1.
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
Oh that, &c. Figure of speech Pathopoeia.
waters . . . fountain . . . tears. Figure of speech Catabasis.
slain. Not healed by "balm" or "physician".
2.
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
3.
And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
bend: or, prepare.
truth = veracity.
4.
Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
neighbour = friend.
trust ye not = do not confide. Hebrew. batah. App-69 .
every brother . . . supplant. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 25:26 ; Genesis 27:36 ). App-92 .
5.
And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6.
Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.
7.
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
the LORD of hosts. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 and 1 Samuel 1:3 .
how shall = how [else] shall, &c.
for the daughter: or, because of [the wickedness of] the daughter, &c.
8.
Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
shot out. Hebrew = piercing. But some codices, with two early printed editions, and Syriac, read "pointed".
9.
Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
My soul = I myself (emphatic). Hebrew. nephesh. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.
avenged. Compare Jeremiah 5:9 , Jeremiah 5:29 .
10.
For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.
habitations = pastures.
11.
And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
dragons = jackals.
12.
Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?
Who . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
who . . . ? The Ellipsis is thus correctly supplied.
13.
And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
forsaken. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:15 , Deuteronomy 32:21 ). App-92 .
My law. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20 , &c). App-92 .
set before them. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 4:8 , Deuteronomy 4:44 ). App-92 .
therein. In the law, not the voice.
14.
But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:
imagination = stubbornness. Reference to Pentateuch, (see note on Jeremiah 3:17 ).
15.
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 7:3 .
wormwood . . . gall. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 29:18 ). Repeated in Jeremiah 23:15 . Occurs also in Lamentations 3:19 .
water of gall. Compare Jeremiah 8:14 .
16.
I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.
I will scatter. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:33 .Deuteronomy 28:64; Deuteronomy 28:64 ).
heathen = nations.
17.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come:
Thus saith, &c. This (verses: Jeremiah 9:17-20 ) develops the calamity, for which this chapter gives the reason.
mourning women. A class still hired for the purpose. Compare 2 Samuel 1:24 . 2 Chronicles 35:25 .Ecclesiastes 12:5 .Matthew 9:23 .Mark 5:38 .
cunning = skilful (in this business).
18.
And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.
19.
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.
How. ! Supply Ellip sis: "[saying], How is it", &c.
because. Some codices, with three early printed editions (one Rabbinic), read "yea, for", or "for indeed".
our dwellings, &c .: or, they have cast down our habitations. Compare Daniel 8:11 .Job 8:18 . Ezekiel 19:12 .
20.
Yet hear the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.
Yet: or, For, or Yea.
women. These had been largely the instrumental cause; now they share the calamities.
21.
For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.
children = infant.
streets . . .
22.
Speak, Thus saith the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them.
Speak. This shows that Jerome's Hebrew text was unpointed, for he read d-b-r as deber = pestilence, instead of dabar = word, or dabber = speak.
open field. Some codices, with one early printed edition, read "ground".
none shall gather them. Compare Psalms 79:3 .
23.
Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Thus saith, &c. The lesson which follows is of universal application.
Let not. Note the Figure of speech Symploke, or Anaphora , for emphasis.
wisdom . . . might . . . riches. These are the three things which men boast of, and trust in. This was Jerusalem's sin.
let not. Some codices, with six early printed editions (one in margin), Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "neither let".
24.
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
let him, &c. Quoted in 1 Corinthians 1:31 .
knoweth Me. This lies at the foundation of everything: of all trust in God (for One unknown cannot be trusted at all); of all pleasing (Ephesians 1:17 . Colossians 1:9 , Colossians 1:10 ; 1 John 5:20 ). The want of it led to Gentile corruption (Romans 1:28 ); to Israel's fall (Isaiah 1:3 .Luke 19:42 , Luke 19:44 ); and all future blessing is wrapt up in it: for Israel (Jeremiah 31:34 .Isaiah 54:13; Isaiah 54:13 ); and for creation (Isaiah 11:9 ). This is why we have the written Word (2 Timothy 3:15 ), and the living "Word" (John 1:18 ).
Which exercise, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 34:6 ). App-92 .
lovingkindness = favour shown to the unworthy.
judgment = justice to the oppressed. One school of Massorites ( App-30 ) read "and justice", emphasizing the statement by the Figure of speech Polysyndeton. App-6 .
25.
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;
circumcised, &c. : in the flesh, but not in "ears" (Jeremiah 6:10 ), nor in "heart" (Jeremiah 4:4 ). Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:41 , Leviticus 26:42 .Deuteronomy 10:16 ; Deuteronomy 30:6 ). Elsewhere only in Ezekiel 44:7 , Ezekiel 44:9 ,
with the uncircumcised = circumcised in uncircumcision: i.e. "circumcised [externally]who [are yet really] uncircumcised", as explained at the end of the next verse. Hence the contrast with the nations mentioned, which all practiced (external) circumcision (Romans 2:25-29 ).
26.
Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
children = sons.
that are in the utmost corners: or, all that have the corners of their beard polled. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 19:27 ). App-92 . Compare Jeremiah 49:32 .
uncircumcised. Supply Ellipsis , from the next clause: "uncircumcised [in heart], and all", &c.
the house of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 2:4 .