Jeremiah 6:6-8

2. The siege of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 6:6-8)

TRANSLATION

(6) For thus says the LORD of hosts: Cut her trees and pour out against Jerusalem a mound! This is the city to be punished; everywhere there is oppression in her midst. (7) As the well causes its water to bubble forth so she bubbles forth her wickedness; violence and oppression are heard in her; before Me continually are sickness and wounds. (8) Be corrected, O Jerusalem, lest My soul be removed from you; lest I make you an astonishment, a land not inhabited.

COMMENTS

The God of Israel is the Lord of the enemy hosts. He issues the commands; they are merely instruments in His hands. Cut her trees! Pour out against Jerusalem a mound! The Assyrian kings boast of how they cut down the trees of the enemy. The timber was sometimes taken home, sometimes used to construct battering rams, catapults and other weapons used in the siege. Baskets of earth were poured out to form high mounds from which missiles could the more easily be hurled against the walls or into the besieged city. Jerusalem is to be punished by God because oppression exists throughout that city (Jeremiah 6:6). Just as a well always yields a supply of cool, fresh water so Jerusalem seems to constantly cause her wickedness to bubble forth. Deeds of violence and oppression against the less fortunate are commonplace. As a result of this mistreatment people suffer physical agony. Diseases produced by deprivation, want and wounds resulting from violent deeds cause the people to cry out to God about their plight (Jeremiah 6:7). Jeremiah earnestly appeals to Jerusalem to accept divine chastisement, to amend her ways, to repent. If they fail to heed this appeal God will completely, finally, and totally remove (lit., pull out, tear away) Himself from their midst. The land of Judah will become uninhabited, an astonishment to all who might look upon the desolation (Jeremiah 6:8).