_Run ye to and fro_, &c. In this chapter, which seems to be a
continuation of the preceding discourse, God justifies the severity of
the judgments denounced in the foregoing chapter. The expressions are
strong, but not to be taken strictly in the letter, signifying only
the extreme degeneracy of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And though they say, The Lord liveth_, &c. Though, when they swear,
they use the common form of an oath, and say, _The Lord liveth_, or,
_as the Lord liveth_, or, _by the living God. Surely_, or rather,
_nevertheless, they swear falsely_ That is, either, 1st, They are not
sincere in the profession... [ Continue Reading ]
_O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth_ Dost thou not approve of
truth and faithfulness? And dost thou not search men's hearts, and
clearly discern their real dispositions from their hypocritical
pretences? _Thou hast stricken them_ With one affliction after
another; _but they have not grieved_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore a lion_, &c. Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldean army are here
pointed at under the metaphor of beasts of prey, of three kinds: being
powerful, courageous, and violent as a _lion;_ rapacious, greedy, and
devouring as a _wolf;_ and swift, lively, and active as a _leopard._
The word ערבוה, rend... [ Continue Reading ]
_How shall I pardon thee for this?_ How canst thou expect that the
holy God, the righteous Governor and Judge of the world, should
connive at, or bear with, such iniquitous conduct in his intelligent
and accountable creatures. He appeals to themselves, whether they can
think it consistent with his j... [ Continue Reading ]
_Go ye up upon her walls_, &c. Ye Babylonians, go, execute my
vengeance on them; _and destroy_ I commission you not only to take the
city, but to make havoc of its inhabitants. _But make not a full end_
Leave a remnant. Thus he sets bounds to the destroying sword, beyond
which it must not go. _Take... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts_ The prophet now, in the
name of God, answers the blasphemous speeches of these infidels,
ascribing to Jehovah that power and supremacy which were calculated to
give his words the greater influence. _Because you speak this word_
because these scoffers exp... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the Lord our God all these
things?_ Those that fall under the severity of God's judgments are apt
to think so favourably of themselves, as to wonder why they should be
singled out for examples of the divine vengeance, and of terror to
others. And particularly... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hear this, O foolish people_ Ignorant and imprudent, as blind to your
interest as to your duty; _and without understanding_ Hebrew, ואין
לב, _and there is no heart_, or _without heart_, stupid and
regardless of all counsel, wisdom, and common sense. _Which have eyes
and see not_, &c. Wilfully blind... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fear ye not me? saith the Lord_ He ascribes their stupidity and
foolishness to their want of the fear of God. As if he had said, If
you would but call to mind God's almighty power, and your own
weakness, and keep an awe of him upon your minds, you would be more
observant of his commands, and be afr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Your iniquities have turned away these things_ See note on Jeremiah
3:3. _For among my people are found wicked men_ I need not search for
such among the heathen nations, for they are easily found among them
that are called by my name. _They lay wait_, &c. They use all the arts
of fraud and cunning,... [ Continue Reading ]
_A wonderful and horrible thing is committed_ So stupendous a crime,
that it is beyond the apprehension of man to conceive, much more to
express, its greatness; and so abominable, that a man ought even to
loathe the thoughts of it. What this is, we have in the next verse;
_in the land_ That is, this... [ Continue Reading ]