1 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares.
If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.”
If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.”
3 LORD, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain;
you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
4 I thought, “These are only the poor; they are foolish,
for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.
5 So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds.
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6 Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them,
a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.
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you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
4 I thought, “These are only the poor; they are foolish,
for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.
5 So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds.
a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.
7 “Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods.
I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
8 They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man’s wife.
9 Should I not punish them for this?” declares the LORD.
“Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
8 They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man’s wife.
9 Should I not punish them for this?” declares the LORD.
“Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
10 “Go through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not destroy them completely.
Strip off her branches, for these people do not belong to the LORD.
11 The people of Israel and the people of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me,” declares the LORD.
Strip off her branches, for these people do not belong to the LORD.
11 The people of Israel and the people of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me,” declares the LORD.
12 They have lied about the LORD; they said, “He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine.
13 The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.”
13 The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.”
14 Therefore this is what the LORD God Almighty says:
“Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes.
15 People of Israel,” declares the LORD, “I am bringing a distant nation against you - an ancient and enduring nation,
a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you do not understand.
16 Their quivers are like an open grave; all of them are mighty warriors.
17 They will devour your harvests and food, devour your sons and daughters;
they will devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees.
With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.
15 People of Israel,” declares the LORD, “I am bringing a distant nation against you - an ancient and enduring nation,
a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you do not understand.
16 Their quivers are like an open grave; all of them are mighty warriors.
17 They will devour your harvests and food, devour your sons and daughters;
they will devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees.
With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.
18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not destroy you completely. 19 And when the people ask, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own.’
20 “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah:
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:
22 Should you not fear me?” declares the LORD.
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:
22 Should you not fear me?” declares the LORD.
“Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves,
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves,
‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season,
who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.
who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.
26 “Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds
and like those who set traps to catch people.
and like those who set traps to catch people.
27 Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit;
they have become rich and powerful 28 and have grown fat and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
29 Should I not punish them for this?” declares the LORD.
“Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
they have become rich and powerful 28 and have grown fat and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
29 Should I not punish them for this?” declares the LORD.
“Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
30 “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?
31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?
Matthew Henry
Reproof for sin and threatenings of judgment are intermixed in this chapter, and are set the one over against the other: judgments are threatened, that the reproofs of sin might be the more effectual to bring them to repentance; sin is discovered, that God might be justified in the judgments threatened.
I. The sins they are charged with are very great: injustice (1), hypocrisy in religion (2), incorrigibleness (3), the corruption and debauchery of both poor and rich (4, 5), idolatry and adultery (7, 8), treacherous departures from God (11), and impudent defiance of him (12, 13), and, that which is at the bottom of all this, want of the fear of God, notwithstanding the frequent calls given them to fear him, 20-24. In the close of the chapter they are charged with violence and oppression (26-28), and a combination of those to debauch the nation who should have been active to reform it, 30, 31.
II. The judgments they are threatened with are very terrible. In general, they shall be reckoned with, 9, 29. A foreign enemy shall be brought in upon them (15-17), shall set guards upon them (6), shall destroy their fortification (10), shall carry them away into captivity (19), and keep all good things from them, 25. Herein the words of God’s prophets shall be fulfilled, 14. But,
III. Here is an intimation twice given that God would in the midst of wrath remember mercy, and not utterly destroy them, 10, 18. This was the scope and purport of Jeremiah’s preaching in the latter end of Josiah’s reign and the beginning of Jehoiakim’s; but the success of it did not answer expectation.
I. The sins they are charged with are very great: injustice (1), hypocrisy in religion (2), incorrigibleness (3), the corruption and debauchery of both poor and rich (4, 5), idolatry and adultery (7, 8), treacherous departures from God (11), and impudent defiance of him (12, 13), and, that which is at the bottom of all this, want of the fear of God, notwithstanding the frequent calls given them to fear him, 20-24. In the close of the chapter they are charged with violence and oppression (26-28), and a combination of those to debauch the nation who should have been active to reform it, 30, 31.
II. The judgments they are threatened with are very terrible. In general, they shall be reckoned with, 9, 29. A foreign enemy shall be brought in upon them (15-17), shall set guards upon them (6), shall destroy their fortification (10), shall carry them away into captivity (19), and keep all good things from them, 25. Herein the words of God’s prophets shall be fulfilled, 14. But,
III. Here is an intimation twice given that God would in the midst of wrath remember mercy, and not utterly destroy them, 10, 18. This was the scope and purport of Jeremiah’s preaching in the latter end of Josiah’s reign and the beginning of Jehoiakim’s; but the success of it did not answer expectation.
