Jer. 8 The calamity of the Jews, both dead and alive, Jer. 8:1–3. Their brutish impenitency, Jer. 8:4–7; Their vain boast of wisdom; their covetousness, security, impudence, Jer. 8:8–12. Their grievous judgments, Jer. 8:13–17; bewailed by the prophet, Jer. 8:18–22.

This chapter being a continuation of the former, he proceeds in carrying on the threatening with higher aggravations of the judgment, viz. that when the time shall come spoken of Jer.

They shall spread them before the sun; not gather them together into charnel-houses, as we usually do out of humanity, but scatter them about as it were to be turned into dust and dung. And the moon, and all the host of heaven, viz.

And death shall be chosen rather than life; a description of the unexpressibleness of their misery, that notwithstanding all the barbarism of the Babylonians exercised both upon the bring and the dead, yet a small matter in comparison of what the living would feel, of the greatness of which misery…

Moreover thou shalt say unto them; though possibly it be all in vain, yet thou shalt keep in thy work. Shall they fall, and not arise? an interrogation that hath the force of a negative, i.e. surely none.

By a perpetual backsliding: either a universal backsliding; or rather, obstinately resolved to hold on, though they see they are out of the way; not out of levity or inconsiderateness. The Hebrew word signifies strength, the same used Ps.

And heard, i.e. that I might hear; the words rather of God than of the prophet, which the continuance of the speech seems to show in the next verse, in the close whereof it is plain that God speaks, expressing himself after the manner of men, who are wont to listen diligently after the things they…

In the heaven, i.e. in the air, which is often called heaven, where the birds fly, Ps. 8:8, Jer. 7:33, who possibly observe the fit time by the temperature of the air. Knoweth her appointed times, i.e.

How do ye say, We are wise? q. d. These things considered, where is your wisdom, when you see the very fowls of the air are not so stupid as you are? he speaks either to princes and priests, or to the whole body of the people.

The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken; they trusted to their refuge of lies, but when God shall bring the judgment threatened, the wisest among them will find that they shall be confounded among themselves, not knowing what to do for all their wisdom, but shall be taken with the…

Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them; a paraphrastical description of the miseries of war: God doth here insinuate that their misery shall not be for a short time, but so long, as that strangers, viz.

I will surely consume them; or, In gathering I will consume them: q.d. I will so gather them together into their several cities to be besieged, that it shall be no hard matter to destroy them, Jer. 8:16, viz. the body of the people; not every one, for there was a remnant that did escape.

Why do we sit still? the people at length seem to bethink themselves, and thus to bespeak each other. Let us enter into the defenced cities; in the scattered villages there is no safety for us, let us retire into places of greater security, Matt.

Viz. Upon the persuasion of our prophets, we expected that these troubles would never come, but all would be well; but we find ourselves merely deluded by them; we looked so long, till even our eyes failed us, but we see no remedy for us, Lam. 4:17. A metaphor.

The fury of the Chaldeans’ march is described by the snorting of their horses, which is a noise they make through their nostrils, when they are chafed and fretted. Was heard from Dan, i.e. even to Jerusalem: q.d.

He proceeds in increasing of their terror: q.d. There will be no appeasing or allaying of their fury by any art or method; therefore represented by the cockatrice, called in Latin regulus, or king of serpents, as putting to flight all other serpents; but by apposition to serpents, showing what kind…

The language of the people, being long shut up in their cities, and finding no relief, at last faint, Lam. 4:17. But more probably the prophet now seems to speak his own resentments, how greatly the calamity of his people did affect him; the like Isa.

The voice of the cry, i.e. the, greatness of their cry, the bitter cries, and screeches, and complaints that methinks I hear: the words are abrupt, because the prophet is to represent several persons speaking; himself, the people, and God. Of the daughter of my people; see Jer.

The harvest is past, and the winter no time for war; the people’s continued complaint, not unlike that Jer. 8:15. The year is gone, and we are still frustrated in our expectations, the time that we expected help from Egypt, Isa. 30:2–3, Isa. 30:5. We are not saved, viz.

The prophet here shows how deeply he is affected with the people’s misery, he deeply sympathized with them. The hurt; it signifies breach, I am broken in my spirit; and so it answers to the breach that is made upon the people. I am black; I am as those that are clad in deep mourning, Ps. 38:6, Jer.

Gilead was eminent for balm, Gen. 43:11, taken for rosin or turpentine, which is a kind of more liquid rosin, and either flows or drops from certain trees of its own accord, or their juice flows from several holes pierced into them, as from the pine, cedar, cypress, or terebinth tree. Heb.