Jeremiah 14

Besides the invasion threatened, God visited the land of Judea with a terrible famine, which Jeremiah earnestly prays God to avert: and withal shews how the false prophets have deceived the people; who foretold nothing but peace and prosperity. Vcr. 7. O Lord, though oar enemies testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake.] Our sins bear witness against us, and condemn us to the severest judgments thy wrath can inflict: but we beseech thco to consider, that we are thy people, and have that regard for thine own honour, as not to cast us off utterly. (Seo vcr. 9.) For our bachslidings are many.’] Or, Although our backslidings are many. (See Noldius’s Concordance, p. 399.)

Jeremiah 14:1

JL HE word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning ilie dearth. Or, the drought; so the LXX. render the word here, as also the Chaldee and Syriac versions: and thus our translators understand’ the word, xvii. 8. The Hebrew batsaroth, signifies restraint, i. e. Wlienthe heaven is shut up that there is no rain, as the Scriptures express it, Deut. xi. 17. “1- Kings viii. 35. This dearth was the effect of a great drought, like the famine in the time of Elijah. (See the third, fourth, and following verses.)

Jeremiah 14:2

Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish, they are black unto the ground. By the gates of Judah are meant the cities thereof: (see xv.7. Deut.xxviii. 52.) together with their inhabitants, who have left their cities desolate, to seek out for sustenance. The people look black and ghastly, and cast themselves down upon the ground, out of grief and despair*. (Compare viii. 21. xiii. 18.) And the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.] Is gone up to heaven. (Seel Sam. v. 12.)…

Jeremiah 14:3

The nobles have sent their little ones to the waters, they came to the pits. Or, to the cisterns: Jerusalem was supplied with water by two lakes or pools, called the upper pool, and the lower pool; (see Isa; vii. 3. xxii. 9.) from whence the water was conveyed in cisterns for the use -of the city., TJiey were ashamed and confounded.] At the disappointment. So we are to understand the same expression in Psal. xl. 14. lxx. 3. Let them be ashamed and confounded; i. e. Let them meet with that confusion which follows a disappointment. (Compare xx. 11. xlviii.13.of this prophecy.) They covered, their heads.] An expression of great affliction and mourning. (See 2 Sam. xv. 30. xix. 4.) *

Jeremiah 14:5

Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it. To seek for sustenance somewhere else.

Jeremiah 14:6

The wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind as dragons. They gaped after the cool air upon the tops of the mountains, and drew it in greedily with their mouths, as naturalists observe of dragons and great serpents in hot and dry seasons. But the word tannin likewise signifies any great fish: (see the note on Isa. xxvii. 1.) and particularly a crocodile, as it is plainly taken Ezek. xxix. 3. xxxii. 2. in which sense Ludolphus. understands the word here, and tells us, that tho crocodiles put their heads above water, to refresh themselves by breathing in the cool air. (See his Commentary in Histor. iEth. lib.i. n.87.); ■ »• •’ 4K

Jeremiah 14:8

O the Hope of Israel. Thou who hast given us so many gracious promises, to encourage us to put our trust in thee. (See Psal. xxii. 4.) Why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land? Sec] Thou hast promised to dwell among us, (see vcr. 9. Lev. xxvi. 12.) why then shouldest thou behave thyself towards us, as ifthouwert a mere stranger tons? and as one no more concerned for our welfare, than a traveller is for the place where he lodges but one night, and never expects to see it again? m

Jeremiah 14:9

Why shouldest thou be as a man astonished, as a mighty man that cannot save?. Thou canst not want power to save us; but by thy disregard of us, scemest like a mighty man, that through fear or surprise, is not able to make use of his strength.

Jeremiah 14:10

Thus saith the Lord unto his people, They have loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet. God returns an answer to the complaints and expostulations of the prophet, and tells the people, that their miseries are owing to themselves, who took pleasure in going astray from the true God, and following the idolatries and corrupt customs of the heathens about them: (see ii. 23 — 26.) which sins he now visits so severely upon them. Therefore the Lord doth not accept them, Sec] He will not accept their own prayers or humiliations, nor thine intercessions in their behalf, but will punish them according to their deserts. (See ver. li, 12.)

Jeremiah 14:11

Therefore pray not for this people, &c. See vii. 16.

