Jeremiah 6

God representeth lively before the eyes of the people the neer approach of the Babylonians, the beseiging and taking of Jerusalem,and their carrying of them away into captivity,v.1,11,12.21,22,&c. He exhorteth them to repentance ,8,16.But forasmuch as all manner of wickednesse as cruelty,oppression, and violence,7. Hardnesse of heart , rebellion,obstinacy ,10,16,17,29,30. coveteousness ,13.Back-biting,28.Falshood and flattery, both of Priests and Prophet 14,15,16.concept of Gods word, and following their own imaginations,19,28.Hypocritical worship, 20. prevailed; he foretelleth them, that they shall all, one after another be thrust forth out of the land, 9. and be strenghtened the Prophet against the wickednesse of the people, and the fruitfulness of his ministrey among them, 27, 29.

1. Flee in troops, yea children of Benjamin[see above ,chap.4. On vers.6 &understand by the children of Benjamin, the inhabitants of Jerusalem at the sequel sheweth.see judg.1.21. With annotat.] otu of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet at Thekoa,[see 2 Sam14 on vers.1] and lift up a token of fire , [as by such kind of tokens they are wont to advertise the inhabitants or citizens, in time of danger, of enemies approach . OTH. Tokens of smoke or, beacons.Her. Lifting up. Compare Jugd. 20.38,40.]as Bethlehem- Che-rem [see Num 3.on vers.9. Some are of opinion,that bthis place lay between Jerusalem and Thekoa] for they looketh [That is, sheweth it self , breaketh forth] evil out of the North ,[see above, chapter 1.on vers.13.] and a great breach.[as above, chap.46.]

2. I have (indeed) likened the daughter of Zion[That is,Jerusalem, and consequently the inhabitants thereof. Or i have made the daughter of Jerusalem like,&c.]to a beautiful etc voluptious(woman.)

3. (But)there shall come shepherds [The Princes of the Babylonians. Compare below,chap.49.19.] unto her with her flocks:[that is, armies.Compare beIow, chap.49.20.]they shaII pitch[Heb.fasten,fix]tents round about against her,[understand hereby the beseing of Jerusalem]they shall eat up every one his place, [Hebr.hand, that is,place,as elsewhere.See Job1. On vers.14.]

4. Hallow the war against her, [That is, trim yourselves, prepare yourselves for war ,order the war ,proclim it, let them march up against Jerusalem, as followeth. Compare chap.12.3 and 22.7 and, 51.27,28.These are the words of the Babylonians, wjhom the Prophet bringeth in,speaketh in this manner ,as also vers.5.]get you up, and let us march at noon.[as below chap.15.8 ,that is, at bright day light ,dread,publickly] O wo unto us ,for the day is gone away ,[that is,our good dayes are past , adversity and misery is at hand :if they be taken for inserted words uttered by the Jews.Otherwise they may be also the words of the Babylonians ,that complain of themselves for neglecting time and opportunity, being greedy after the prey,as eager soilders are wont to do]and the shadowes of the evening are declined .[or are spread, stretched out; that is, become great;it beginneth to wax dark, whereby sorrow and misery may be understood .See Genes.15. On vers.12.]

5. Get you up, and let us march by night, and detroy their Palaces.

6. For thus saith the LORD of hosts ,[See 1 Kings 18. on v 25.] Hew down trees, [to make a fort. See Deut.20.10.] and cast up a wall agaist Jerusalem : [as Jugd.20.15, see there] she is the city that shall be visited ;[compare above chap.5,9,29] in the midst of her is meer oppression .[Hebr. She wholly,oppression is in the midst of her. That is concerning this whole City , there is nothing more rise in it everywhere, then oppression with delight and violence; she is full of deceivers and oppressours.]

7. As well giveth up, [or ,casteth up] her water,so she giveth up her wickednesse,violence and destruction is found in her ,torment and plaguing [which they cruelly offer unto their neighbours, causing the oppressed everywhere to lament and cry] is continually before my face .

8. Suffer thyself to be corrected, Jerusalem, let my soul be drawn away from thee[or,be loosed ,depart, be dis-mebred from thee, as one member from another ; a very pathetical phase ,having respect to Gods favour and loving kindnesse,which he had born and shewed to this City, as a husband to his wife. Compare above chap.2.2,3.] lest I make thee a desolation , a land not inhabited.

