1 The calamity of the Jews, both dead and alive.
4 He upbraids their foolish and shameless impenitency.
13 He shews their grievous judgment;
18 and bewails their desperate estate.

7:32-34 1Ki 13:2 2Ki 23:16,20 2Ch 34:4,5 Eze 6:5 37:1 Am 2:1

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 all. 19:13 44:17-19 De 4:19 17:3 2Ki 17:16 21:3,5 23:5 2Ch 33:3-5 Eze 8:16 Zep 1:5 Ac 7:42

they shall be. 9:22 16:4 22:19 36:30 2Ki 9:36,37 Ps 83:10 Ec 6:3 Zep 1:17

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.

death. 20:14-18 1Ki 19:4 Job 3:20-22 7:15,16 Jon 4:3 Re 6:16 9:6

in all. 23:3,8 29:14,28 32:36,37 40:12 De 30:1,4 Da 9:7

4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?

Moreover. Blayney justly observes, that the change of speakers here requires to be carefully attended to. The prophet first, in the name of God, reproves the people, and threatens them with grievous calamities. Then, apostrophising his countrymen, he advises them to retire with him to some fortified city. God then threatens to bring foes against them, that are irresistible. The prophet next commiserates the daughter of his people, who is heard bewailing her forlorn case; whilst the voice of God breaks in upon her complaints, and shows that all this ruin is brought upon her by her infidelities. The prophet regrets that her wounds had not been healed, and laments over her slain.

shall they. Pr 24:16 Ho 14:1 Am 5:2 Mic 7:8

turn. 3:1,22 4:1 23:14 36:3 1Ki 8:38 Isa 44:22 55:7 Eze 18:23 Ho 6:1 7:10

5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

slidden. 2:32 3:11-14 7:24-26 Ho 4:16 11:7

they hold. 9:6 Pr 4:13 Isa 30:10 44:20 1Th 5:21 2Th 2:9-12 Re 2:25

they refuse. 5:3 Isa 1:20 Zec 7:11 Joh 5:40 Heb 12:25

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.

hearken. Job 33:27,28 Ps 14:2 Isa 30:18 Mal 3:16 2Pe 3:9

no. 5:1 Isa 59:16 Eze 22:30 Mic 7:2

saying. Job 10:2 Eze 18:28 Hag 1:5,7 Lu 15:17-19

as. 2:24,25 Job 39:19-25

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.

stork. Pr 6:6-8 Isa 1:3

turtle. So 2:12

people. 5:4 Isa 1:3 5:12

know. 5:4,5

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.

We. Job 5:12,13 11:12 12:20 Joh 9:41 Ro 1:22 2:17 1Co 3:18-20

the law. Ps 147:19 Ho 8:12

lo. Mt 15:6

in vain. or, the false pen of the scribes worketh for falsehood Pr 17:6 Isa 10:1,2

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?

The wise men are. or, Have they been, etc. 6:15 49:7 Job 5:12 Isa 19:11 Eze 7:26 1Co 1:26-29

lo. De 4:6 Ps 19:7 119:98-100 Isa 8:20 1Co 1:18-29 2Ti 3:15

what wisdom. Heb. the wisdom of what thing.

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.

will I. 6:12 De 28:30-32 Am 5:11 Zep 1:13

for. De 6:13 Isa 56:10-12 Eze 33:31 Mic 3:5,11 Tit 1:7,11 2Pe 2:1-3

from the prophet. 5:31 23:11-17,25,26 32:32 Isa 28:7 La 4:13 Eze 22:27,28

11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

they. 6:14 14:14,15 27:9,10 28:3-9 1Ki 22:6,13 La 2:14 Eze 13:10-16,22 Mic 2:11

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.

ashamed when. 3:3 6:15 Ps 52:1,7 Isa 3:9 Zep 3:5 Php 3:19

therefore. Isa 9:13-17 24:2 Eze 22:25-31 Ho 4:5,6

in the. De 32:35 Ho 5:9

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.

I will surely consume. or, In gathering I will consume. