Jeremiah 7-9

Beginning of Jehoiakim's Reign, on the Occasion of Some Public Festival. The prophet stood at the gate of the temple in order that the multitudes from the country might hear him. His life was threatened, it appears from Jer 26:1-9, for this prophecy, denouncing the fate of Shiloh as about to befall the temple at Jerusalem. The prophecy given in detail here is summarily referred to there. After Josiah's death the nation relapsed into idolatry through Jehoiakim's bad influence; the worship of Jehovah was, however, combined with it (Jer 7:4, 10).

the gate--that is, the gate of the court of Israel within that of the women. Those whom Jeremiah addresses came through the gate leading into the court of the women, and the gate leading into the outer court, or court of the Gentiles ("these gates").

cause you to dwell--permit you still to dwell (Jer 18:11; 26:13).

The Jews falsely thought that because their temple had been chosen by Jehovah as His peculiar dwelling, it could never be destroyed. Men think that ceremonial observances will supersede the need of holiness (Isa 48:2; Mic 3:11). The triple repetition of "the temple of Jehovah" expresses the intense confidence of the Jews (see Jer 22:29; Isa 6:3). these--the temple buildings which the prophet points to with his finger (Jer 7:2).

For--"But" [Maurer]. judgment--justice (Jer 22:3).

this place--this city and land (Jer 7:7). to your hurt--so Jer 7:19; "to the confusion or their own faces" (Jer 13:10; Pr 8:36).

The apodosis to the "if ... if" (Jer 7:5, 6). to dwell--to continue to dwell. for ever and ever--joined with "to dwell," not with the words "gave to your fathers" (compare Jer 3:18; De 4:40).

that cannot profit--Maurer translates, "so that you profit nothing" (see Jer 7:4; Jer 5:31).

"Will ye steal ... and then come and stand before Me?" whom ye know not--Ye have no grounds of "knowing" that they are gods; but I have manifested My Godhead by My law, by benefits conferred, and by miracles. This aggravates their crime [Calvin] (Jud 5:8).

And come--And yet come (Eze 23:39). We are delivered--namely, from all impending calamities. In spite of the prophet's threats, we have nothing to fear; we have offered our sacrifices, and therefore Jehovah will "deliver" us. to do all these abominations--namely, those enumerated (Jer 7:9). These words are not to be connected with "we are delivered," but thus: "Is it with this design that ye come and stand before Me in this house," in order that having offered your worthless sacrifices ye may be taken into My favor and so do all these abominations (Jer 7:9) with impunity? [Maurer].

den of robbers--Do you regard My temple as being what robbers make their den, namely, an asylum wherein ye may obtain impunity for your abominations (Jer 7:10)? seen it--namely, that ye treat My house as if it were a den of thieves. Jehovah implies more than is expressed, "I have seen and will punish it" (Isa 56:7; Mt 21:13).

my place ... in Shiloh--God caused His tabernacle to be set up in Shiloh in Joshua's days (Jos 18:1; Jud 18:31). In Eli's time God gave the ark, which had been at Shiloh, into the hands of the Philistines (Jer 26:6; 1Sa 4:10, 11; Ps 78:56-61). Shiloh was situated between Beth-el and Shechem in Ephraim. at the first--implying that Shiloh exceeded the Jewish temple in antiquity. But God's favor is not tied down to localities (Ac 7:44). my people Israel--Israel was God's people, yet He spared it not when rebellious: neither will He spare Judah, now that it rebels, though heretofore it has been His people.

rising ... early--implying unwearied earnestness in soliciting them (Jer 7:25; Jer 11:17; 2Ch 36:15).

I gave--and I therefore can revoke the gift for it is still Mine (Le 25:23), now that ye fail in the only object for which it was given, the promotion of My glory. Shiloh--as I ceased to dwell there, transferring My temple to Jerusalem; so I will cease to dwell at Jerusalem.

your brethren--children of Abraham, as much as you. whole seed of Ephraim--They were superior to you in numbers and power: they were ten tribes: ye but two. "Ephraim," as the leading tribe, stands for the whole ten tribes (2Ki 17:23; Ps 78:67, 68).

When people are given up to judicial hardness of heart, intercessory prayer for them is unavailing (Jer 11:14; 14:11; 15:1; Ex 32:10; 1Jo 5:16).