9. Thus saith the LORD of Hosts ,They[the Babylonians] shall diligently glean,[Hebr.gleaning glean. So that nothing that is worth any thing shall remain,but all shall be carried clean away,as grapes are thorowly gleaned in the vintage .Compare 2 Kings 24:15,16. and 25.11,12. and below, chapter 52.28,29,30. And see of this similitude , Judg.8 on v.2. And 20 on vers.45.] the remnant of Israel as a vine:Bring back thine hand as a wine-gatherer, into the baskets.[or, as a grape-gatherer , who filleth one basket after another full with grapes , and carrieththem away, so shall the Babylonians say to one another ,Ye must go back again, to fetch away Jews , some at one time, and some at another . Some hold these to be the words of God , as giving that enemy charge to do it.

10. To whom shall I speak, and make protestation, that they may hear it? Behold their ear is uncircumcised,[as it were covered with foreskin,so that they are unfit to hearken or attend, or consider, as followeth.Compare Leviticus 26:41. Acts 7:51. and above chap.5.21] that they cannot hearken: behold the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach,[they despise it, and mock at it] they have no delight in it [to wit. In the word of the LORD : or, in him, to wit, the Lord.]

11. Therefore iam full of the fury of the LORD [That is, with denouncing, declaring, and prophesying the fury of the Lord] Iam grown weary with holding in, I will pour out ,[oth, pour out, as if the LORD , or the Prophet by the spirit of the LORD had said ; I have waited long enough, tell them in plain terms , that Gods wrath shall be poured out without pitying or sparing any] upon the little children .[Hebr, the little childs , see of the Hebrew word,Psal.8. On v.3.]in the street , and upon the assembly of young men together : for even the husband with the wife shall be taken prisoners , the aged with him that is full of dayes.[that is , very old , stricken in years,decrepit.]

12. And their houses shall be turned over unto others , with (their) fields and wives together:[That is, they shall be taken from you ,and given to others that shall possess them, as Numb.36.7] for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of this Land ,saith the LORD .

13. For from the least of them unto the greatest of them every one of them practiseth coveteousness e:[as if one should say ,is coveting covetousness; that is henkereth after filthy lucre] and from the prophet, meaning the false prophet] unto the Priest, every one of them commited [Hebr. Doth] falshood.[That is, goeth about with lies and falshood .Compare above, chapter 5.31 and below ,chap.8.10. Where the very same words are repeated .]

14. And the heal the breach of the daughter of my people in the lightest (manner.)[That is, they comfort my people against the calamity that is threatened .(in the lightest manner)or, as a light manner,or break by a ligh speech, by telling a tale , as if it were by a jestor a sea e-crow,as if the sins or the punishments that were threatened , were of no concernment] saying, Peace peace,[that is ,it shall go well, there is no danger] yet there is no peace .

15. Are they ashamed, because they have committed abomination?[Oth.Have they(the Prophets and priests)made (my people) ashamed ,when they committed abomination ?] Yea ,they are not in the least ashamed neither know (they) to make (others) blush;[The Prophets and Priests are not ashamed themselves , neither do they make evil doers ashamed, so that there is no shame found among any .Hebr. Being ashamed , they are not shamed] tharefore they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I shall visit them , they shall stumble ,saith the LORD.

16. Thus saith the LORD, stand in the wayes , and behold, and ask for the old paths ,[Hebr.paths of eternity, that is, which God, in former times ever taught and led his people in , to bring them to salvation . Compare above chap.2. On v.17, and below , chap.18. 15.] where indeed is the good way, and walk therein, then shall ye find rest [comfort and salvation] for your souls: but they say,We will not walk (therein.)

17. Also they have set watchmen over you ,saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet .[That is, I have set Prophets over you ,that shall declare and proclaim unto you the jugdements that are at hand,as watch-men that are set upon high places to see afar off ,and to give warning by the trumpet of the enemies approach, or any other ensuing danger.See Isai.21.11. Ezek.3.17. And 33.7,&c.] but they say,We will not hearken.

18. Hear ye Gentiles.[To be witnesses of the abominable unthankfulnesse and obstinacy of my people, and of the justice of my judgements upon them]and peceive, O thou congregetion, [Of the nations] what is among them.[what wickednesse is rise among my people]

19. Hearken ,O earth,[seeDeut.4.on vers.26 and 32.on vers.1.]behold,I will bring evil upon this people, the fruit of their thoughts:[The just deserved punishment of their wicked devices and practices.See Prov.1.on vers.31 and below chapter 17.10] for they regard not my words , and my law they reject it.

