It is probable that this chapter was Jeremiah’s first sermon after his ordination; and a most lively pathetic sermon it is as any we have is all the books of the prophets.

Here is, I. A command given to Jeremiah to go and carry a message from God to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He was charged in general to go and speak to them; here he is particularly charged to go and speak this to them.

The prophet, having shown their base ingratitude in forsaking God, here shows their unparalleled fickleness and folly : I will yet plead with you. Note, Before God punishes sinners he pleads with them, to bring them to repentance.

The prophet, further to evince the folly of their forsaking God, shows them what mischiefs they had already brought upon themselves by so doing; it had already cost them dear, for to this were owing all the calamities their country was now groaning under, which were but an earnest of more and…

In these verses the prophet goes on with his charge against this backsliding people. Observe here, I. The sin itself that he charges them with—idolatry, that great provocation which they were so notoriously guilty of. 1.

The prophet here goes on in the same strain, aiming to bring a sinful people to repentance, that their destruction might be prevented. I. He avers the truth of the charge.