Jeremiah 6:1

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 Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. BENJAMIN. Jerusalem was situated in the tribe of Benjamin, which was here separated from that of Judah by the valley of Hinnom. Though it was inhabited partly by Benjamites, partly by men of Judah, he addresses the former as being his own countrymen. BLOW THE TRUMPET IN TEKOA - Tikehu Tekoa form a play on sounds. The birthplace of Amos. BETH-HACCEREM - meaning in Hebrew, vineyard-house. It and Tekoa were a few miles south of Jerusalem. Since the enemy came from the north, the inhabitants of the surrounding country would naturally flee southwards. The fire-signal on the hills gave warning of danger approaching....

WE have already seen that oftentimes punishment is not only mentioned by this Prophet as being nigh at hand, but is also set as it were before our eyes; and we have shewn the reason for this, — because men are not only deaf, but wholly thoughtless, whenever God threatens them. As reproofs make no impressions, and even threatenings are not sufficient to arouse and awake them, it is necessary to set before them vivid descriptions, and to represent the event as present. Jeremiah continues this mode of teaching; he addresses the tribe of Benjamin; for one half of Jerusalem was in the territory of that tribe; And as he was from Anathoth, he addresses his own people and kindred rather than others, as he could use greater freedom. Had he directly reproved the Jews, they might not have so well borne with him; but as he begins with his neighbors, the tribe of Benjamin, it became more easy to bear...

1-8 Whatever methods are used, it is vain to contend with God's judgments. The more we indulge in the pleasures of this life, the more we unfit ourselves for the troubles of this life. The Chaldean army shall break in upon the land of Judah, and in a little time devour all. The day is coming, when those careless and secure in sinful ways will be visited. It is folly to trifle when we have eternal salvation to work out, and the enemies of that salvation to fight against. But they were thus eager, not that they might fulfil God's counsels, but that they might fill their own treasures; yet God thereby served his own purposes. The corrupt heart of man, in its natural state, casts out evil thoughts, just as a fountain casts out her waters. It is always flowing, yet always full. The God of mercy is loth to depart even from a provoking people, and is earnest with them, that by repentance and re...

CHAPTER VI _Jeremiah, in the spirit of prophecy, seeing the Chaldeans on_ _their march, bids his people set up the usual signals of_ _distress, and spread the general alarm to betake themselves to_ _flight_, 1. _Then, by a beautiful allusion to the custom of shepherds moving_ _their flocks to the richest pastures, Jerusalem is singled out_ _as a place devoted to be eaten up or trodden down by the armies_ _of the Chaldeans, who are called up against her, and whose_ _ardour and impatience are so great that the soldiers, when they_...

Jeremiah addresses the men of Benjamin, either as being his own tribesmen, or as a name appropriate to the people of Jerusalem, which also was situate in the tribe of Benjamin. GATHER YOURSELVES TO FLEE - Gather your goods together to remove them to a place of safety. BLOW THE TRUMPET IN TEKOA - The name of Tekoa is almost identical with the verb “to blow”: but it was not chosen merely for the alliteration, but because it was the last town in Judaea (about 11 miles south of Jerusalem), upon the very border of the desert, where the fugitives would halt. A SIGN - Rather, a signal. BETH-HACCEREM - Or, the “Vineyard-House,” which was situated halfway between Jerusalem and Tekoa. APPEARETH - “Is bending over;” is bending forward in eagerness

EXPOSITION A prophecy, in five stanzas or strophes, vividly describing the judgment and its causes, and enforcing the necessity of repentance. JEREMIAH 6:1 Arrival of a hostile army from the north, and summons to flee from the doomed city. JEREMIAH 6:1 O YE CHILDREN OF BENJAMIN. The political rank of Jerusalem, as the capital of the kingdom of Judah, makes it difficult to realize that Jerusalem was not locally a city of Judah at all. It belonged, strictly speaking, to the tribe of Benjamin, a tribe whose insignificance, in comparison with Judah, seems to have led to the adoption of a form of expression not literally accurate (see Psa 128:1-6 :68). The true state of the ease is evident from an examination of the two par

O YE CHILDREN OF BENJAMIN,.... The tribe of Benjamin was with the tribe of Judah, and continued with that in the pure worship of God when the ten tribes revolted; and in the land of Israel, when they were carried captive; and besides, Jerusalem, at least part of it, was in the tribe of Benjamin, and particularly Anathoth, which was Jeremiah's native place, was in that tribe; and this altogether is a reason why the children of Benjamin are so distinctly addressed: GATHER YOURSELVES TO FLEE OUT OF THE MIDST OF JERUSALEM; where some of this tribe lived, or had betaken themselves for safety: or the Jews in general may be meant; for, as Ephraim is often put for the ten tribes, so Benjamin may be put for the two tribes, as Judah frequently is: or the words may be rendered, "be ye strong" i "out of the midst of Jerusalem"; as by the Septuagint, and others; and the sense may be, gather together...

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The call to the children of Benjamin (Jeremiah 6:1) _ 2. Corruption and the deserved judgment (Jeremiah 6:9) 3. The prophet addressed (Jeremiah 6:27) Jeremiah 6:1. The children of Benjamin are exhorted to flee for safety on account of the evil from the north. There were probably among the Benjamites God-fearing men. Those who heeded the call fled and escaped. It is a warning message which follows: “Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, let my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.” But they heeded it not....

THE SIEGE OF THE SINFUL CITY. The prophet bids his kinsfolk (Anathoth, his birthplace, being in Benjamin) to abandon the capital, and to gather in the southern mountains; the northern peril is now nearer than ever, and the fair and luxurious city is to be destroyed. Her besiegers are around her, like shepherds with their flocks, ravaging the land. We hear the foe discussing their plans a surprise at noon when men are resting from the heat; then, when they lament the loss of this opportunity (Woe unto us!), a night attack. The trees around the city (Jeremiah 6:6 _mg.; cf._ Deuteronomy 20:19) are cut down, and earthworks are thrown up as part of the enemy's plan of attack. The city is visited, _i.e._ punished, because she keeps fresh ...

CHILDREN. sons. BENJAMIN. Put by Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of the Part), for the whole of Judah, on account of their close connection with the Gibeathites (Judges 19:16; Hosea 9:9; Hosea 10:9). FLEE OUT. In Jeremiah 4:6 it was "flee to". Now Jerusalem itself is to be taken. BLOW... TEKOA. Figure of speech _Paronomasia_ (App-6), for emphasis. Hebrew. _bithko'ah_... _tik'u._ TEKOA. Now _Khan Teku'a,_ five miles south of Bethlehem, ten from Jerusalem. A SIGN OF ARE. a fire-signal. BETH-HACCEREM. house of the vineyards. Not identified. Conder suggests