Jeremiah 4

Jeremiah 4:4

4, 5. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; &c.] I thought at first, saith the Prophet, that such an unconcernedness for the duties of religion could be charged upon none but the rude and ignorant vulgar, who have neither leisure nor opportunity for learning their duty. One might expect from men of better education a truer sense of religion. W. Lowth. There may be some hope, even for a wicked nation, while the fear of God remains in any considerable number of the wealthy and ruling part of it: but when once they come to be thoroughly corrupted, then every thing is ripe for ruin. And therefore the Prophet, after complaining very pathetically of the sinfulness and impiety of the bulk of his countrymen, still thought there was one resource left. But when he found that those of high condition were as bad or worse than the rest, he immediately gives up all, and pronounces their destruction. Abp. Secker. Before CHRIST about 612. a Isa. 9. 13. ch. 2. 30.

Jeremiah 4:18

18. — this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, &c.] These are the bitter effects of thine obstinacy in wickedness, which, like a deadly wound or disease, toucheth the very heart and seat of life. W. Lowth.

Jeremiah 4:19

19. My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; &c.] Oh the unspeakable sorrow and affliction that I feel for the misery of my people! My bowels yearn, and my heart aches within me, to think of this woful destruction which is approaching to Jerusalem! I cannot contain myself, but I must break forth into lamentation; because I do, as it were, hear beforehand the sound of the trumpet of Nebuchadnezzar, and his alarm to this miserable war. Bp. Hall.

Jeremiah 4:20

20. — suddenly are my tents spoiled, &c.] That is, the cities and houses; in allusion to the ancient way of dwelling in tents. Compare chap. x. 20; Isa. xxxiii. 20; liv. 2. W. Lowth.

Jeremiah 4:23

23—26. I beheld the earth, &c.] The images, under which the Prophet represents the approaching desolation as foreseen by him, are such as are familiar to the Hebrew poets on the like occasions. But the assemblage is finely made, so as to delineate all together a most striking and interesting picture of a ruined country, and to justify what has been before observed of the author’s happy talent for pathetic description. The earth is brought back, as it were, to its primitive state, of chaos and confusion; the cheerful light of the heavens is withdrawn, and succeeded by a dismal gloom; the mountains tremble, and the hills shake under dreadful apprehensions of the Almighty’s displeasure; a frightful solitude reigns all around: not a vestige is to be seen of any of the human race; even the birds themselves have deserted the fields, unable to find any longer

standing: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Jeremiah 4:27

27. — yet will I not make a full end.] In the severest judgments which God brings upon a people, He still reserves a remnant, to whom He will make good his promises; see chap. xxx. 11; xlv. 28. This sense of the words may be confirmed by 1 Sam. iii. 12: “When I begin, I will also make an end:” that is, I will make a thorough destruction, and pursue Elh’s family with judgments, till I have utterly consumed it. Or the words may be understood in this sense: Though I make the whole land desolate by sword and famine, yet still I have severer judgments in reserve; (compare chap. v. 10. 18;) namely, the destruction of the city and temple, and the captivity of the people that outlive the former captivities. W. Lowth.

Jeremiah 4:28

28. — because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent.] God’s purpose of delivering up the Jews into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar was irreversible, upon the supposition that the greatest part of them would continue impenitent, which he likewise foresaw; see ver. 22, and chap. vii. 16, 27, 28; xiii. 14; xiv. 11, 12; xxv. 9—11. Though elsewhere upon their repentance, to which God frequently exhorted them by his Prophets, (see chap. xxv. 4, 5.) He promises the removal of his judgments: see ver. 14 of this chapter, and chap. vii. 3; xvii. 25; xviii. 11; xxii. 4; xxvi. 3; xxxvi. 3. Herein Jeremiah’s preaching was very different from that of the false prophets, who promised peace

Judah’s miseries lamented. God’s judgments upon the Jews, Before CHRIST about 612. noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.

Jeremiah 4:30

30. — though thou rentest thy face with painting.] Rather, thy “eyes,” as in the margin. This alludes to the custom of the Eastern ladies, who, esteeming large eyes beautiful, make use of stibum, a sort of black paint, which is laid upon the eyelids, with a pencil, and being of an astringent quality, partly contracts the eyelids, and partly, by the contrast of colour, tends to enlarge the appearance of the white part of the eyes. The original verb properly signifies to “rend” or tear, and may denote the use of this process to excess, so as it were to tear open the eyes, by way of enlarging them. Dr. Blayney. The antiquity of this practice is undoubtedly great. Xenophon describes it as a custom among the Medes in the time of the elder Cyrus. Fragments to Calmet. 31. — the daughter of Zion. Or of Jerusalem, is the same with Zion or Jerusalem: see chap. vi. 2. 23; Lam. i. 6; ii. 1. So “the daughter of my people” is to be understood, ver. 11 of this chapter; and the “daughter of Babylon,” Ps. cxxxvii. 8. W. Lowth. Chap. V. This chapter contains a vehement expotulation with the Jews for the manifold corruption of their manners, and the disorders of both their civil and their ecclesiastical government. And as a punishment for all these enormities, God threatens the invasion of the Chaldeans. W. Lowth. See Dr. Blayney’s note on chap. iii. 6. Ver. 1. — the broad places thereof.] The market places, and other spacious areas in the city, where citizens used to meet for the transaction of business. Dr. Blayney. — if ye can find a man.] See the note on Job xxii. 30. RUN ye to and fro through the streetsof Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.