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| .1
¶ Run ye to and fro through the streets of 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.
2 And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely. 3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. |
1 -
Broad
places Like the market areas.
1 - Pardon Recalling Abraham's pleading for Sodom ge1825. 2 - Sware falsely Because they apparently really didn't consider Him as the living sovereign one de0613, de1020, ps06311, is4523.. Compare the third commandment ex2007. For "eyes upon the truth" see 2ch1609, pr0521, pr1503, je1617. 3 - Truth From 'emunah also translated "faith" hb0204. Best translated "faithfulness." |
| .4
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know
not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.
5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. .6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased. .7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses. |
4 -
Know
not Jeremiah would excuse them. Often this is a good policy
from our viewpoint. We meet people where they are and emphasize the true
ways rather than condemning their evil behavior.
5 - Judgment Hebrew mishpat which may mean "laws" or a divinely appointed legal system. The word is translated "manner" in 1sa1025, 2ki1733. 6 - Lion Babylon is brought to view. 6 - Evenings Better translated "desert." 6 - Increased Better, "numerous." 7 - Adultery Both spiritually and literally nu2501, jg0217, 1ki1415, 2ki0922. |
| 8 They were as fed horses
in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour's wife.
.9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? |
8 - Horses Compare je1327, ez2211. |
| .10
¶ Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take
away her battlements; for they are not the LORD'S.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD. 12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: 13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. |
10 - Walls Notice that these are walls of "a nation" v9. The nation as a vineyard may be intended is05. "Go up through her vine-rows and destroy, but make not a full end; strip away her branches, for they are not the LORD's." (RSV) |
| .14
Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word,
behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and
it shall devour them.
15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. 16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. 17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword. |
14
- My words ... fire Compare je2329.
15 - From far Possibly a direct allusion to the predictions of de2849. In comparison with such countries as Moab, Philistia and Edom, Babylonia was a far country and is so designated in is3903. See je0115, je0416. (from SDABC). 15 - House of Israel Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained. Also see je0609, je0926, ez1316, ez1831. 15 - Mighty From 'ethan, literally ever-flowing am0524. 15 - Language Aramaic, a language similar to Hebrew was, at this time, becoming universally understood although apparently not by the common Jewish people. The language of Babylon was also different. 16 - Quiver ... sepulchre The Babylonians were apparently skilled in warfare which was generally with the bow and arrow. 17 - Eat ... harvest Not a pleasant prediction. The Hebrews had been warned. See de2830, de2848, de2851. 17 - Eat ... which ...eat Literally, "They shall eat thy sons and they daughters." The eating or devouring in general would mean devouring or consuming. |
| .18
Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end
with you.
.19 And it shall come to pass, when yea shall say, Wherefore dote the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shallot thou answer them, Like as yea have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall yea serve strangers in a land that is not yours. |
18
- Not make a full end See v10 and je0427.
19 - Wherefore dote the Lord? How often we assume that God will care for us without a close connection with Him! This is an important verse. |
| .20
¶ Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
.21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not: .22 Fear yea not me? satin the LORD: will yea not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? |
21
- Without understanding Sin perverts the moral perceptions
je0610.
22 - Me Emphatic in the Hebrew. 22 - Sand Not what we would expect as a impassable barrier. The waves cannot prevail against the Lord of nature. jb3811, ps03307, pr0829. |
| 23 But this people hat
a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. 25 ¶ Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withhold good things from you. |
23 - ... This people ... rebellious They have no right to expect the divine blessing as is evident in the next verses. |
| .26
For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that Seth
snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
.27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. |
27 - Cage of birds See re1802bi. The wicked ones who deceive people get rich by deceit v26. This is fast becoming a picture of our world. |
| .28
They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked:
they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper;
and the right of the needy do they not judge.
29 Shall I not visit for these things? satin the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? |
28 - Waxen fat Or "have become prosperous." Compare de3215, ps07307, ps09214, pr2825. |
| .30
A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will yea do in the end thereof? |
The people did not love truth. See 2th0210. |
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