Jeremiah 8

AT that time, says the LORD they shall bring out the This Chapter being a continuation of the former, he proceeds in carrying on the threatning with higher aggravations of the Judgment, viz. that when the time shall come spoken of chap. 7.32. the Chaldea s rage shall reach, not only to the living, but even against those, that are in their graves, and that sparing none of any degree, or quality; Of the Nobles and Princes as Manasse, and others; possibly led to it out of greediness, supposing to find great treasure in their Sepulchres; of the Priests, and Prophets, principally the false ones, as a just judgment of God against them for deceiving the People: of the Inhabitants of Ierusalem, out of their spight and fury kindled against them, as Souldiers, or in contempt, and ignominy, and this notes the utter desolation of the City, not only razing the walls but turning up the very Sepulchres which were accounted sacred, and not to be violated. bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem out of their graves.

And they shall 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. spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of viz. All the rest of the Stars, to show that they should not lye out in the day time only, but night also, before the Moon and Stars chap. 36.30. their Carcases shall be cast to their Idols, Lev. 26.30. 2 Kings 23.14, 20. a kind of Lex talionis, that as they had served, and worshipped these Creatures, God does as it were appoint them as spectators, and witnesses of his vengeance, and what contempt he pours upon them, their Carcases being brought before their Idols, which will be so shameful, as if one should draw forth the Adulteress, with the Adulterer into open view, and expose them together, and it also insinuates the inability that is in these dumb Idols to help them in their misery. heaven, whom they have This and the following terms serve to express the greatness and variety of their affection and zeal in their worshipping of them, Deut. 4.19. 2 Kings 23.5. chap. 7.18. he multiplies words, as it were implying, that there can hardly be words enough to express their folly and madness, the Gentiles worshipping these Creatures, not only for their beauty and lustre, but according to their an ient Philosophy apprehending them to have been living Creatures, and that all events were ordered by them. loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buryed; they shall be for dung upon the face of the On the superficies of it, there shall be no care taken of them, but they shall lye in the open Country in the Air, till they rot into dung or dry into dust, as in the beginning of the verse, see Psal. 83.10. chap. 9.22. they shall be ignominious even after death. earth.

And death shall be chosen rather then A description of the unexpressibleness of their misery, that notwithstanding all the barbarism of the Babylonians excercised, both upon the living and the dead, yet a small matter in comparison of what the living would feel, of the greatness of which misery there was a double cause; not only their being led into Captivity, but Gods displeasure following them, even in their banishment, being sorely oppressed, one of those threatnings, Lev. 26.36, 39. see Iob 3.20, 21. Rev. 9.6. life, by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have Some dispersed among the Mountains, and hiding places of Iudea, others in the Desert of Moab and Idumea, whither they fled for fear of the Chaldeans and all other places, where God would scatter them, an Hypallage. driven them, says the LORD of He that has all the Creatures as an Army at his Command, can do this against those, with whom he is displeased hosts.

¶ Moreover, thou shalt say i unto them, thus says the LORD, shall they fall, and not An interrogation that has the force of a negative, i. e. surely none, or will men, is there no hope? and are they upon this ground desperate? Or rather will men fall and not arise? Are they such fools? that having fallen by their sins, and been foretold all that is coming, that they will not accept of a remedy, chap. 7.27. Hos. 14.1. arise? shall he turn away, and not A metaphor taken from one that is out of his way, can any imagine, that if one tell him of it, and direct him aright, that he will not hearken to him, and turn back? It is even against nature it self for a man not to seek his own good. return? Though possibly it be all in vain, yet thou shalt keep in thy work.

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back, by 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 Heb. word signifies strength, the same used, Psal. 13.1. and translated for ever, implying a strong, stiff, stout refusal, see Isa. 57.17. chap. 5.3. a perpetual backsliding: They hold fast Either their injustice and couzenages in circumventing one another, which was so frequent among them, chap. 9.4, 5, 6. Mic. 7.3.4. or their hypocrisie whereby they think to deceive God, but they do indeed deceive themselves the great impediment of their Repentance, Isa. 44.20. or rather their sticking close to their false Prophets who did deceive them, thence incouraging themselves in their wickedness, and pleasing themselves, that their miseries should not come upon them. See on Isa. 30.10. chap. 5.31. and 14.13, 14. &c. deceit, they refuse to return.

