1.

Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

2.

Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

the way of the heathen. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 18:3 ; Leviticus 20:23 ).
heathen = nations.

3.

For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

customs = statutes, or ordinances.
people = peoples.
vain = a breath.
one cutteth a tree = it [is only] a tree which one cutteth.

4.

They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

5.

They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

upright = stiff.
borne = carried.

6.

Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

there is none like, &c. See note on Exodus 15:11 .
Thy name. See note on Psalms 20:1 .

7.

Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

Who . . . ? Words quoted in "the song of Moses and the Lamb" (Revelation 15:3 , Revelation 15:4 ).

8.

But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

9.

Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

Tarshish. See note on 1 Kings 10:22 .
Uphaz. Probably = Ophir. Compare 1 Kings 9:28 ; 1 Kings 10:11 .

10.

But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

the living God. Both words in plural, referring to the triune God.
everlasting king = king of the ages, or, of eternity.

11.

Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

Thus shall ye say, &c. This verse is in Chaldee, to serve as a confession of their faith in their exile.
not made . . . shall perish. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia. Hebrew. 'abadu ye'badu.

12.

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

world = the habitable world. Hebrew. tebel.
discretion = understanding.

13.

When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

wind. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .

14.

Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

confounded = put to shame.
breath. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .

15.

They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

vanity. The common appellative for idols.
errors = mockeries.
the time of their visitation. See note on Jeremiah 8:12 .

16.

The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.

The Portion of Jacob. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 18:20 . Deuteronomy 32:9 ).
Jacob. Not Israel, because the natural seed is spoken of as in Deuteronomy 32:9 . See notes on Genesis 32:28 ; Genesis 43:6 .
Former = Framer.
The LORD of hosts. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 .

17.

Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.

Gather up = Gather in. Occurs only here.
wares = bundle. For that is all they would be able to take with them.
inhabitant = inhabitress. Put for "the daughter of Zion".
fortress. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the city Jerusalem.

18.

For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.

I will sling. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for all that is signified by it. Compare Isaiah 22:17 , Isaiah 22:18 .
find it so = discover the truth of it.

19.

Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.

me. Zion now speaks in view of the coming deportation; or, Jeremiah voices the calamity.
a grief: or, my affliction.
and I = but I.

20.

My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

tabernacle = tent, or dwelling.
children = sons.

21.

For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

pastors = shepherds, or rulers.
are become. This points to Jehoiakim's reign.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. (with' eth) = Jehovah Himself. App-4 .

22.

Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

noise = voice.
bruit = rumour. French bruit, a voice, from Breton (Celtic) bruchellein, to roar (as a lion). Compare Greek. bruchao-mai.
north. Compare Jeremiah 1:15 ; Jeremiah 5:15 ; Jeremiah 6:22 , &c.
dragons = jackals.

23.

O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

is not in = belongs not to.
it is not. Some codices, with two early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "nor".
direct = establish.

24.

O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

with = in.

25.

Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

families. Some codices read "kingdoms". Compare Psalms 79:6 .
Thy name = Thee (emphatic). See note on Psalms 20:1 .