Jeremiah 9

Jeremiah 9:1

OH that my head were waters, &c.] Heb. Who will give my head waters, &c. as Psalms 55:6. or, make my head waters, &c. as Hosea 11:8.

The Prophets exceeding great compassion towards his people: who could never sufficiently lament, the calamities, which he foresaw ready to befall them, and the procuring causes thereof, their sumes. Isaiah 22:4. Chap. 4. 19. & 13. 17. & 14. 17.

for the slain] Those that are as sure to be slain by the Chaldeans, as if they were already slain. as Genesis 20:3. Chap. 32. 24. Ezekiel 21:14. Job 3:18.

the daughter of my people] See Isaiah 22:4.

Jeremiah 9:2

Oh that I had in the wildernesse] Heb. who will give me, &c. as Vers. 1. As being better, quieter, and more comfortable living among wild beasts, then with such as this people were. Psalms 55:7. Proverbs 21:19. Ecclus. 25. 18, 22. Hebrews 11:38.

a lodging-place of wayfaring men] Or, for travellers. Such a lodge, as is built for travellers to rest in by the way, where no housing is neer.

all adulterers] Turned away from God: and addicted also to loosenesse of life. Chap. 5. 7, 8. & 23. 10.

an assembly of treacherous men] Or, in the day of assembly trespassers. Ezekiel 23:38-39. Either a whole rout of wicked wretches; Chap. 5. 1. or, such as carry themselves wickedly, even on those dayes of solemn assembly, whereon they ought to be most holy. Leviticus 23:26. Numbers 29:35. Isai. 58. 3, 4.

Jeremiah 9:3

they bend their tongues like their bow for lies] To belye and slander their neighbour; and thereby to wound him in his name, state, or life. Vers. 8. Psalms 64:3. & 120. 2-4.

for they proceed] Or, but proceed. as Psalms 118:17.

from evil to evil] Chap. 7. 26.

they know not me] This cometh last, as the cause of all the former. Chap. 4. 22. Hosea 4:1. See the like, Malachi 3:5. Romans 3:18.

Jeremiah 9:4

Take ye heed every one of his neighbour] Or, friend. Chap. 22. 8. Chap. 12. 6. Mic. 7. 5, 6.

every brother] All are corrupt: and there is no finding of an honest man, whom one may trust; be he never so neer, or pretend never so much fidelitie and friendship. Psal. 12. 1, 2. Proverbs 20:6.

will utterly supplant] Heb. supplanting supplant. Over-reach a man; and trip up his heels: a figurative speech taken from the practise of runners and wrestlers. 1 Thessalonians 4:4. an allusion to the name of Jacob, Genesis 27:36. Hosea 12:2.

walk with slanders] Carrying tales to and fro; and divulging false reports: forbidden, Leviticus 19:16.

Jeremiah 9:5

They will deceive] Or, mock. Job 13:9. or, beguilo. Genesis 31:7.

every one his neighbour] Or, one another. as Vers. 20. Zechariah 8:10.

they have taught their tongue to speak lies] They are so enured to lying, that they cannot leave it. Chap. 13. 23. Or, enured; accustomed. Chap. 2. 24.

weary themselves to commit iniquitie] They take pains to do evil, and tire out themselves in it. Psalms 7:14. Isaiah 5:18.

Jeremiah 9:6

Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit, &c.] Or, among (Chap. 40. 5.) deceitfull ones. as Psalms 109:2. Proverbs 12:24. Thou, my Prophet, livest among a company of deceitfull persons: who will rather stick to their deceitfull courses, then leave them to come home to me. Chap. 8. 5. or, who trusting to them, refuse to regard me. Job 21:14. Psalms 52:7. Isaiah 28:15. & Isaiah 30:12.

Jeremiah 9:7

I will melt them, and try them] With the fire, and in the surnace of affliction; to sever the wicked from them, and to refine the residue. Isaiah 1:25. & Isaiah 4:4. & Isaiah 49:10. Daniel 11:33. Malachi 3:3.

how shall I do] Or, what else should I do.

for the daughter of my people] Vers. 1.

Jeremiah 9:8

Their tongue is as an arrow shot out] Vers. 3. Psalms 64:3.

it speaketh deceit] Psalms 12:2. & Psalms 120:3.

one speaketh peaceably, &c.] Or, when a man speaketh peaceably. Heb. peace. as Psalms 85:8.

but in heart he layeth his wait] Or, he then (as Chap. 1. 4.) layeth wait for him in his heart. Psal 28. 3. & 55. 22. Heb. in the midst of him. Chap. 4. 14.

Jeremiah 9:9

Shall I not visit them for these things? &c.] Or, Should I not punish. as Chap. 5. 9, 29.

shall not my soul] Or, should I not. as Chap. 12. 7.

Jeremiah 9:10

For the mountains will I take up a weeping, &c.] Implying, that all places about Jerusalem should be destroyed. Psalms 125:2. Chap. 17. 3.

for the habitations of the wildernesse] Or, pastures (as Joe 2:22.) of the plain. Isaiah 63:13.

burnt up] Or, desolate. Chap. 9. 12. & 46. 19.

that none can passe through them] Or, not any passeth. Heb. without man (Chap. 5. 1.) passing. Chap. 2. 6. Vers. 12.

neither can men heare the voice of the cattel] Or, nor is the voice of cattel heard there. Heb. do they hear. as Isaiah 62:12. The lowing of oxen, and bleating of sheep, Judges 5:16. 1 Samuel 15:14. that had wont to grase and feed there.

both the fowl of the heavens and the beast] Heb. from the sowl even to the beast, &c. Chap. 50. 3.

they are gone] Because nothing is left, that may sustain either. Chap. 4. 25. & 12. 4.