Jeremiah 14:12

When they fast, I will not hear their cry. It is likely there was a public fast appointed upon occasion of this dearth, as there was, in a like case, in the prophet Joel’s time. (See Joel ii. 15.) And at snch times they used to make their prayers with great noise, and vehemence. (Isa. lyiii.4. Joel i. 14.):. And when they offer burnt-offerings and an oblation, I will not accept them.] See vii. 20. The word mincha, ren^ dercd oblation, was the offering of fine flour, mentioned Lev. ii. 1, &c. which always accompanied their sacrifices; and is not so properly translated meat-offering by our in^ terprcters; whereas it should rather be rendered a breadoffering; for it answers to the ouXoxvrr/e, and the molaox fartum of the Greeks and Romans. But I will consume them by the sword, &c] Sec vcr. 18. and xv. 2.

Jeremiah 14:13

Behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall see the sword, &c. See note on iv. 10.

Jeremiah 14:14

The prophets prophesy lies in my name, &c. See xxiii. 21. Vcr. 16. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem, &c.] The people contributed to their own delusions, and readily hearkened to such false prophets as confirmed them in their evil ways: so God justly threatens to punish them, because they had not a love for the truth. (See 2 Tkcss. ii. 10—12. and iv. 10. of this prophecy.)

Jeremiah 14:17

Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them, Let mine eyes run down with tears, Sec. However insensible you. are of your own condition, yet God commands me to bewail those calamities which I foresee are coming upon you. For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach.] Those cities are called virgins which never came into a conqueror’s hands, as hath been observed upon Isa. xxiii. 12. In the same, sense. the prophet here calls Jerusalem a virgin, because she had been hitherto under God’s immediate protection, and preserved by him from all the attempts of her enemies. (Compare Amos v. 2. see another sense of this phrase in the notes upon xviii. 13. xxxi. 4.) The dissolution of a government or body politic is called a breach, by way of allusion to the breaking or disjointing the limbs of. a human body. (See viii. 21. Lam. ii. 13.) Vcr. 18. Both y the prophet and the priest go about [or wander] into a land that they knotvnot.] The priests and prophets confirmed the people in their corruptions and impenitence, thereby seeking to advance their own interest and authority. (See ii. 8. v. 31.) To which sense the marginal reading renders the former part of the sentence thus, TJie prophet and the priest make merchandise against the hind. And now they receive the due reward of their prevarications, by going into captivity with those whom they have misled.. (See ver. 15.)

Jeremiah 14:19

Hath thy soul loathed Zion?. ’ Which was formerly thy delight, and the place thou didst choose for thine especial residence. (See Psal. lxxvii. 68. lxxxvii. 2. exxxii. 14.) “Ver. 20. We acknowledge our wickedness, and the iniquities of our fathers.] Which thou mayest justly visit upon us, as thou hast threatened, (Exod.xx.5.) especially since we have not only imitated, but also exceeded them in wickedness. (See vii. 26. xvi. 12.)

Jeremiah 14:21

Do not disgrace the throne of thy glory. Jerusalem is called the. city of God, Psal. xlviii. 1. lxxxvii. 3. as he was in a peculiar manner king, of the Jews, and this was his royal city, or chief scat of his kingdom. (Seo iii. 17.) But the words, are chiefly to be understood of the temple, and the prophet beseeches God not to give that up to be profaned, by infidels, the place which he had chosen for his peculiar, residence, where he sat between the cherubims as upon a throne. (Seo the notes upon Isa. Ixvi. 1.) Remember [and] break not thy covenant tvith us.] Thou hast promised to be our God, and that we should be thy people; (xi. 4.) t. e. that thou wouldest take us under thy protection. We have indeed forfeited all our title to thy promises by our sins; yet we beseech thee still to remember the relation we bear to thee. (Compare Psal. lxxiv.20.)

Jeremiah 14:22

Are there any among the vanities of the gentiles that can cause rain?. Idols are often styled vanities. (See x. 15. xvi. 19. Dcut. xxxii. 21. Acts xiv. 15.) The giving rain in its season, is an argument for God’s providence, often insisted upon in the Scriptures. (Sec the note on v. 24.) Or can the heavens give showers?] Are they purely owing to natural causes? on the contrary, God directs them where and when they should fall. (Sec the noto on x. 13.) Art not thou he, O Lord our God [that givest them]?