Jeremiah 5
DOYLYJeremiah 5:6
- — a lion,—a wolf,—a leopard] The wild beasts here spoken of are the king of Babylon and his army. See chap. iv. 7. Dr. Blayney. The quality of watchfulness is well attributed to the leopard: for it is the property of that animal to lie hid in ambush for the purpose of seizing his prey, and to dart upon it with rapidity when it approaches. Calmet. 7. How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me,] Repentance and turning to God is the only condition of pardon: but they that forsake Him, thereby forsake all means of grace and possibility of salvation. Wogen. — sworn by them that are no gods:] See the notes on chap. iv. 2; Josh. xxiii. 7. — when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery,] When I gave them my blessings in abundance, they made an ill use of my mercies, and riotously run into both bodily and spiritual adultery, and impudently trooped together to work filthiness. Bp. Hall. Their lewdness was sometimes a concomitant of their idolatries: for many rites of the heathen religions were celebrated with drunkenness, uncleanness, and all sorts of debauchery. Reading.
Jeremiah 5:9
- — shall not my soul be avenged &c.] God’s anger and vengeance signify in Scripture the execution of his justice: the effects of which are as terrible against obstinate sinners, as if they proceeded from the highest resentment. W. Lowth. See the notes on Gen. vi. 6.
Jeremiah 5:13
- And the prophets shall become wind, &c.] These words, spoken by the unbelieving Jews, mean, that the Prophets being nothing but wind and vanity, their prophecies shall return upon their own heads; and that they shall feel themselves the judgments which they denounce on others. W. Lowth.
Jeremiah 5:14
- — I will make my words in thy mouth fire, &c.] The effect of those threatenings that are denounced by thy mouth shall be as speedy and certain as that of fire when applied to dry wood. To the same sense are the words of Hosea, chap. vi. 5, “I have hewed them by the Prophets.” W. Lowth.
Jeremiah 5:15
- — I will bring a nation upon you from far,] This was threatened in case of disobedience by Moses, Deut. xxviii. 49. Dr. Blayney. Babylon is called “a far country,” Isa. xxxix. 3. Perhaps it is so called, in comparison of those of the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and other borderers, who were the former oppressors of the Jews. The words “house of Israel” are, after the captivity of the ten tribes, applied to the two tribes, which remained. See chap. vi. 9; ix. 26; x. 1; Ezek. xiii. 5; xviii. 51. W. Lowth. — an ancient nation,] Babylon was built about an hundred years after the flood: and soon after, Nimrod erected a kingdom there: whence that country is called “the land of Nimrod,” Micah v. 6. W. Lowth. — a nation whose language thou knowest not,] The Chaldean or Syrian was a language unknown to the Jews, as appears from the history of Hezekiah, 2 Kings xviii. 26; Isa. xxxvi. 11. Calmet.
Jeremiah 5:16
- Their quiver is as an open sepulchre,] Their quiver is full of deadly arrows, that shall send many to their graves. Bp. Hall. Their arrows scatter slaughter and carriage all around: they are as insatiable as the grave, as terrible as death. Calmet. God’s judgments upon the Jews for their great corruptions.