1.
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
streets = out places, or outskirts.
broad places = market, or open places of concourse.
if ye can find. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 18:26 , &c). Points to reign of Jehoiakim rather than that of Josiah.
I will pardon. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 18:24-32 ). App-92 .
2.
And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
3.
O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
the truth = faithfulness. The same word as in Jeremiah 5:1 .
have not grieved = have felt no pain.
4.
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.
poor = become poor, or impoverished, reduced in means. Hebrew. dal. See note on "poverty", Proverbs 6:11 .
judgment = justice.
5.
I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
altogether = together, or with one accord.
6.
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
evenings = deserts.
transgressions = revolts.
backslidings = apostasies.
increased = strong, or many.
7.
How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.
children = sons.
forsaken Me. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:15 , Deuteronomy 32:21 ).
sworn. Compare Jeremiah 5:2 .
fed them to the full. So in many codices, with two early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate; but some codices, with five early printed editions, read "made them swear".
committed adultery. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:14 .Deuteronomy 5:18; Deuteronomy 5:18 ). The usual formula for idolatry.
8.
They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour's wife.
in the morning: i.e. roaming at large.
9.
Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
Shall I not visit . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
My soul = I Myself, for emphasis. Hebrew. nephesh. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.
be avenged = avenge herself. Compare Jeremiah 5:29 ; Jeremiah 9:9 .
10.
Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD's.
not a full end. Compare Jeremiah 5:18 , and Jeremiah 4:27 .
11.
For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.
the house of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 2:4 .
the house of Judah. See note on Jeremiah 2:4 .
12.
They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
belied = acted deceitfully against. Compare Joshua 24:27 .
evil = calamity.
13.
And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
prophets: i.e. Jeremiah, and others with him. See one in Ch. Jeremiah 26:20 .
wind. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .
14.
Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
the LORD God of hosts. Hebrew. Jehovah. the Elohim of Zebaioth. Occurs in Jeremiah only here, Jeremiah 15:16 ; Jeremiah 35:17 ; and Jeremiah 49:5 .
15.
Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
I will bring. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:49 ). App-92 .
a nation: i.e. the Chaldeans, but not yet named as such.
ancient. Compare Genesis 10:10 .
understandest = hearest. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for what is understood. Compare 1 Corinthians 14:2 .
16.
Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
17.
And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
they shall eat up. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:16 ). App-92 . Repeated three times by Figure of speech Anaphora , for great emphasis.
harvest, &c. Note the similar enumeration in Habakkuk 3:17 .
impoverish = beat down. Only again in Malachi 1:4 .
trustedst = confidedst. Hebrew. batah. App-69 .
18.
Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.
19.
And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
Wherefore . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 29:24 , Deuteronomy 29:25 ).
strange . . . strangers = foreign . . . foreigners, or aliens.
20.
Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
Declare . . . publish. Compare Jeremiah 4:15 .
in the house of Jacob. Only here, and Amos 3:13 , with the Preposition "in". See note on Jeremiah 2:4 .
21.
Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
understanding. Hebrew "heart".
22.
Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
23.
But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
24.
Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
That giveth rain. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 11:14 ).
both = even. Some codices omit this word.
the appointed . . . harvest. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 8:22 ).
25.
Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
iniquities. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .
sins. Hebrew. chata' . App-44 .
good = the good (singular)
26.
For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
wicked. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .
27.
As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
28.
They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
waxen fat. Reference to Pentateuch, (the same word as in Deuteronomy 32:15 ).
the wicked = a lawless one. Hebrew. rasha'. App-44 .
the fatherless = an orphan.
yet they prosper: or, that they [the fatherless] should prosper. Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6 . Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 10:18 ; Deuteronomy 24:17 ; Deuteronomy 27:19 ).
the needy = needy ones.
29.
Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
Shall I not. ? Note the repeated Figure of speech Erotesis , in the form of Figure of speech Anaphora. App-6 .
30.
A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
A wonderful = An astounding.
31.
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
by their means. Prophets were raised up when the priests failed in their duty. Now they had become in accord with them. Compare Jeremiah 23:25 , Jeremiah 23:26 . Ezekiel 13:6 , &c.