Jehovah leaves it to Jeremiah himself to decide, is there not good reason that prayers should not be heard in behalf of such rebels?

children ... fathers ... women--Not merely isolated individuals practised idolatry; young and old, men and women, and whole families, contributed their joint efforts to promote it. Oh, that there were the same zeal for the worship of God as there is for error (Jer 44:17, 19; 19:13)! cakes ... queen of heaven--Cakes were made of honey, fine flour, &c., in a round flat shape to resemble the disc of the moon, to which they were offered. Others read as Margin, "the frame of heaven," that is, the planets generally; so the Septuagint here; but elsewhere the Septuagint translates, "queen of heaven." The Phoenicians called the moon Ashtoreth or Astarte: the wife of Baal or Moloch, the king of heaven. The male and female pair of deities symbolized the generative powers of nature; hence arose the introduction of prostitution in the worship. The Babylonians worshipped Ashtoreth as Mylitta, that is, generative. Our Monday, or Moon-day, indicates the former prevalence of moon worship (see on Isa 65:11). that they may provoke me--implying design: in worshipping strange gods they seemed as if purposely to provoke Jehovah.

Is it I that they provoke to anger? Is it not themselves? (De 32:16, 21; Job 35:6, 8; Pr 8:36).

beast ... trees ... ground--Why doth God vent His fury on these? On account of man, for whom these were created, that the sad spectacle may strike terror into him (Ro 8:20-22).

Put ... burnt offerings unto ... sacrifices ... eat flesh--Add the former (which the law required to be wholly burnt) to the latter (which were burnt only in part), and "eat flesh" even off the holocausts or burnt offerings. As far as I am concerned, saith Jehovah, you may do with one and the other alike. I will have neither (Isa 1:11; Ho 8:13; Am 5:21, 22).

Not contradicting the divine obligation of the legal sacrifices. But, "I did not require sacrifices, unless combined with moral obedience" (Ps 50:8; 51:16, 17). The superior claim of the moral above the positive precepts of the law was marked by the ten commandments having been delivered first, and by the two tables of stone being deposited alone in the ark (De 5:6). The negative in Hebrew often supplies the want of the comparative: not excluding the thing denied, but only implying the prior claim of the thing set in opposition to it (Ho 6:6). "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice" (1Sa 15:22). Love to God is the supreme end, external observances only means towards that end. "The mere sacrifice was not so much what I commanded, as the sincere submission to My will gives to the sacrifice all its virtue" [Magee, Atonement, Note 57].

(Ex 15:26; 19:5).

hearkened not--They did not give even a partial hearing to Me (Ps 81:11, 12). imagination--rather, as Margin, "the stubbornness." backward, &c.--(Jer 2:27; 32:33; Ho 4:16).

rising ... early--(Jer 7:13).

hardened ... neck--(De 31:27; Isa 48:4; Ac 7:51). worse than their fathers--(Jer 16:12). In Jer 7:22 He had said, "your fathers"; here He says, "their fathers"; the change to the third person marks growing alienation from them. He no longer addresses themselves, as it would be a waste of words in the case of such hardened rebels.

Therefore--rather, "Though thou speak ... yet they will not hearken" [Maurer], (Eze 2:7), a trial to the prophet's faith; though he knew his warnings would be unheeded, still he was to give them in obedience to God.

unto them--that is, in reference to them. a nation--The word usually applied to the Gentile nations is here applied to the Jews, as being east off and classed by God among the Gentiles. nor receiveth correction--(Jer 5:3). truth ... perished--(Jer 9:3).

Jeremiah addresses Jerusalem under the figure of a woman, who, in grief for her lost children, deprives her head of its chief ornament and goes up to the hills to weep (Jud 11:37, 38; Isa 15:2). hair--flowing locks, like those of a Nazarite. high places--The scene of her idolatries is to be the scene of her mourning (Jer 3:21). generation of his wrath--the generation with which He is wroth. So Isa 10:6; "the people of My wrath."

set their abominations in the house--(Jer 32:34; 2Ki 21:4, 7; 23:4; Eze 8:5-14).

high places of Tophet--the altars [Horsley] of Tophet; erected to Moloch, on the heights along the south of the valley facing Zion. burn ... sons--(Ps 106:38). commanded ... not--put for, "I forbade expressly" (De 17:3; 12:31). See on Jer 2:23; Isa 30:33.

valley of slaughter--so named because of the great slaughter of the Jews about to take place at Jerusalem: a just retribution of their sin in slaying their children to Moloch in Tophet. no place--no room, namely, to bury in, so many shall be those slain by the Chaldeans (Jer 19:11; Eze 6:5).

fray--scare or frighten (De 28:26). Typical of the last great battle between the Lord's host and the apostasy (Re 19:17, 18, 21).

Referring to the joyous songs and music with which the bride and bridegroom were escorted in the procession to the home of the latter from that of the former; a custom still prevalent in the East (Jer 16:9; Isa 24:7, 8; Re 18:23).

Impenitence.

The victorious Babylonians were about to violate the sanctuaries of the dead in search of plunder; for ornaments, treasures, and insignia of royalty were usually buried with kings. Or rather, their purpose was to do the greatest dishonor to the dead (Isa 14:19).

spread ... before the sun, &c.--retribution in kind. The very objects which received their idolatries shall unconcernedly witness their dishonor. loved ... served ... after ... walked ... sought ... worshipped--Words are accumulated, as if enough could not be said fully to express the mad fervor of their idolatry to the heavenly host (2Ki 23:5). nor ... buried--(Jer 22:19). dung--(Jer 9:22; Ps 83:10).

The survivors shall be still worse off than the dead (Job 3:21, 22; Re 9:6). which remain in all the places--"in all places of them that remain, whither I ... that is, in all places whither I have driven them that remain [Maurer].

"Is it not a natural instinct, that if one falls, he rises again; if one turns away (that is, wanders from the way), he will return to the point from which he wandered? Why then does not Jerusalem do so?" He plays on the double sense of return; literal and metaphorical (Jer 3:12; 4:1).

slidden ... backsliding--rather, as the Hebrew is the same as in Jer 8:4, to which this verse refers, "turned away with a perpetual turning away." perpetual--in contrast to the "arise" ("rise again," Jer 8:4). refuse to return--in contrast to, "shall he ... not return" (Jer 8:4; Jer 5:3).

spake not aright--that is, not so as penitently to confess that they acted wrong. Compare what follows. every one ... his course--The Keri reads "course," but the Chetib, "courses." "They persevere in the courses whatever they have once entered on." Their wicked ways were diversified. horse rusheth--literally, "pours himself forth," as water that has burst its embankment. The mad rapidity of the war horse is the point of comparison (Job 39:19-25).

The instinct of the migratory birds leads them with unfailing regularity to return every spring from their winter abodes in summer climes (So 2:12); but God's people will not return to Him even when the winter of His wrath is past, and He invites them back to the spring of His favor. in the heaven--emphatical. The birds whose very element is the air, in which they are never at rest, yet show a steady sagacity, which God's people do not. times--namely, of migrating, and of returning. my people--This honorable title aggravates the unnatural perversity of the Jews towards their God. know not, &c.--(Jer 5:4, 5; Isa 1:3).

law ... with us--(Ro 2:17). Possessing the law, on which they prided themselves, the Jews might have become the wisest of nations; but by their neglecting its precepts, the law became given "in vain," as far as they were concerned. scribes--copyists. "In vain" copies were multiplied. Maurer translates, "The false pen of the scribes hath converted it [the law] into a lie." See Margin, which agrees with Vulgate.

dismayed--confounded. what wisdom--literally, "the wisdom of what?" that is, "wisdom in what respect?" the Word of the Lord being the only true source of wisdom (Ps 119:98-100; Pr 1:7; 9:10). 10-12. Repeated from Jer 6:12-15. See a similar repetition, Jer 8:15; Jer 14:19. inherit--succeed to the possession of them.

(Eze 13:10).

surely consume--literally, "gathering I will gather," or "consuming I will consume." no grapes ... nor figs--(Joe 1:7; Mt 21:19). things that I have given ... shall pass away--rather, "I will appoint to them those who shall overwhelm (pass over) them," that is, I will send the enemy upon them [Maurer]. English Version accords well with the context; Though their grapes and figs ripen, they shall not be allowed to enjoy them.

assemble--for defense. let us be silent--not assault the enemy, but merely defend ourselves in quiet, until the storm blow over. put us to silence--brought us to that state that we can no longer resist the foe; implying silent despair. water of gall--literally, "water of the poisonous plant," perhaps the poppy (Jer 9:15; 23:15).

Repeated (Jer 14:19). We looked for--owing to the expectations held out by the false prophets. health--healing; that is, restoration from adversity.

his horses--the Chaldean's. was heard--the prophetical past for the future. from Dan--bordering on Phoenicia. This was to be Nebuchadnezzar's route in invading Israel; the cavalry in advance of the infantry would scour the country. strong ones--a poetical phrase for steeds, peculiar to Jeremiah (Jer 47:3; compare Jer 4:13, 29; 6:23).

