God promiseth to the captivity a gracious return, a joyful state, a settled government, Christ, the branch of righteousness, a continuance of kingdom and priesthood, and a stability of a blessed seed.
Before Christ 589.
THIS chapter contains a prophesy, which, though applicable in some parts to the restoration of the Jews from Babylon, cannot however be so understood upon the whole, for reasons already touched upon in the introductory note to chap. 30: and which hold equally good in the present instance. God reveals his gracious purpose of healing the wounds of Jerusalem, restoring the captivity both of Israel and Judah, forgiving their sins, and distinguishing them with such blessings, as to strike the astonished nations with fear and trembling, Jeremiah 32:1-9. He foretels, that the land, whose desolation they deplored, should again flourish with multitudes both of men and cattle; Jeremiah 32:10-13. He confirms his former promise of establishing a kingdom of righteousness in a branch of the house of David, and rendering it perpetual, together with the priesthood of the sons of Levi; Jeremiah 32:14-18. He declares his covenant in this respect with David and the Levites to be as sure as the covenant of night and day; Jeremiah 32:19-22. And to remove the reproach of having cast off those families, whom he had once distinguished by his choice, he renews his protestations of restoring the seed of Jacob, and of appointing the seed of David to rule over them for ever; Jeremiah 32:23—to the end.