1.
At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the 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:
saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's oracle.
bones. Note the Figure of speech Repetitio , for emphasis.
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton , to emphasize each class as responsible for the corruption and apostasy.
2.
And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have 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 buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
and. Particularizing here the details of the idolatry.
not be gathered. Compare 2 Samuel 21:13 .
3.
And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.
evil. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .
saith the LORD of hosts. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 . Compare 1 Samuel 1:3 .
4.
Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?
arise = rise up again.
he turn away, and. The Massorah (vol. II, p. 54, Ginsburg's edition) calls attention to the fact that of the two words represented by "turn" and "and", the first letter of the second word belongs to the first word; so that this latter will read "shall they return [to Him], and He not return [to them]? It is the same word (in Hebrew) in both clauses.
5.
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
6.
I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
7.
Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
knoweth. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for the effect of acting on the knowledge.
turtle = turtle-dove.
8.
How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
no man. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus), = scarcely any.
9.
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
rejected. The second of four downward steps. See note on Jeremiah 6:10 .
10.
Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
give their wives unto others. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:30 ). App-92 .
inherit = seize; or, to their dispossessors.
from. Some codices, with two early printed editions, and Syriac, read "and from".
prophet. priest. The former, raised up on account of the failure of the latter, now of one accord.
11.
For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
hurt = breach.
Peace, peace = perfect peace. Figure of speech Epizeuxis. Compare Jeremiah 6:14 and Isaiah 26:3 .
12.
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, saith the LORD.
could they blush. See note on Jeremiah 6:15 .
the time of their visitation. A phrase ("time" or "year") used eight times in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 8:12 ; Jeremiah 10:15 ; Jeremiah 11:23 ; Jeremiah 23:12 ; Jeremiah 46:21 ; Jeremiah 48:44 ; Jeremiah 50:27 ; Jeremiah 51:18 ). Nowhere else, except Isaiah 10:3 .Hosea 9:7 . Micah 7:4 , until our Lord used it in Luke 19:44 .
13.
I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
surely consume them. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia . Hebrew. 'asoph 'asiphem.
on the vine. See note on Jeremiah 6:9 .
shall fade = is withered.
the things . . . from them: or, I have appointed them those that shall pass over them.
14.
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
Why . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. verses: 14-16 spoken by the prophet, not the People. They were being threatened for not doing what is here spoken of, verses: Jeremiah 12:13 . Moreover, Jeremiah 8:15 is spoken by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 14:19 , which is an earlier passage, chronologically.
we: i.e. the prophet to the People. God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
silence. Figure of speech Ploke , the word being used in a different sense.
water of gall = poppy water; = poisoned water.
sinned. Hebrew. chata'. App-44 .
15.
We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!
trouble = terror.
16.
The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
Dan. The Assyrians entered the land from the north.
17.
For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
cockatrices = adders.
will not be charmed. This shows that the People were not penitent, and verses: Jeremiah 8:8 , Jeremiah 8:14 , Jeremiah 8:16 are not their words.
18.
When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
I: i.e. the prophet again.
19.
Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?
provoked . . . vanities. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:21 , same word). Compare Jeremiah 7:19 .
graven Images. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 7:5 , same word). App-92 .
20.
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
21.
For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
22.
Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
balm . . . physician. The words of the prophet, showing that healing remedies were employed; thus accounting for the silence respecting them. Compare Isaiah 1:6 .
balm = balSamaritan Pentateuch Compare Jeremiah 51:8 .
Gilead. Compare Jeremiah 46:11 .