This chapter contains a further account of the destruction of the Jews by the Chaldeans, and the causes of it, the sins of the people, as want of justice and truth; being so corrupt, that a just and faithful man was not to be found among them; could there, the city would have been pardoned for his…

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem These are the words of the Lord, not to the prophet only, but to any other, who thought fit to look into the reasons of the Lord’s dealing in a way of judgment with the people of the Jews; these he would have go through the whole city of Jerusalem,…

And though they say, the Lord liveth It might be said, that there were multitudes that made mention of the name of the Lord, that professed it, and swore by it; which sometimes is put for the worship and service of God, and therefore it could not be so difficult a matter to find a man of integrity…

O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? &c.] That is, thou hast no regard to such deceitful men, such hypocritical worshippers and formal professors, but to true and upright men: God looks not at outward appearances, but to the heart; he can see through all masks and vizards, there is no…

Then I said, surely these are poor, they are foolish The prophet, observing that reproofs and corrections in providence had no effect upon the people, he thought within himself that surely the reason must be, because these people are poor, and in low circumstances in the world, and are so busy in…

I will get me unto the great men, and speak unto them The princes, nobles, and judges, the elders of the people, the scribes and doctors of the law: for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God; it might be reasonably expected that they had, having had a good education,…

Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them Meaning King Nebuchadnezzar out of Babylon, a place full of people, and so comparable to a forest, as the king is to a lion, for his strength, fierceness, and cruelty; and who came from thence, besieged and took Jerusalem; and who not only slew…

How shall I pardon thee for this? &c.] Because of their manifold transgressions, and multiplied backslidings; or “wherefore, or for what, shall I pardon thee?” [[16]] as the Targum; can any reason be given why I should? what goodness is there in thee, or done by thee, that I should do this unto…

They were as fed horses in the morning Adulterers are compared to horses, because they are very salacious and lustful creatures; wherefore the Septuagint renders the word: “horses are become mad after the females”; or, “as horses mad after the females are they become”; and especially to such as are…

Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord For such adulteries and lasciviousness, and that in a way of punishment. The Targum adds, “to bring evil upon them;” the evil of punishment for the evil of sin: and shall not my soul be avenged upon such a nation as this? which cannot delight in…

Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy These are the words of the prophet, or of the Lord by the prophet, to the Chaldeans, ordering them to ascend the walls of Jerusalem, and break them down, as they did, even all the walls of it round about, (Jer. 52:7, Jer.

For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me This is a reason why such orders are given to the army of the Chaldeans to ascend the walls of Jerusalem and destroy them; namely, the perfidy both of the ten tribes, signified by the house of Israel; so…

They have belied the Lord, and said, it is not he Or, “denied the Lord” [[22]], as some render the words, saying that there was no God; which, though they might not deliver in express words, yet inasmuch as they denied his providence, and disbelieved his word by his prophets, it was tacitly denying…

And the prophets shall become wind Their prophecies shall vanish into air; they shall become of no effect; they shall never be accomplished: and the word is not in them; not the word of the Lord; he never spoke by them; they speak of themselves; they never were inspired or commissioned by him to…

Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, because ye speak this word That it is not the Lord; it is not he that speaks; it is no prophecy of him, and therefore shall become wind, and come to nothing: behold, I will make my word in thy mouth fire: it shall have its effect, and a dreadful one; it…

Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far From Babylon, as in : O house of Israel, saith the Lord; though the house of Israel is generally taken for the ten tribes, especially when distinguished from the house of Judah; yet here it seems to design the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, or Israel in…

Their quiver is an open sepulchre The Chaldeans used bows and arrows in fighting; and the quiver is a case for arrows; and the phrase denotes, that their arrows would do great execution, and be very mortal; so that a quiver of them would be as devouring as an open grave, into which many dead are…

And they shall eat up thine harvest The standing corn in the fields, cut it down, and give it as fodder to their horses, which is usually done by armies; or the increase of the earth, when gathered into the barn, which so great an army would consume: and thy bread; which includes all kind of…

Nevertheless, in those days When these things should be done by the king of Babylon and his army: saith the Lord, I will not make a full end with you: this was to be done at another time, not now; (See Gill on Jer. 4:27), (See Gill on Jer.

And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say That is, the people of the Jews, to whom the prophet belonged, after they had been spoiled by the enemy, and carried captive: wherefore doth the Lord our God all these things unto us? as if they were innocent and guiltless, and had done nothing to…

Declare this in the house of Jacob That a mighty nation should come and destroy them, and they should be servants in a strange land; or rather the words seem to be an order to declare war against the Jews, and even in their own land; and do not seem to be addressed to the prophet, but to others,…

Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding, &c.] or, “heart” [[0]]; (See Gill on Jer. 4:22): which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not; like the idols they served, .

Fear ye not me? saith the Lord They did not fear the Lord, and this is a reproof to them for the want of it, which is a reproof of their ignorance and folly; for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, , and where that is there is true wisdom; but, where it is not, there is nothing but…

But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart They are not so obedient as the sea and its waves; nor so firm and stable as the sand that is set for the bound of it.

Neither say in their heart It came not into their mind, they never once thought of it, namely, of what follows, let us now fear the Lord our God; they were not influenced and engaged to the fear of God, neither by his power in the preceding instance, nor by his goodness in the following one: that…

Your iniquities have turned away these things Whereas of late years rain was withheld from them in common, and they had not the former and latter rain in its season, nor the appointed weeks of the harvest, and so their land was barren, and famine ensued.

For among my people are found wicked men Not a few only, but in general they appeared to be so, upon an inquiry into their character and conduct; for otherwise it would not have been so difficult to find a good man among them, as is suggested , they lay wait as he that setteth snares; or, “they…

As a cage is full of birds Jarchi and Kimchi understand it of a place in which fowls, are brought up and fattened, what we call a “pen”; and, so the Targum renders it, a house or place of fattening.

They are waxen fat, they shine Becoming rich they grew fat, and their faces shone through fatness; so oil, delicious food, and good living, as it fattens men, it makes their faces to shine; see , yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked; though they pretended to religion, the fear and worship of…

Shall I not visit for these things? &c.] (See Gill on Jer. 5:9).

A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land. ] What may justly raise admiration in some, and horror in others, or both in all: it is so amazing that it can hardly be conceived of, and so shameful and filthy as not to be expressed; what it is follows:

The prophets prophesied falsely That the people would have peace and prosperity, and not be carried captive into Babylon, as Jeremiah and other true prophets of the Lord had predicted: and the priests bear rule by their means; or rather “the princes”; for the word signifies princes as well as…