Jeremiah 9:11

I will make Jerusalem heaps] Isaiah 25:2. & Isaiah 37:26. Psalms 79:1.

a den of dragons] Chap. 10. 22. Isaiah 34:13.

the cities of Judah desolate] Heb. desolation.

without an inhabitant] Chap. 4. 7.

Jeremiah 9:12

Who is the wise man that may understand this] Where is the wise man among all your wise ones, Chap. 8. 8. that taketh notice of this, or apprehendeth the reason of it? which indeed none but those, who are truly wise, can do Psalms 107:43. Hosea 14:9.

that he may declare] Or, let him shew.

for what the land perisheth] Or, why doth the land perish, &c. or, why the land perisheth, &c.

like a wildernesse that none passeth through] Chap. 2. 6. Vers. 10.

Jeremiah 9:13

Because they have forsaken my law, &c.] Gods answer, by the Prophet, rendring the true reason of this their calamitie; which they ascribed to other causes. Lam. 3. 37-39.

Jeremiah 9:14

walked after the imagination of their own heart] Or, stubbornnesse. Chap. 7. 24. & 11. 8. 1 Pet. 1, 18.

which their fathers taught them] Which yet shall not excuse them: but both father and child being alike wicked, shall alike perish. Chap. 6. 11, 21. & 7. 18.

Jeremiah 9:15

I will feed them with wormwood] Chap. 8. 14. & 23. 15.

give them water of gall to drink] Or, juyce of hemlock. Hosea 10:4.

Jeremiah 9:16

I will scatter them also among the heathen, &c.] Lev. 26. 33. Deuteronomy 28:64. Chap. 15. 4, 7.

Jeremiah 9:17

call for the mourning-women] Since that ye cannot mourn your selves, hire others to do it. Or rather, make a very solemn lamentation; as at great funerals, where some were hired usually to mourn, and to make exquisite lamentation; women especially, that professed that trade, and could do it skilfully. 2 Chron. 35. 25. Job 3:8. Eccl. 12. 5. Amos 5:16.

Jeremiah 9:18

our eyes may run down with tears] Vers. 1. Chap. 14. 17.

Jeremiah 9:19

we have forsaken the land] Or, left the land. Chap. 4. 19. Being compelled to leave it, as forced out of it. Isaiah 6:12.

our dwellings have cast us out] As being weary of us, for our iniquities; and even spewing us out. Lev. 18. 18. & 20. 22.

Jeremiah 9:20

Yet] Or, Therefore. as Psalms 116:10.

teach your daughters wailing] Call all together, to make lamentation; Amos 5:16. and teach them before-hand how to do it. Vers. 17. Implying, that so great should the calamitie be, that no lamentation might seem sufficient. Lamentations 1:12. & Lamentations 2:13.

every one her neighbour] Or, one another. as Genesis 11:2. Vers. 5.

Jeremiah 9:21

death is come up into our windows] Destruction cometh in so every way upon us, that there is no possibilitie to avoid it. Isaiah 24:18. Ezekiel 21:14. Joel 2. 9.

is entred into our palaces] Our strongest places cannot keep it out. Chap. 6. 5. & 17. 27. Lamentations 2:5.

to cut off] Or, it proceedeth to cut off.

the children from without, &c.] So that there is no safetie to any, either at home, or abroad. 2 Chronicles 15:5. Lamentations 4:18-19. Zechariah 8:10. See Chap. 6. 11.

Jeremiah 9:22

the carcasses of men shall fall as dung] Chap. 8. 2.

as the handfull] Or, sheaf. Zechariah 12:6.

and none shall gather them] Or, where there is none to gather; or, to take it up. Rth 2:7. Heb. there is no gatherer.

Jeremiah 9:23

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome, &c.] For it is neither your policie, power, or wealth, that is, or shall be, able to save and deliver any of you. Psalms 33:16. Ecclesiastes 9:11. Luke 12:15. and it is in vain therefore to trust to any of these; or to any thing, but God alone, who is onely able to deliver. Isaiah 43:11. & Isaiah 45:25. & Isaiah 63:1. 1 Corinthians 1:31. 2 Cor. 1. 9, 10. & 10. 17.

Jeremiah 9:24

let him that gloryeth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me] Which this people refuse to do; Vers. 6. the main cause of their ruine. Hosea 4:6.

which exercise loving kindnesse, judgement and righteousnesse] His mercy and goodnesse; the grounds of our salvation; his judgement, which he executeth upon the wicked; and his justice, whereby he maintaineth and defendeth the faithfull. Psalms 25:10. & Psalms 89:14. Isaiah 1:27. & 51. 4, 5.

in these things I delight] Both in doing them my self; and in seeing them done by others. Psalms 5:4. & 11. 5, 7. & 15. 1, 2. & 99. 4. Mic. 6. 8. & 7. 18.

Jeremiah 9:25

I will punish all them] Heb. visit upon. Chap. 21. 14.

circumcised with the uncircumcised] Both Jews and Gentiles together. Romans 2:8-12.

Jeremiah 9:26

that are in the utmost corners] Heb. cut off into corners, Or, having the corners of their haire polled. That dwell remote, as cut off from other people, in the utmost nooks of the wildernesse. Or, that have the corners of their hair cut on either side of the temples; as the manner was of some of those people, that dwelt in the desert. Chap. 25. 23.

all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart] And no better, in effect, then those other. Ezekiel 44:7. Amos 9:7. Romans 2:28-29.