Jeremiah 8:19

The voice of the cry, i.e. the, greatness of their cry, the bitter cries, and screeches, and complaints that methinks I hear: the words are abrupt, because the prophet is to represent several persons speaking; himself, the people, and God. Of the daughter of my people; see Jeremiah 4:11; possibly because Jeremiah loved them, instructed them, admonished them as a daughter. Them that dwell in afar country, viz. their enemies the Babylonians, that were to come against them from a far country, Jeremiah 6:22; or the voice of them that were captives under those of a far country; now they begin to cry, which would not be persuaded to it before: the first is most to be approved of. In Zion, viz. in Jerusalem, a metonymy of the subject. Is not her king in her; or, as King in Zion; or, have we not a king of the seed of David, to whom the kingdom was granted to be perpetual? Either the words of God: q. d. Was not I among you, to provide for you, and protect you, but you must needs repair to idols? The like kind of speech is in 2 Kings 1:3, and the close of the verse seems to favour this. Or, as others, an expostulatory lamentation of the people, that the cruel adversary should prevail over a people that had God so near them, Psalms 48:2,3 Psalms 76:1,2: Hath God now left us? and is the promise of his continuance here at an end? Psalms 89:36. Why have they provoked me with strange vanities? as if God should seem to reply here, Let them not think it strange, seeing they have turned their backs upon me, and trusted to idols, which are but vanity, Jeremiah 2:11,13; called vanity, not only because idols are as nothing, but because all the confidence that is put them is vain, and because idolaters are vain in their minds, and want understanding. I have not forsaken them, but they me.