| Jeremiah 20:7
| Thou hast deceived me, O Lord, and I am deceived: thou hast been stronger than I, and thou hast prevailed. I am become a laughing-stock all the day, all scoff at me.
| Thou hast deceived, etc. The meaning of the prophet is not to charge God with any untruth; but what he calls deceiving, was only the concealing from him, when he accepted of the prophetical commission, the greatness of the evils which the execution of that commission was to bring upon him. (Challoner) --- Hebrew, "thou hast enticed me," when I declined the office. (Tirinus) --- God never promised that he should suffer no persecution. (Haydock) --- Jeremias might also have supposed that he was to be sent to the Gentiles, Jeremias 1:5. (St. Jerome in chap 25:18.) --- The oriental languages are much more lofty than ours, and express common things in the strongest manner. (Calmet) --- We may perceive the different emotions of fear and joy (Du Hamel) with which the prophet was actuated, like St. Paul, and our Saviour himself. The saints evince the weakness of man and the power of divine grace. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "If thou, Lord, hast deceived me, I am," etc. (Tournemine)
|