I--Jehovah. cockatrices--basilisks (Isa 11:8), that is, enemies whose destructive power no means, by persuasion or otherwise, can counteract. Serpent-charmers in the East entice serpents by music, and by a particular pressure on the neck render them incapable of darting (Ps 58:4, 5).

(Isa 22:4). The lamentation of the prophet for the impending calamity of his country. against sorrow--or, with respect to sorrow. Maurer translates, "Oh, my exhilaration as to sorrow!" that is, "Oh, that exhilaration ('comfort', from an Arabic root, to shine as the rising sun) would shine upon me as to my sorrow!" in me--within me.

The prophet in vision hears the cry of the exiled Jews, wondering that God should have delivered them up to the enemy, seeing that He is Zion's king, dwelling in her (Mic 3:11). In the latter half of the verse God replies that their own idolatry, not want of faithfulness on His part, is the cause. because of them that dwell in a far country--rather, "from a land of distances," that is, a distant land (Isa 39:3). English Version understands the cry to be of the Jews in their own land, because of the enemy coming from their far-off country. strange vanities--foreign gods.

Proverbial. Meaning: One season of hope after another has passed, but the looked-for deliverance never came, and now all hope is gone.

black--sad in visage with grief (Joe 2:6).

balm--balsam; to be applied to the wounds of my people. Brought into Judea first from Arabia Felix, by the queen of Sheba, in Solomon's time [Josephus, Antiquities, 8.2]. The opobalsamum of Pliny; or else [Bochart] the resin drawn from the terebinth. It abounded in Gilead, east of Jordan, where, in consequence, many "physicians" established themselves (Jer 46:11; 51:8; Ge 37:25; 43:11). health ... recovered--The Hebrew is literally, "lengthening out ... gone up"; hence, the long bandage applied to bind up a wound. So the Arabic also [Gesenius].

Punishment.

This verse is more fitly joined to the last chapter, as verse 23 in the Hebrew (compare Isa 22:4; La 2:11; 3:48).

lodging-place--a caravanseral for caravans, or companies travelling in the desert, remote from towns. It was a square building enclosing an open court. Though a lonely and often filthy dwelling, Jeremiah would prefer even it to the comforts of Jerusalem, so as to be removed from the pollutions of the capital (Ps 55:7, 8).

bend ... tongues ... for lies--that is, with lies as their arrows; they direct lies on their tongue as their bow (Ps 64:3, 4). not valiant for ... truth--(Jer 7:28). Maurer translates, "They do not prevail by truth" or faith (Ps 12:4). Their tongue, not faith, is their weapon. upon ... earth--rather, "in the land." know not me--(Ho 4:1).

supplant--literally, "trip up by the heel" (Ho 12:3). walk with slanders--(Jer 6:28).

weary themselves--are at laborious pains to act perversely [Maurer]. Sin is a hard bondage (Hab 2:13).

Thine--God addresses Jeremiah, who dwelt in the midst of deceitful men. refuse to know me--Their ignorance of God is wilful (Jer 9:3; 5:4, 5).

melt ... try them--by sending calamities on them. for how shall I do--"What else can I do for the sake of the daughter of My people?" [Maurer], (Isa 1:25; Mal 3:3).

tongue ... arrow shot out--rather, "a murdering arrow" [Maurer] (Jer 9:3). speaketh peaceably ... in heart ... layeth ... wait--layeth his ambush [Henderson], (Ps 55:21).

(Jer 5:9, 29).

Jeremiah breaks in upon Jehovah's threats of wrath with lamentation for his desolated country. mountains--once cultivated and fruitful: the hillsides were cultivated in terraces between the rocks. habitations of ... wilderness--rather, "the pleasant herbage (literally, 'the choice parts' of any thing) of the pasture plain." The Hebrew for "wilderness" expresses not a barren desert, but an untilled plain, fit for pasture. burned up--because no one waters them, the inhabitants being all gone. none can pass through them--much less inhabit them. fowl--(Jer 4:25).

And--omit "And." Jehovah here resumes His speech from Jer 9:9. heaps--(see on Isa 25:2). dragons--jackals.

Rather, "Who is a wise man? (that is, Whosoever has inspired wisdom, 2Pe 3:15); let him understand this (weigh well the evils impending, and the causes of their being sent); and he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken (that is, whosoever is prophetically inspired), let him declare it to his fellow countrymen," if haply they may be roused to repentance, the only hope of safety.

