---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Jeremiah 15:1. Though Moses and Samuel — Moses had often supplicated for the people; and in consequence they were spared. See Exodus 32:11 and follo"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/jeremiah/15"
---

Verse [Jeremiah 15:1](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/1). ***Though Moses and Samuel*** — *Moses* had often supplicated for the people; and in consequence they were spared. See [Exodus 32:11](../../../kjv/exodus/32/11) and following verses, [Numbers 14:13](../../../kjv/numbers/14/13). *Samuel* also had prayed for the people, and God heard him, [1 Samuel 7:9](../../../kjv/1-samuel/7/9); but if these or the most holy men were now to supplicate for this people, he would not spare them.
***Cast*****them*****out of my sight, and let them go forth.*** — Do not bring them into my presence by your prayers; *let them go forth* into captivity.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:2](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/2). ***Whither shall we go forth? - Such as*****are*****for death, to**********death*** — Some shall be destroyed by the *pestilence*, here termed *death*. See [Jeremiah 18:21](../../../kjv/jeremiah/18/21). Others shall be slain by the *sword* in battle, and in the sackage of cities. Others shall perish by *famine*, shall be starved to death through the mere want of the necessaries of life; and the rest shall go into *captivity*. There shall be *different* sorts of punishments inflicted on them according to the nature of their transgressions. Some shall be punished in one way, and some in another.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:3](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/3). ***I will appoint over them four kinds*** — There shall appear *four* instruments of my justice.
1. The *sword* to slay.
2. The *dogs* to tear what is slain.
3. The *fowls* of the heaven to feed on the dead carcasses. And,
4. The wild *beasts* to destroy all that the fowls have left.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/4). ***I will cause them to be removed into an kingdoms of the**********earth*** — This seems to have respect to the *succeeding* state of the Jews in their *different generations*; and never was there a prophecy more literally fulfilled; and it is still a standing monument of Divine truth. Let *infidelity* cast its eyes on the scattered Jews whom it may meet with in every civilized nation of the world; and then let it deny the truth of this prophecy, if it can. The Jews are scattered through every nation, and yet *are not* *a nation*; nor do they form even *a colony* on any part of the face of the earth. Behold the truth and the justice of God!

Verse [Jeremiah 15:5](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/5). ***Who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?*** — Perhaps there is not a more despised nor a more degraded people under the sun. Scarcely any one thinks himself called upon to do a kind office for a Jew. Their character is bad in society, and they are not at all solicitous to redeem it.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:6](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/6). ***I am weary with repenting.*** — With repeatedly *changing my* *purpose*. I have often, after purposing to punish, showed them mercy. I will do it no longer; it is useless. I took them often at their promise, and in every instance they have failed.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:7](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/7). ***I will fan them with a fan*** — There is no pure grain; all is chaff.
***In the gates of the land*** — The places of public justice: and there it shall be seen that the judgments that have fallen upon them have been highly merited. And from these places of fanning they shall go out into their captivity.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/8). ***The mother of the young men*** — The *metropolis* or mother city, *Jerusalem*.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:9](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/9). ***She that hath borne seven*** — She that hath had a numerous offspring; Jerusalem, the parent of so many cities, villages, and families in the land. *Seven* signifies a *complete* or *full* number.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/10). ***A man of contention to the whole earth!*** — To the whole LAND, to all his countrymen; though he had done nothing to merit their displeasure.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:11](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/11). ***I will cause the enemy to entreat thee*****well*****in the**********time of evil*** — This was literally fulfilled; see [Jeremiah 39:11](../../../kjv/jeremiah/39/11), &c. Nebuchadnezzar had given strict charge to Nebuzar-adan, commander in chief, to look well to Jeremiah, to do him no harm, and to grant him all the privileges he was pleased to ask.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:12](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/12). ***Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?*** — Shall our weak forces be able to oppose and overcome the powers of the Chaldeans? נחשת *nechasheth*, which we here translate *steel*, property signifies brass or copper united with tin, which gives it much hardness, and enables it to bear a good edge.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:13](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/13). ***Thy substance - will I give to the spoil without price*** — *Invaluable property* shall be given up to thy adversaries. Or, *without price* - thou shalt have nothing for it in return.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:15](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/15). ***O Lord - remember me, and visit me*** — Let me not be carried away into captivity; and it does not appear that he had ever been taken to Babylon. After the capture of the city he went into Egypt; and either died there, or was put to death by his countrymen.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:16](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/16). ***Thy word was - the joy and rejoicing of mine heart*** — When I did receive the prophetic message, I did rejoice in the honour thou hadst done me; and I faithfully testified thy will to them. They have become mine enemies; not because there was any evil in me, but because I was faithful to thee.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:18](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/18). ***Wilt thou be altogether unto me as - waters*****that*****fail?*** — Meaning either springs, which in the height of summer grow dry; or, like that phenomenon in the sandy desert, where, by a peculiar action of the air on the rising vapours, the resemblance of water is produced, so that the traveller, deceived, rejoices that he is come, in the sandy desert, to the verge of a beautiful lake; but the farther he travels, it is still at the same distance, and at last vanishes; and he finds the whole was an illusion, for the waters have *failed*. Nothing can exceed the disappointment of the farmer whose subsistence absolutely depends on the periodical rains, when these *fail*, or fall short of their usual *quantity*. Some times the *rice* is sown and springs up in the most promising manner; but the latter rains *fail*, and whole fields of young rice wither and perish.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:19](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/19). ***If thou return*** — By repentance unto me, -
***Then will I bring thee again*** — Restore thee to thy own country. But some think the words are spoken to the prophet in reference to his ministry. He had greatly repined because of the persecutions which he endured. The Lord reprehends him, and is about to take from him the prophetic gift; but exhorts him first to take the *precious* from the *vile*- not to attend to the deceitful words of the people, but boldly declare the message he had given him; not to return unto the people, but let the people return unto him. And then he should be as *God's mouth*- his words should appear to be what they were, the genuine words of God; and the people should be obliged to acknowledge them as such.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:20](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/20). ***I will make thee - a fenced brazen wall*** — While thou art faithful to me, none of them shall be able to prevail against thee.

Verse [Jeremiah 15:21](../../../kjv/jeremiah/15/21). ***I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked*** — From the power of this evil people.
***And I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.*** — Out of the power of the Chaldean armies. Every thing took place as God had promised, for no word of his can ever fall to the ground.

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