national judgments have taken place. And as for any benefit to thyself, think it sufficient that God has determined to preserve thy life amidst all these dangers

Clarke: Jer 45:5 - But thy life will I give unto thee for a prey

But thy life will I give unto thee for a prey - This is a proverbial expression. We have met with it before, Jer 21:9, Jer 38:2, Jer 39:18; and it appears to have this meaning. As a prey or spoil is that which is gained from a vanquished enemy, so it is preserved with pleasure as the proof and reward of a man’ s own valor. So Baruch’ s life should be doubly precious unto him, not only on account of the dangers through which God had caused him to pass safely, but also on account of those services he had been enabled to render, the consolations he had received, and the continual and very evident interposition of God in his behalf. All these would be dearer to him than the spoils of a vanquished foe to the hero who had overcome in battle

Spoil may signify unlooked-for gain. The preservation of his life, in such circumstances, must be more than he could reasonably expect; but his life should be safe, and he should have it as a spoil, whithersoever he should go. This assurance must have quieted all his fears.

Calvin: Jer 45:5 - I will bring evil,

It afterwards follows, And seekest thou great things for thyself? We now see clear enough why he reproved Baruch, it was, because he was too careful as to himself, and too timid; and thus it was that he was impeded in his duty. He then says, And dost thou seek for thyself? The particle לך , lac, for thyself, is put here emphatically; for here God sets Baruch in the balance, and the whole people together, with the temple and divine worship. “Dost thou,” he says, “outweigh them? Is thy life of more value than the temple, the safety of the people, and all my gifts which so much excel?” It was then God’s purpose in this way to make Baruch ashamed of himself, because he preferred a frail life to so many things and so glorious. Dost thou, then, he says, seek great things, גדלות , gidalut, for thyself? that is, “Shall thy state be eminent while the temple is burnt with fire, while the land is laid waste, while most men perish, and the remnant are driven into exile and captivity? Art thou then alone to be deemed sacred? Art thou alone to be exempt from loss and trouble? See, is all this right?” Here then he made Baruch himself the judge.

But as Baruch might as yet flatter himself, he immediately restrains him; Seek not, he says, for we know how men from self-love seek their own indulgence. That Baruch then might not persist in his course, God puts a check on all his ambitious feelings; Seek not, he says. He afterwards adds a ground of consolation. Baruch has been thus far severely reproved, as he deserved, on account of his self-indulgence; but God now forgives him, and adds a comfort which might in part alleviate his sorrow; For behold, he says, I will bring evil on all flesh, and 1 will give thee thy life for a prey in all p1aces whither thou goest Here God frees Baruch from that distressing fear by which he had been debilitated, so as not to possess suitable firmness for his work. he then says, “Fear not, for thy life shall be safe to thee while all around thee are destroyed.” Baruch thought that he should perish while the people were safe and secure; but God declares that none of the people would be safe, and that he would be safely preserved while all the rest were perishing.

I will bring evil, he says, on all flesh He speaks indeed briefly, but Baruch must have well considered what he had received from the mouth of the Prophet, for he ought to have been fully persuaded as to the faithfulness and immutable purpose of God. God then assumes this fact, that ruin was nigh as to the whole people and other nations. He afterwards adds, Thy life will I give thee as a prey Of this kind of language we have before spoken. To give one his life for a prey was to deliver him as it were from instant death. As when all things are exposed to plunder, if one snatched this or that and escaped, he would have something saved; or as if one plucked anything from the burning, he would have it preserved; so when all things were thrown into such a confusion, that death would beset men on every side, he who could escape in safety would have his life as a prey when removed from all danger. Then God bids Baruch to be content with the benefit of being safe, while others, as I have said, were perishing. Now follows, —

Defender: Jer 45:5 - seek them not

Baruch had been a young man of good birth and great promise, but left that behind in order to serve the Lord by assisting Jeremiah in his God-called ministry. As a result, not only did the Lord spare his life when all the others who had fled into Egypt were losing theirs, but his name has been known and honored by God's people every generation since. And, of course, there is far more. Jesus said: "There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting" (Luk 18:29, Luk 18:30)."

TSK: Jer 45:5 - seekest // seek // I will bring // thy life

seekest : 2Ki 5:26; Rom 12:16; 1Co 7:26-32; 1Ti 6:6-9; Heb 13:5

seek : Mat 6:25-32

I will bring : Jer 25:26; Gen 6:12; Isa 66:16; Zep 3:8

thy life : Jer 21:9, Jer 38:2, Jer 39:18

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Jer 45:5 - I will bring evil upon all flesh // But thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest

What great things Baruch was seeking is not expressed, and impossible to be determined with any certainty; they could not be honour or riches, the time of Jehoiakim’ s reign was no time for any pious rational man to expect any thing of that nature; he might expect to have been a prophet, as Elisha was, who first was but a servant to Elijah. Or at least he might expect rest and protection, when others met with disturbance. But it may be the meaning is no more than, Dost thou expect what none meeteth with, or is like to meet with who feareth God? Never think of it.

I will bring evil upon all flesh I am bringing calamities and misery upon the whole nation wherein thou livest.

But thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest I will preserve thy life, that is all thou art to expect, and thou shalt live to see the time that thou wilt judge that a great booty, that thou shalt have lent thee, whithersoever the wind of my providence shall happen to drive thee. This message of God to Baruch teacheth us that God expects from his people a spirit suited to his dispensations, and that they should keep their spirits low in a time of public judgments, not making to themselves any great promises of freedom from their share in the public calamities of that nation or kingdom in which they are; but contenting themselves with such allowances as God proportioneth to them at such a time without discontent or murmuring, and blessing God for any marks of gracious providence which he in such times will please to set upon them, being thankful for them and satisfied with them.

PBC: Jer 45:5

See Philpot: LIFE GIVEN FOR A PREY

Haydock: Jer 45:5 - Great // And save

Great: the spirit of prophecy; (Rabbins) or rather to be exempted from suffering, while all the neighbouring nations were perishing. (Calmet) ---

And save. Literally, "for salvation." Hebrew, "booty." (Haydock) ---

He seems to have been set at liberty with his master, chap. xl. 1. (Calmet)

Gill: Jer 45:5 - Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not // for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh // but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest

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.