I hearkned and i. e. That I might hear, the words rather of God then of the Prophet which the continuance of the speech seems to show in the next verse, the close whereof is plain that God speaks, expressing himself after the manner of men, who are wont to listen diligently after the things they are very desirous of, see 1 Kings 20.33, Mal. 3.16. heard, but they spake not Or not so as the LXX, and the word is thus used, Exod. 10.11. Psal. 1.4. not so as I would have had them, so far from Repentance, that I do not perceive a word from them tending the way. aright, no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I see no tendency to Repentance, I see none of them so much as calling themselves to an account, not recoiling upon themselves, where Repentance usually begins, 2 Chron. 6.37. as men use upon an inconsiderate act to smite upon their breast, or thigh, and say what have I done, as 2 Samuel. chapter 3. verse 24. I done? Every one turned to his To their accustomed way, committing all wickedness without restraint, see on Isa. 59.7. the fury and unbridledness of their lusts, being spurred on by their wills is described in the next expression, showing how like a headstrong Horse, he runs away with his Rider, or compared to the delight, that an horse seems to take in running violently, and headstrongly into the Battle, as it is described, Iob 39.21. &c. and this word rushing, signifying properly an inunda ion of waters, helps to show their uncontroulableness in another Metaphor, and see this verified of them, chap. 2.23, 24. It is said every one by an hyberbole, as Psal. 14.3. and frequently elsewhere. course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

Yea, the stork in the i. e. In the Air, which is often called heaven, where the Birds fly, Psal. 8.8. compare chap. 7.33. who possibly observe the fit time by the temperature of the Air. heaven knoweth her appointed i. e. Observeth the several Seasons of her going, and coming by some natural instinct, and this is said of the Stork; what kind of Fowl is here meant is disputable, see English Annot. and Lat. Symp. times; and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow observe the time of their The same thing diversified in these several Fowles, that know also their Seasons. coming; but my people know This notes the great stupidity of his people seeming not to have as much sense in them, as the Birds in the Air, not knowing their sum er of prosperity, to make a good use of Gods favours, nor the wi ter of adversity, either to prevent or remove that wrath of God that hangs over their heads Isa. 5.12. Luke 19.42.44. they know not their time for Repentance, and making their peace with God compared also, on the same account, to the beasts of the Field, Isa. 1.3. and thus Christ upbraids the Pharisees, Matth. 16.2, 3. not the Either Gods vengeance in general, or particularly hovering over Ier salem, and Iudaea, or rather the manner of Gods dispensations with them. So the word is used, 1 Sam. 2.13. and 8.11 judgment of the LORD.

How do ye say, We are q. d. Th se 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. wise, and the law of the LORD is This may be understood either more general of all, or may have a more special Eye to the Priests, with whom it was intrusted, Deut. 33.10 Mal. 2.7. They were wont to boast much of the Law, as well as of the Temple, chap. 18.18. Rom. 2.17, 23. with us? Lo, certainly q. d. for any use they made of it, they had as good have been without it, God needed not to have given them a Law, Hos. 8.12. in vain made he it, the pen of the scribes is Neither need it ever have been copyed out divulged and conveighed down to them by the Scribe, Deut. 17.18. or the prevarications, and collusions these Lawyers used in the false interpretation of the Law, wherein they sided with the false Prophets, should be in vain. A Scribe was a Teacher one well versed in the Scripture or esteemed so. in vain.

The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and They trusted to their refuges of lies, but when God shall bring the judgment threatned 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 rest, chap. 4.9. by wisemen he means the Scribes in the former verse. The same said of Babylon, Isa. 47.10. taken; lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in Or what is wisedom to them? how can they say they are wise, when they have no fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, Prov. 1.7. when they have no respect at all to the Word of God, as to any holy practice which is the fountain of all wisdom, Deut. 4.6. Psal. 19.7. 2. Tim. 3.15. them?

Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall A paraphraestical description of the miseries of War; God does here insinuate that their misery shall not be for a short time, but so long, as that strangers, viz. The Chaldaeans shall enjoy their Land by inheritances, so far should they be from possessing their Land for ever. inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to So greedy after their own private gain, that they took no care of equity, or justice, in which word is comprized all their fraudulent dealings one among another. covetousness, from the prophet even unto the Priest, every one dealeth Of this and the two next verses, see on chap. 6.13, 14, 15. falsely.

For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush, therefore shall they fall among them that fall; in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, says the LORD.

