(15) I will return, and have compassion on them.--The words refer, as Jeremiah 12:16 shows, not to Judah only, but to the "evil neighbours." For them also there is hope, and that hope is bound up with the return of Judah. Strong as was the prophet's desire for retribution, it is overpowered by the new love shed abroad in his soul, and he sees that it does not exclude, even in their case, the pity and the yearning that look beyond it for an ultimate restoration.

Verse 15. - I will return, and have compassion. The rendering is too Hebraistic; the sense is simply, I will again have compassion. The prophets offer no partial or "nationalistic" view; of the mercy of God (comp. on Jeremiah 48:47).

12:14-17 The Lord would plead the cause of his people against their evil neighbours. Yet he would afterwards show mercy to those nations, when they should learn true religion. This seems to look forward to the times when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in. Those who would have their lot with God's people, and a last end like theirs, must learn their ways, and walk in them.And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out,.... Not the Jews only, but more especially their neighbouring nations; after they have been plucked up and carried captive, and been in captivity some time:

I will return, and have compassion on them; or, "have compassion on them again" (i); by returning their captivity, as is promised, Jeremiah 48:47,

and I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land; this seems to respect the conversion of the Gentiles in the latter day, when the fulness of them shall be brought in; as the latter part of the preceding verse may more especially regard the conversion of the Jews at the same time, when they shall be gathered out of all nations where they are, and return to their own land.

(i) "rursus misereat me illorum", Junius & Tremellius; "rursus miserabor ipsorum", Piscator; "denuo miserabor ipsorum", Cocceius.