The sin of Judah [is] written with a pen of iron, [and] with the point of a diamond: [it is] graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; Ver. 1. _The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron._] The four first verses of this chapter are left out by the Septuagint. Jero... [ Continue Reading ]
Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills. Ver. 2. _While their children remember their altars._] Or, As they remember their children, so they remember their altars and their groves, _scil., _ with greatest love and delight. The Greeks call... [ Continue Reading ]
O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance [and] all thy treasures to the spoil, [and] thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders. Ver. 3. _O my mountain in the field._] Or, O my mountain and field, _i.e., _ O ye mountaineers and fieldlings. _Montani fere asperi sunt et inculti:... [ Continue Reading ]
And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, [which] shall burn for ever. Ver. 4. _And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue._] Or intermit,... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. Ver. 5. _Cursed be the man that trusteth in man._] _Disserit hic de summo bono, et de summo malo,_ saith one. Here the prophet discourseth of the chief good and of the c... [ Continue Reading ]
For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, [in] a salt land and not inhabited. Ver. 6. _For he shall be like the heath._] Wild myrice, that neither beareth fruit nor seed, and is good for little but to bu... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. Ver. 7. _Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord._] See on Jer 17:5 Psalms 25:12; Psalms 32:10; Psalms 34:8; Psalms 84:12; Psalms 125:1; Psalms 146:5, where David. having entered a caveat against creature confidence, p... [ Continue Reading ]
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and [that] spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Ver. 8. _For he shall be as a tree planted._]... [ Continue Reading ]
The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it? Ver. 9. _The heart of man is deceitful above all things._] The pravity and perversity of man's heart, full of harlotry and creature confidence, deceiving and being deceived, is here plainly and plentifully describ... [ Continue Reading ]
I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings. Ver. 10. _I the Lord search the heart._] Be it never so full of shifts and fetches, I cannot be deceived in it. The watchmaker must needs know every turning and... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah 17:11 [As] the partridge sitteth [on eggs], and hatcheth [them] not; [so] he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. Ver. 11. _As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not._] Because either she is taken in... [ Continue Reading ]
A glorious high throne from the beginning [is] the place of our sanctuary. Ver. 12. _A glorious high throne from the beginning._] Therefore it is best to "trust in God at all times, ye people, and to pour out your hearts before him," since "God is a refuge for us." Psa 62:8 All that do otherwise sh... [ Continue Reading ]
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, [and] they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. Ver. 13. _Shall be written in the earth,_] _i.e., _ _Aeterna motre damnabuntur; _ they shall be hurle... [ Continue Reading ]
Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou [art] my praise. Ver. 14. _Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed._] Viz., of that _cordolium_ heartfelt grief that my malicious countrymen cause me. The prophet was even sick at heart of their unworthy usages, and pray... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, they say unto me, Where [is] the word of the LORD? let it come now. Ver. 15. _Behold, they say unto me._] Heb., They are saying unto me; it is their daily _dicterium,_ or jeer. _ Where is the word of the Lord?_] Whereby thou so oft threatenest us with desolation. _a_ Thus profane persons f... [ Continue Reading ]
_As for me, I have not hastened from [being] a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was [right] before thee._ Ver. 16. _I have not hastened from being a pastor before thee._] I have neither rashly taken up the work of the ministr... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not a terror unto me: thou [art] my hope in the day of evil. Ver. 17. _Be not a terror unto me._] Let me have fair weather overhead, how foul soever it be under foot. If we have peace with God, though trouble in the world, we can take no hurt. If vapours be not got into the bowels of the earth,... [ Continue Reading ]
Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction. Ver. 18. _Let them be confounded._] A heavy imprecation. Let persecutors take heed how they move minis... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; Ver. 19. _Go and stand in the gate of the children._] The sheep gate, say some, whereof see Nehemiah 3:1; Nehemiah... [ Continue Reading ]
And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates: Ver. 20. _Ye kings of Judah._] Magistrates, being lord keepers of both the tables of the law, should carefully see to it that both be duly observed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring [it] in by the gates of Jerusalem; Ver. 21. _Take heed to yourselves._] Break not the Sabbath, that ye fall not under the fierce wrath of God, who paid him home with stones who but only gathered sticks on... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. Ver. 22. _Neither carry forth a burden._] Let not the Sabbath of the Lord, that sanctified day of his rest, be so shamefully troubled and disquiete... [ Continue Reading ]
But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. Ver. 23. _But they obeyed not._] See Jeremiah 7:24; Jeremiah 7:26 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; Ver. 24. _But hallow the Sabbath day,_] _sc., _ By spending the holy time holily, else God may sue... [ Continue Reading ]
Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever. Ver. 25. _Then shall there enter._] Then shall a... [ Continue Reading ]
And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the hou... [ Continue Reading ]
But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched. Ver. 27. _Then will I ki... [ Continue Reading ]