Answer to the "for what the land perisheth" (Jer 9:12).

(Jer 7:24). Baalim--plural of Baal, to express his supposed manifold powers. fathers taught them--(Ga 1:14; 1Pe 1:18). We are not to follow the errors of the fathers, but the authority of Scripture and of God [Jerome].

feed--(Jer 8:14; 23:15; Ps 80:5).

nor their fathers have known--alluding to Jer 9:14, "Their fathers taught them" idolatry; therefore the children shall be scattered to a land which neither their fathers nor they have known. send a sword after them--Not even in flight shall they be safe.

mourning women--hired to heighten lamentation by plaintive cries baring the breast, beating the arms, and suffering the hair to flow dishevelled (2Ch 35:25; Ec 12:5; Mt 9:23). cunning--skilled in wailing.

(Jer 14:17).

The cry of "the mourning women." spoiled--laid waste. dwellings cast us out--fulfilling Le 18:28; 20:22. Calvin translates, "The enemy have cast down our habitations."

Yet--rather, "Only" [Henderson]. This particle calls attention to what follows. teach ... daughters wailing--The deaths will be so many that there will be a lack of mourning women to bewail them. The mothers, therefore, must teach their daughters the science to supply the want.

death ... windows--The death-inflicting soldiery, finding the doors closed, burst in by the windows. to cut off ... children from ... streets--Death cannot be said to enter the windows to cut off the children in the streets, but to cut them off, so as no more to play in the streets without (Zec 8:5).

saith the Lord--continuing the thread of discourse from Jer 9:20. dung--(Jer 8:2). handful ... none ... gather them--implying that the handful has been so trodden as to be not worth even the poor gleaner's effort to gather it. Or the Eastern custom may be referred to: the reaper cuts the grain and is followed by another who gathers it. This grain shall not be worth gathering. How galling to the pride of the Jews to hear that so shall their carcasses be trodden contemptuously under foot!

wisdom--political sagacity; as if it could rescue from the impending calamities. might--military prowess.

Nothing but an experimental knowledge of God will save the nation. understandeth--theoretically; in the intellect. knoweth--practically: so as to walk in My ways (Jer 22:16; Job 22:21; 1Co 1:31). loving kindness--God's mercy is put in the first and highest place, because without it we should flee from God in fear and despair. judgment ... righteousness--loving-kindness towards the godly; judgment towards the ungodly; righteousness the most perfect fairness in all cases [Grotius]. Faithfulness to His promises to preserve the godly, as well as stern execution of judgment on the ungodly, is included in "righteousness." in the earth--contrary to the dogma of some philosophers, that God does not interfere in terrestrial concerns (Ps 58:11). in these ... I delight--as well in doing them as in seeing them done by others (Mic 6:8; 7:18).

with the uncircumcised--rather, "all that are circumcised in uncircumcision" [Henderson]. The Hebrew is an abstract term, not a concrete, as English Version translates, and as the pious "circumcised" is. The nations specified, Egypt, Judah, &c., were outwardly "circumcised," but in heart were "uncircumcised." The heathen nations were defiled, in spite of their literal circumcision, by idolatry. The Jews, with all their glorying in their spiritual privileges, were no better (Jer 4:4; De 10:16; 30:6; Ro 2:28, 29; Col 2:11). However, Eze 31:18; 32:19, may imply that the Egyptians were uncircumcised; and it is uncertain as to the other nations specified whether they were at that early time circumcised. Herodotus says the Egyptians were so; but others think this applies only to the priests and others having a sacred character, not to the mass of the nation; so English Version may be right (Ro 2:28, 29).

Egypt--put first to degrade Judah, who, though in privileges above the Gentiles, by unfaithfulness sank below them. Egypt, too, was the power in which the Jews were so prone to trust, and by whose instigation they, as well as the other peoples specified, revolted from Babylon. in the utmost corners--rather, "having the hair shaven (or clipped) in angles," that is, having the beard on the cheek narrowed or cut: a Canaanitish custom, forbidden to the Israelites (Le 19:27; 21:5). The Arabs are hereby referred to (compare Jer 25:23; 49:32), as the words in apposition show, "that dwell in the wilderness." uncircumcised ... uncircumcised in the heart--The addition of "in the heart" in Israel's case marks its greater guilt in proportion to its greater privileges, as compared with the rest.