In this chapter is foreshadowed, represented, and confirmed, the destruction of Jerusalem, by the breaking of a potter’s vessel the prophet had in his hand; and by the place where he was bid to do this, and did it.

Thus saith the Lord, go and get a potter’s earthen bottle From the potter’s house, where he had lately been; and where he had been shown, in an emblematic way, what God would do in a short time with the Jews; and which is here further illustrated by this emblem: or, “go and get”, or “buy, a bottle…

And go forth into the valley of the son of Hinnom To whom it formerly belonged, and so it was called as early as Joshua’s time, ; from the faith and abomination of the place, and the shocking torments here exercised, “hell”, from hence, in the New Testament, is called “Gehenna”: here the prophet…

And say, hear ye the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah The king and his queen; or the king and his sons; or the king and his princes, and nobles; for there was but one king reigning at a time in Judah, and the present king was Zedekiah; see ; and inhabitants of Jerusalem; the elders of which, and…

Because they have forsaken me My worship, as the Targum; they had apostatized from God, relinquished his service, neglected and despised his word and ordinances, and left the religion they had been brought up in, and was agreeable to the will of God.

They have also built the high places of Baal Or, they have even built and so the words explain what is before suggested of their idolatry; these were the temples in which they placed his image, and the altars on which they sacrificed to him; as follows: to burn their sons with fire, for burnt…

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord Or, “are coming” [[13]]; a little while and it will come to pass, what follows; to which a “behold” is prefixed, as calling for attention and admiration, as well as to assure of the certain performance of it: that this place shall no more be called…

And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place The counsel which they took in this place and agreed to, in offering their sons and daughters to idols; and which they took with these idols and their priests, from whom they expected assistance and relief; and all their schemes…

And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing An hissing to its enemies; an hissing because desolate; when its walls should be broken down, its houses burnt with fire, and its inhabitants put to the sword, or carried captive: everyone that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and hiss;…

And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons, and the flesh of their daughters For want of food; the famine should be so great and pressing. Jeremiah, that foretells this, was a witness of it, and has left it on record, ; and they shall eat everyone the flesh of his friend.

Then shall thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee. ] The earthen bottle he was bid to get of the potter, ; this he is ordered to break in pieces before the eyes of the ancients of and of the priests that went with him out Jerusalem to Tophet, as an emblem of the easy, sure,…

And shalt say unto them, thus saith the Lord of hosts Of armies above and below; and so able to execute what he here threatens: even so will I break this people and this city: the people, the inhabitants of this city, and that itself, by the sword, famine, burning, and captivity: as one breaketh a…

Thus will I do unto this place, saith the Lord, and to the inhabitants thereof To the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, as was done to the earthen bottle, and as before threatened: and even, or also, make this city as Tophet; as full of slaughtered men and women as that had been of the blood…

And the houses of Jerusalem Where the common people dwelt: and the houses of the kings of Judah; the palaces of the king, princes, and nobles of Judah, one as well as another: shall be defiled os Tophet; as that was defiled with the bodies and bones of the slain, and with the faith of the city…

Then came Jeremiah from Tophet When he had broke his earthen bottle, and delivered his prophecy before the elders of the people and priests: or, “from that Tophet” [[18]], whither the Lord had sent him to prophesy; and whither he went and prophesied, according to his command; but now returned from…

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel (See Gill on Jer. 19:3); behold, I will bring upon this city, and upon all her towns: the city of Jerusalem, and all the cities and towns near it, even all the cities and towns in Judea; of which Jerusalem was the metropolis, and therefore called…