Jeremiah 21:13

Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations? O INHABITANT OF THE VALLEY, AND ROCK OF THE PLAIN - Jerusalem personified: situated for the most part on hills, with valleys at the bottom of them, as the valley of Hinnom, etc.; and, beyond the valleys, mountains again-a position most fortified by nature, whence the inhabitants fancied themselves beyond the reach of enemies; but since God is "against" them, their position will avail nothing for them. The "valley" between mount Zion and Moriah is called Tyropoeon, 'the valley of the cheese-makers.' Robinson takes "rock of the plain" as mount Zion, on which is a level tract of some extent. It is appropriately here referred to, being the site of the royal residence of the "house of David," addressed...

Though the whole nation was corrupt in the time of the Prophet, yet Jerusalem was the head and seat of all evils, especially as there was there more licentiousness; and then they thought that the Prophets had no liberty there, as though the citizens were, by a peculiar privilege, exempt from all reproof; and, lastly, the very situation of the city gave them courage, for when they regarded the height of their walls, their towers, and fortresses, they thought themselves beyond the reach of danger. Hence was the security which the Prophet now condemns; and, therefore, he calls it _the inhabitant of the valley _ Jerusalem, we know, was situated on small hills: the Mount Sion had two tops; and then there were hills contiguous, especially towards Lebanon; there was, however, a plain on every side. And then if we except Mount Sion, Jerusalem was in a valley; for it was surrounded, we know, by m...

11-14 The wickedness of the king and his family was the worse because of their relation to David. They were urged to act with justice, at once, lest the Lord's anger should be unquenchable. If God be for us, who can be against us? But if he be against us, who can do any thing for us?...

Verse Jeremiah 21:13. _O INHABITANT OF THE VALLEY_, AND _ROCK OF THE PLAIN_] Dr. _Blayney_ translates: "O thou inhabitant of the levelled hollow of a rock." With all his explanation I cannot see the good sense of this translation. Jerusalem itself, though partly on _two hills_, was also extended in the valley; and _Zion_, the _city of David_, was properly _a rock_, strongly fortified both by nature and art; and by its ancient possessors, the _Jebusites_, was deemed impregnable. _WHO SHALL COME DOWN AGAINST US?_] Probably the words of those _courtiers_ who had persuaded Zedekiah to rebel against the king of Babylon....

INHABITANT - is feminine, the population of Jerusalem being always personified as a woman, the daughter of Zion. Omit and. Jerusalem is at once a valley and a rock Jeremiah 17:3. The people are described as priding themselves on the impregnability of their city....

EXPOSITION The chapter falls into three parts, two of which seem to be in some sort of connection, while the third is isolated. First comes a warning to the messengers of Zedekiah of the unfortunate issue of the rebellion against Babylon; this is followed by a counsel to the people to give up their futile resistance, and "fall away" to the Chaldeans. The last four verses contain an exhortation to the "house of David" to fulfill their high duties with greater conscientiousness, for fear of the judgment which had already begun to take effect when the former part of this chapter was written. Compare Zedekiah's embassy to Jeremiah with that of Hezekiah to Isaiah on a similar emergency (Isaiah 37:2). JEREMIAH 21:1 PASHUR. A different Pashur from the one

BEHOLD, I [AM] AGAINST THEE,.... Or, "behold, I unto thee" s; to be supplied either thus, "behold, I say unto thee" t; what follows; and therefore take notice of it, attend unto it: or, "behold, I come unto thee" u; who bid defiance to all their enemies to come near them, as in the latter part of the verse. The Targum is, "lo, I send my fury against thee;'' and the phrase denotes the Lord's opposition to them; his setting himself against them, and coming out unto them in his great wrath: O INHABITANT OF THE VALLEY, [AND] ROCK OF THE PLAIN, SAITH THE LORD; a description of Jerusalem; between the lower and higher part of which lay a valley, called Tyropaeon, which divided the two hills, on which the city was built w; yea, the whole city was on high, on a rock, and around it a valley or plain; and because it was built upon a rock, and fortified with hills and mountains, the inhabitants o...

CHAPTER 21 The Prophetic Warning _ 1. Zedekiah's inquiry (Jeremiah 21:1) _ 2. Jehovah's answer through Jeremiah (Jeremiah 21:3) Jeremiah 21:1. It has been said that this chapter is historically misplaced and therefore must be considered an evidence of the composite authorship of this book. The Spirit of God for some reason unknown to us has put it in this place. Zedekiah sent unto Jeremiah Pashur (a different one from the Pashur in the preceding chapter) to inquire as to Nebuchadrezzar, the King of Babylon. This is of course Nebuchadnezzar. The form of his name found in Jeremiah is derived more correctly from the Babylonian, which is “Nabukudurri-usur.” Here the great king is mentio

INHABITANT. inhabitress: i.e. Zion. ROCK OF THE PLAIN. Figure of speech _Periphrasis_, for Zion....

_inhabitant_ lit. as mg. _inhabitress_, i.e. the feminine used collectively for the body of the inhabitants. See Jeremiah 4:31; Jeremiah 6:2; Jeremiah 7:29; Jeremiah 14:17. _habitations lairs_. The word suggests the haunts of wild beasts, in which they are secure. Cp. Psalms 104:22; Nahum 2:12 ("dens")....