Jeremiah 13:17

But if ye will not hear it,.... The advice and exhortation now given, to repent of sin, be humble before God, and glorify him:

my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; he would no more act in a public character; but, laying aside his office as a prophet and public instructor, would retire to some corner, where he might not be seen or heard, and there lament the sins of the people, particularly their "pride", which had been the cause of their ruin; or mourn on account of their glory and excellency, as the word may be rendered, which would depart from them; their city and temple would be burnt; and their king, princes, and nobles, and the flower of the nation, carried into Babylon; so the Jews a interpret it of the glory of Israel, which should cease from them, and be given to the nations of the world;

Jeremiah 13:9;

mine eyes shall weep sore; or, "shedding tears it shall shed tears" b; in great abundance, being, as he wished his eyes might be, a fountain of tears to weep night and day, Jeremiah 9:1:

and run down with tears; or, "mine eye let down tears" c; upon the cheek in great plenty. The phrases are expressive of the sorrow of his heart for the distresses of his people, and of the certainty of them; the reason of which follows:

because the Lord's flock is carried away captive: that is, the Lord's people, as the Targum; to whom he stood in the relation of a shepherd, and they to him under the character of a flock; and this was what so sensibly touched the heart of the prophet, that they were a people that the Lord had an interest in, a regard unto, and among whom he had been formerly glorified; wherefore it was to the loss of his honour and interest that these should be given into the hands of their enemies, and be carried captive; and this troubled him, for nothing lies nearer the heart of a good man than the glory of God.

a T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 5. 2. b ודמע תדמע "et lachrymando lachrymabitur", Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt. c ותרד עיני דמעה "et descendet oculus meus lachrymam", Montanus, "lachrymis", Cocceius; "descendere faciet", Pagninus; "demittet", Targ.