Some divide Jeremiah 12 into three extracts Jeremiah 12:1, Jeremiah 12:14 from discourses of Jeremiah not preserved at length; others regard it as a connected discourse occasioned by a drought in the days of Josiah (compare Jeremiah 12:4); others see in the “evil neighbors” Jeremiah 12:14, an allusi... [ Continue Reading ]
YET LET ME TALK ... - Rather, yet will I speak with thee on a matter of right. This sense is well given in the margin. The prophet acknowledges the general righteousness of God’s dealings, but cannot reconcile with it the properity of the conspirators of Anathoth This difficulty was often present to... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR VEINS - i. e., their heart. The reins were regarded by the Jews as the seat of the affections.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST SEEN ME ... - Rather, “Thou seest me and triest mine heart” at all times, and knowest the sincerity of its devotion” toward Thee.” PULL THEM OUT - The original is used Jeremiah 10:20 of the rending asunder of the cords of the tent, and Ezekiel 17:9 of the tearing up of roots. Jeremiah doe... [ Continue Reading ]
The Hebrew divides this verse differently. “How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of the whole field wither? Because of the wickedness of them that dwell therein cattle and fowl have ceased to be: for he will not see, say they, our latter end.” The people mock the prophet, saying, In spite of... [ Continue Reading ]
Yahweh rebukes Jeremiah’s impatience, showing him by two proverbial sayings, that there were still greater trials of faith in store for him. Prosperous wickedness is after all a mere ordinary trial, a mere “running with the footmen;” he will have to exert far greater powers of endurance. AND IF IN T... [ Continue Reading ]
Yahweh shows that the downfall of the nation was occasioned by no want of love on His part, but by the nation’s conduct. LEFT - More correctly, cast away. Jeremiah 12:8 Judah has not merely refused obedience, but become intractable and fierce, like an untamed lion. It has roared against God with... [ Continue Reading ]
Nebuchadnezzar and his confederate kings trampled Judah under foot, as heedless of the ruin they were inflicting as the shepherds would be who led their flocks to browse in spring upon the tender shoots of the vine.... [ Continue Reading ]
DESOLATE - The force of the protest lies in this word. Thrice the prophet uses it. LAYETH IT TO HEART - Rather, laid it “to heart.” The desolate land must put up its silent cry to God, because the people had refused to see the signs of the coming retribution.... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH - in. Even these remote scaurs do not escape, polluted as they had been by the nation’s idolatries. SHALL DEVOUR - Or, devoureth. These hosts of war come as Yahweh’s sword. NO FLESH SHALL HAVE PEACE - “Flesh” in Genesis 6:3 means mankind as sinners; here, Judah. “Peace” in Hebrew has the w... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL REAP ... SHALL NOT PROFIT - Rather, have reaped ... have profited nothing. The force of the proverb is that all their labors had ended only in disappointment. AND THEY SHALL BE ASHAMED OF YOUR REVENUES - Or, yea, be ashamed of your produce - the produce of the fields.... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet addresses the spoilers. EVIL NEIGHBORS - The Syrians, Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Philistines, who at all times took advantage of Judah’s weakness. The special mercy to Judah was the prelude to mercy to the whole Gentile world.... [ Continue Reading ]
The accomplishment of this blessing depends upon both Judah and the Gentiles reversing their past conduct. Then shall the believing Gentile be admitted within the fold of the true, because spiritual, Israel - Christ’s Church.... [ Continue Reading ]