¶ I will surely Or in gathering I will consume them; q. d. I will so gather them togeth into their several Cities to be besieged, that it shall be no hard matter to destroy them, ver. 16. viz. The body of the people, not every one, for there was a remnant, that did escape. consume them, says the LORD; There shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig These Fruits, Grapes, and Figs, it is probable, were of greatest account and use among them, Isa. 36.16. and so may be put for all other things, either for necessity or delight, which God threatens he will deprive them of by reason of the Siege, which a famine shall succeed, chap. 5.17. Ioel 1.7. Hab. 3.17. See the like Z ph. 1.2, 3. Or possibly, it may be spoken by way of similitude, q. d. they shall be wasted, as when there is no Grapes on the Vine, &c. the Land shall be left as bare, as when by Tempests or other violence, there is neither leaf or fruit left upon the Tree, Psal. 78.47. tree, and the leaf shall fade, and the things that I have given them shall If this refer to the further punishment, as some, then it is as much as to say, what they have already received from me and laid up, they shall also be deprived of Hos. 2.8, 9. or though I have given it to them, yet they shall not injoy it, it shall be taken away by their enemies; if it relate to the reason of the punishment, as others, then the copulative is put for the causal. q. d. because the things that I gave them. viz. My Laws, pass away, i. e. they have transgressed, Isa. 24.4, 5. either sense lies fair. pass away from them.

Why do we sit The people at length seem to bethink themselves, and thus to bespeak each other. still? Assemble your selves, and let us enter into the defenced In their scattered Villages, there is no safety for us, let us retire into places of greater security, Matth. 24.16, 17, 18. possibly they thought they might be secured there, as they had been before in the time of Sennacherib. cities, and let us be Keep close within our walls, say or do nothing to provoke the Enemy but sit down, and bewail the desperateness of our condition, Lam. 3.28, 29. or tremblingly expect the issue of this sad war for there is no possibility of making head against such an Enemy, that bears down all before them. silent there, for the Lord our GOD has put us to They now begin to perceive, that the hand of God is in all this, and that therefore they have not a word to say, as if they were wronged, God has put them to shame, much less courage to oppose the Babylonians, their heart fails them, they are as men in a great terror and consternation, God has put us to silence, let us be silent. silence, and given us water of Or Poison probably the name of some poisonous Herb, with the juice or infusion whereof they were wont to kill persons, as Hemlock, Nightshade, &c. See Hos. 10.4. it notes those bitter destructive judgments that God was bringing upon them, chap. 9.15. which did spring from that bitter root of their sinning against him, as in the next words. gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

We looked for peace, but no good came, and for a time of health, and behold, Viz. Upon the persuasion of our Prophets, we expected that these troubles would never come, but all would be well, but we find our selves 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: miseries are often in Scripture compared to diseases, and deliverances to healing, Deut. 32.39. Psal. 103.3. chap. 33.6. trouble.

The The fury of the Chaldaeans march is described by the snorting of their Horses, which is a noise they make through their Nostrils, when they are chafed, and fretted. snorting of his horses was heard from i. e. Even to Ierusalem, q. d. the dreadfulness of the noise shall be heard from far, or rather, though Ierusalem seem to be secure, yet the furthest Coasts of the Land are in great consternation, viz. the outmost boundary of Canaan Northward, through which the Chaldaean Army was to march. See chap. 4.15. or it is said to be heard, either the noise it self, or the fame of it, chap. 6.24. Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his His choice Horses or Cavalry, or his stout and sturdy ones, as the word signifies, and expressed by their brisk frollicksomness, and courage in the word neighing properly applied to Horses, understanding here the chief of them, and the word for strong ones is applyed to any thing, that excels, as to man, Iob 34.20. to Angels, Psal. 78.25. A gels food or the bread of the mighty. And for Horses as here, and Iudg. 5.22. chap. 47.3. strong ones: for they are come and have devoured the land and all that is Heb. the fullness of it, the Trees, and Fruits, and wealth of the Land, they are entred upon their spoil, and will leave nothing in the Land, chap. 4.20. It is spoken in a prophetical stile, who use to express the certainty of what shall be, as if it actually were already. in it; the viz. Ierusalem, or rather the Cities with all their Inhabitants, as well as the Country, the singular number, being put for the plural, as Isa. 27.10. city, and those that dwell therein.

For behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be 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 Cockatrices, called in Latine Reg lus, or King of Serpents, as putting to flight all other Serpents, put by apposition to Serpents showing what kind of Serpent they shall be, a sort that cannot be charmed, viz. such an Enemy as by no intreaty can be made ex able; See on Isa. 11.8. LXX, deadly Serpents. charmed, and they shall They shall afflict you with sore punishments, not only stings in their Tails, as Scorpions, but in their Teeth, whereby they shall devour you. ver. 16. bite you, says the LORD.

When I would comfort my self against The language of the people being long shut up in their Cities and finding no r lief, 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. 22.4. when he would sometimes refresh himself with the comfortable refreshments of Nature, the thoughts of his Peoples Misery do so afflict him, that his heart is ready to faint, to sink within him. sorrow: my heart is faint in me.

Behold, the voice of the i. e. The greatness of their cry, the bitter cries and schreeches and complaints that methinks I hear: The words are abrupt, because the Prophet is to represent several persons speaking; himself, the People and God. cry of the See chap. 4.11. possibly because Ieremiah loved them, instructed them, admonished them as a daughter. daughter of my people, because of them that dwell in a far Viz. Their enemies the Babylonians, that were to come against them from a very far Country, chap. 6.22. or the voice of them, that were Captives under those of a far Country, now they begin to cry, which would not be persuaded to it before; the first is most to be approved of. country: Is not the LORD in Viz. In Ierusalem a Metonymy of the Subject. Zion? is not her King in her? why have they provoked me to Or as King in Zion, or have we not a King of the seed of David, to whom the Kingdom was granted to be perpetual? Either the words of God, q. d. was not I among you to provide for you, and protect you, but you must needs repair to Idols? the like kind of speech is in 2 King. 1.3. and the close of the verse seems to avour this, or, as others, an expostulatory Lamentation of the People, that the cruel Adversary should prevail over a people, that had God so near them, Psal. 48.2, 3. and 76.1, 2. has God now left us? and is the promise of our continuance here at an end? Psal. 89.36, 37, 38. anger with their graven Images, and with strange vanities? As if God should seem to reply here; Let them not think it strange, seeing they have turned their backs upon me, and trusted to Idols, which are but vanity, chap. 2.11, 13. called vanity, not only because Idols are as nothing, but because all the Confidence, that is put in them is vain, and because Idolaters are vain in their minds, and want understanding, I have not forsaken them, but they me.

The harvest is And the winter no time for war, the peoples continued complaint, not unlike that ver. 15. the year is gon, and we ar still frustrated in our expectations, the time that we expected help from Egypt, Isa. 30.2, 3, 5. past, the summer is ended, and we are not Viz. By the Egyptians, or any other Confederates. saved.

For the The Prophet here shows how deeply he is affected with the peoples misery, he deeply sympathizeth with them, it signifies brokers I am broken in my spirit, and so it answers to the breach that is made upon the people. hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am I am as those that are clad in deep Mourning, Psal. 38.6. chap. 14.2. black; I am amazed to think that my people should sin themselves beyond help, no remedy for them, as the next verse, that no threatnings or Counsels should prevail with them. astonishment has taken hold on me.

Is there no balm in Gilead was eminent for Balm, Gen. 43.11. taken for Rosin, or T rpentine, which is a kind of more liquid Rosin, and either flowes, or drops from certain trees of its own accord, or their juice flowes from several holes pierced into them, as from the Pin, Ce ar, Cypress, or Terebinth Tree. Heb. T eri. Gr. from to flow, or run. Lat. resina. Engl. Rosin. A near affinity of the words in e ch language, the nature whereof is to dissolve hardness, to clear, and close up wounds. Gilead? Is there no Or Chirurgion, probably in a Country where were such plenty of remedies, there could not want Artists, whereby their cures might be facilitated, by means of which the Gileadites and Arabians did excel there. Physitian there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people Heb. gone up; the like expression, 2 Chron. 24.13. the work was perfected, Heb. the healing, went up upon the work, and so Neh. 4.7. the Prophet expresseth his grievous complaint by way of admiration, by a Metaphor, implying the inveteracy, and obstinacy of their hearts, that either would not come to the Physitian or that they should be thus incurable, where they wanted not for Prophets and Teachers, or for all spiritual means, flowing down daily upon them, can Ierusalem, and Judea be without spiritual Physitians? some understand it by way of Sarcasme, q. d. where are your Medicines, your Arms, your Counsels, your con ederacies? and where are your Physiti s, your Prin es and Priests, that promised you Relief? without God, you see, no help in any means; But the former more natural, and agrees best with the beginning of the next Chapter. recovered.