20. To whay purpose then shall (there) come frankincense for me from Sheba ?[which thou causest to come with great trouble and charges, to make incense for me, as it were to please me withal.Of Scheba, see Genes.10.on vers.7. And Isai.60. 6.] and the best calamus[Or, Cynamom, sweet-smelling reed, or, cane, as Exodus 30:23.]from a far countrey? Your burnt-offerings are not pleasing(unto me,) [Hebr.for,or,according to pleasure in them .Compare Psal.19.15. Isai.56.7.] and your slay-offer ings are not sweet [That is, acceptable] unto me.

21. Therefore thus saith the LORD, Be hold I will lay all manner of stumbling blocks before this people:[Hebr.stumbling blocks in the plural number.So the Lord calleth all the instruments, means and occasions of the ruine of the Jews] and the fathers and the children together, the neighbour and his companion[That is, all sorts of men,of what condition or quality forever they be] shall dash themselves agaist them ,and shall perish.

22. Thus saith the LORD ;Behold there cometh a people from the North-country ;[As above vers.1.] and a great nation shall be raised [By God, to match up to the boarder of Juda, and from thence into the midst of the Land] from the sides of the earth.[pOr, of the Land; that is , uttermosts parts, or borders.]

23. They shall carry bowe and spear,[Or, standards, spear,or,pole .See Job.8.on vers.18. For carry, the Hebrew hath lay hold en; that is hold and carry. Compare below chap.50.42, &c. Where the very fame is prophesied of the Medes and Persians, that should come against Babel] it is cruel (people,) and they shall not be merciful,their voice shall roar like the Sea, and they shall ride upon Horses : it[To wit, this people, or, everyone ; to wit of this people] is prepared, or set in aray] as a man for war, against thee, O Daughter of Zion.

24. We have had the fame thereof,[The fame of this peoples approach] our hands arre grown feeble : [Our courage iss fallen. See 2 Sam.4. On verse 1] anguish hath taken hold of us,pain,as of a (woman) in travel. [This is a lively description of a future calamity. Compare above chap.4.31. And below chap.49.24.. and 50.43.]

25. Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way: for the sword of the enermy is there,terror round about. [As below chap 49.29.]

26. O Daughter of my people, gird on a sack, as above chap.4.8.] and wallow thyself in ashes, [See 2 Sam 1. on vers .2. and below chap.25.34. Oth sprinkele thyself with ashes] make thee mourning of an onely (son,) [That is, as for the death of an onely son. See Amos 8:10. Zach.12.10.] most bitter wailing; Hebr wailing of bitterness] for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.

27. I have set thee(for) a watchtower,[or a tower of spying out,looking out(specular) Compare 1 Sal 23.13. Oth. An approved tower; that is, a strong invincible tower. Compare above chap.1.18. They are words of God to Jeremia](for) a fortresse among my people: that thou mayest know and try their way.[That is,mayest observe their doings, examine them , and passe a right sentence concerning the same, and declare it unto them.]

28. They are all the most revolting ones of revolters.[That is,the most wickked revolters,that may be found. Compare Genes.9.on vers.25.] Walking (in) back-bitting,[slandrering me, my word, my Prophets,in particular thee,and lift up one another(by back-bitting) against thee. See the phrase, Levit.19.on vers.16.] they are copper and iron: [That is ,stiff-necked,or,of little worth; whereas they ought to be like gold and silver. Compare Ezech22.18,&c.] they are all corrupters .[corrupting themselves and others .Oth.corrupt(children)]

29. The bellows are burnt , the lead is consumed of the fire .in vain hath (the melter) melted so diligently [Hebr.melted, melting ,for to refine .Oth in vain hath the melter melted] seeing the wicked are not plucked away.[That is, could not be severed from the drofle of their wickednesse,Oth.the wickednesses,or, the wicked things ;that is, allevil:as the Hebrew word(that otherwise continually signifieth, the wicked)is also taken.Psal.78.49.Compare below chap.15.19. Where the same similitude is used, but in another case: they are two distinct things, to cleanse the wicked from their wickedness, and to distinguish the godly from the wicked.The meaning of the words of this verse is, that all the pains that the prophets have taken ,to purify this people from the drosse of their sins,was in vain:The similitude is taken from the refining of metals]

30. Men call them [Hebr. They call them,or, did call them : that is, men called them, they are called , as elsewhereoften]reprobate silver: for the LORD hath rejected them.[Compare Isai. 1.22.].