28. For this--on account of the desolations just described ([Is 5:30]; [Ho 4:3]).
not repent--([Nu 23:19]).
29. whole city--Jerusalem: to it the inhabitants of the country had fled for refuge; but when it, too, is likely to fall, they flee out of it to hide in the "thickets." Henderson translates, "every city."
noise--The mere noise of the hostile horsemen shall put you to flight.
30. when thou art spoiled--rather, "thou, O destroyed one" [Maurer].
rentest ... face with painting--Oriental women paint their eyes with stibium, or antimony, to make them look full and sparkling, the black margin causing the white of the eyes to appear the brighter by contrast ([2Ki 9:30]). He uses the term "distendest" in derision of their effort to make their eyes look large [Maurer]; or else, "rentest," that is, dost lacerate by puncturing the eyelid in order to make the antimony adhere [Rosenmuller]. So the Jews use every artifice to secure the aid of Egypt against Babylon.
face--rather, thy eyes ([Eze 23:40]).
31. anguish--namely, occasioned by the attack of the enemy.
daughter of Zion--There is peculiar beauty in suppressing the name of the person in trouble, until that trouble had been fully described [Henderson].
bewaileth herself--rather, "draweth her breath short" [Horsley]; "panteth."
spreadeth ... hands--([La 1:17]).
Chapter 5
Jr 5:1-31. The Cause of the Judgments to Be Inflicted Is the Universal Corruption of the People
1. a man--As the pious Josiah, Baruch, and Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem at that time, Jeremiah must here mean the mass of the people, the king, his counsellors, the false prophets, and the priests, as distinguished from the faithful few, whom God had openly separated from the reprobate people; among the latter not even one just person was to be found ([Is 9:16]) [Calvin]; the godly, moreover, were forbidden to intercede for them ([Jr 7:16]; compare [Ge 18:23], &c.; [Psa 12:1]; [Eze 22:30]).
see ... know--look ... ascertain.
judgment--justice, righteousness.
pardon it--rather, her.
2. ([Tit 1:16]).
swear falsely--not a judicial oath; but their profession of the worship of Jehovah is insincere ([Jr 5:7]; [Jr 4:2]). The reformation under Josiah was merely superficial in the case of the majority.
3. eyes upon the truth--([De 32:4]; [2Ch 16:9]). "Truth" is in contrast with "swear falsely" ([Jr 5:2]). The false-professing Jews could expect nothing but judgments from the God of truth.
stricken ... not grieved--([Jr 2:30]; [Is 1:5]; ).
refused ... correction--([Jr 7:28]; [Zep 3:2]).
4. poor--rather, "the poor." He supposes for the moment that this utter depravity is confined to the uninstructed poor, and that he would find a different state of things in the higher ranks: but there he finds unbridled profligacy.
5. they have known--rather, "they must know." The prophet supposes it as probable, considering their position.
but these--I found the very reverse to be the case.
burst ... bonds--set God's law at defiance ([Psa 2:3]).
6. lion ... wolf ... leopard--the strongest, the most ravenous, and the swiftest, respectively, of beasts: illustrating the formidable character of the Babylonians.
of the evenings--Others not so well translate, of the deserts. The plural means that it goes forth every evening to seek its prey ([Psa 104:20]; [Ha 1:8]; [Zep 3:3]).
leopard ... watch ... cities--([Ho 13:7]). It shall lie in wait about their cities.
7. It would not be consistent with God's holiness to let such wickedness pass unpunished.
sworn by--([Jr 5:2]; [Jr 4:2]); that is, worshipped.
no gods--([De 32:21]).
fed ... to the full--so the Keri (Hebrew Margin) reads. God's bountifulness is contrasted with their apostasy ([De 32:15]). Prosperity, the gift of God, designed to lead men to Him, often produces the opposite effect. The Hebrew Chetib (text) reads: "I bound them (to Me) by oath," namely, in the marriage covenant, sealed at Sinai between God and Israel; in contrast to which stands their "adultery"; the antithesis favors this.
adultery ... harlots' houses--spiritually: idolatry in temples of idols; but literal prostitution is also included, being frequently part of idol-worship: for example, in the worship of the Babylonian Mylitta.
8. in the morning--([Is 5:11]). "Rising early in the morning" is a phrase for unceasing eagerness in any pursuit; such was the Jews' avidity after idol-worship. Maurer translates from a different Hebrew root, "continually wander to and fro," inflamed with lust ([Jr 2:23]). But English Version is simpler (compare [Jr 13:27]; [Eze 22:11]).
9. ([Jr 5:29]; [Jr 9:9]; ).
10. Abrupt apostrophe to the Babylonians, to take Jerusalem, but not to destroy the nation utterly (see on [Jr 4:27]).
battlements--rather, tendrils [Maurer]: the state being compared to a vine ([Jr 12:10]), the stem of which was to be spared, while the tendrils (the chief men) were to be removed.
11. ([Jr 3:20]).
12. belied--denied.
It is not he--rather, "(Jehovah) is not He," that is, the true and only God ([Jr 14:22]; [De 32:39]; [Is 43:10], ). By their idolatry they virtually denied Him. Or, referring to what follows, and to [Jr 5:9], "(Jehovah) is not," namely, about to be the punisher of our sins ([Jr 14:13]; [Is 28:15]).
13. Continuation of the unbelieving language of the Jews.
the prophets--who prophesy punishment coming on us.
the word--the Holy Spirit, who speaks through true prophets, is not in them [Maurer]. Or else, "There is no word (divine communication) in them" ([Ho 1:2]) [Rosenmuller].
thus, &c.--Their ill-omened prophecies shall fall on themselves.