O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. Ver. 1. _O ye children of Benjamin._] These were the prophet's countrymen, for An... [ Continue Reading ]
I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate [woman]. Ver. 2. _I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman._] _Certatim amatae bucolicae puellae; _ some fair shepherdess, to whom the kings with their armies make love (but for no love), that they may destroy an... [ Continue Reading ]
The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch [their] tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. Ver. 3. _The shepherds._] See on Jeremiah 6:2 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. Ver. 4. _Prepare ye war against her._] Say those Chaldean sweethearts. This is their wooing language, like that of the English at Musselburgh. _ Let u... [ Continue Reading ]
Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces. Ver. 5. _Let us destroy her palaces._] Where we shall find all precious substance; we shall fill our hands with spoil. _as _ Pro 1:13... [ Continue Reading ]
For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this [is] the city to be visited; she [is] wholly oppression in the midst of her. Ver. 6. _For thus hath the Lord of hosts said,_] _q.d., _ It is he who setteth these Chaldean warriors to work, and giveth t... [ Continue Reading ]
As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually [is] grief and wounds. Ver. 7. _As a fountain casteth out her waters._] Incessantly and abundantly. _In Ieremia est continua quasi declamatio contra peccatum, &c._ Bef... [ Continue Reading ]
Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. Ver. 8. _Be thou instructed._] Affliction is a schoolmaster, _a_ or rather an usher to the law, which the apostle calleth a schoolmaster to Christ. Affliction bringeth men to the law, an... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets. Ver. 9. _They shall thoroughly glean the remnant._] They shall make clean work of them. _as _ Jdg 20:45... [ Continue Reading ]
To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear [is] uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. Ver. 10. _To whom shall I speak and give warning?_] Heb., Protest - _q.d.,_ I know not where... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with [him that is] full of days. Ver. 11. _Therefore I am full of the fury o... [ Continue Reading ]
And their houses shall be turned unto others, [with their] fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD. Ver. 12. _With their fields and wives together._] These are mentioned as most dear to them; who could haply say as he did - “ _Haec... [ Continue Reading ]
_For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one [is] given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely._ Ver. 13. _Every one is given to covetousness._] _Avet avaritia,_ eager for greed, is coveting covetise or excessively; crieth still,... [ Continue Reading ]
They have healed also the hurt [of the daughter] of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when [there is] no peace. Ver. 14. They have healed also the hurt of … slightly.] Heb., Upon a slight or slighted thing. _Secundum curationem mali leviculi; _ _a_ as men use to cure the slight hurts of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time [that] I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD._ Ver. 15. _Were they at all ashamed_] Their shamelessness was... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein]. Ver. 16. _Stand ye in the ways and see._] Duly deliberate and take time to consider whether you... [ Continue Reading ]
Also I set watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. Ver. 17. _Also I set watchmen over you,_] _i.e., _ Priests and prophets to watch for your welfare. _ Hearken to the sound of the trumpet._] See on Jeremiah 6:8 . _ We will not hearken.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what [is] among them. Ver. 18. _Therefore hear, O ye nations._] For this people will not hear me, though I speak never so good reason. Scaliger _a_ telleth us that the nature of some kind of amber is such that it will draw to itself all kind of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, [even] the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it._ Ver. 19. _Hear, O earth._] In case none else will hear. _ Even the fruit of their thoughts._] Why, then, should any man th... [ Continue Reading ]
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings [are] not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. Ver. 20. _To what purpose cometh there to me incense?_] _Cui bono,_ so long as it smelleth of the foul hand that offereth it, s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish._ Ver. 21. _Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks._] _a_ Heb., Stumblements - _i.e., _ occasions, preparations, a... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. Ver. 22. _Thus saith the Lord._] It is not in vain that this is so oft prefaced to the ensuing prophecies. _Dictum Iehovae_ The word the Lord is very emphatic and aut... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they [are] cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. Ver. 23. _They shall lay hold on bow and spear._] To destroy _et eminus et comminus,_ both afar off a... [ Continue Reading ]
We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail. Ver. 24. _Our hands wax feeble._] He modestly reckoneth himself among the rest, though the "arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob," Gen 49:... [ Continue Reading ]
Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy [and] fear [is] on every side. Ver. 25. _Go not out into the field._] Since there is "no peace to him that goeth out, nor to him that cometh in"; 2Ch 15:5 but “ _Luctus ubique, pavor, et plurima mortis imago._ ” “Everywh... [ Continue Reading ]
O daughter of my people, gird [thee] with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, [as for] an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us. Ver. 26. _Gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes._] The very heathens do so when in danger... [ Continue Reading ]
I have set thee [for] a tower [and] a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way. Ver. 27. _I have set thee for a tower and a fortress._] Or, A fortified watch tower have I made thee among my people - _i.e., _ to spy out and discover their dispositions and affections.... [ Continue Reading ]
They [are] all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: [they are] brass and iron; they [are] all corrupters. Ver. 28. _They are all grievous revolters._] Heb., Revolters of revolters. Chald., Princes of revolters, archrebels. Jeremiah, God's champion, such as was wont to be set forth completely... [ Continue Reading ]
The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. Ver. 29. _The bellows are burnt._] The prophet's lungs are spent; all their pains spilt upon a perverse people. See Ezekiel 24:6; Ezekiel 24:12,13. Jeremiah had blowed hard, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Reprobate silver shall [men] call them, because the LORD hath rejected them._ Ver. 30. Reprobate _a_ silver shall men call them.] Dross and refuse, rather than pure metal; "silver" they would seem to be, but their hypocrisy shall be made known to all men, who shall count them and call them "reprob... [ Continue Reading ]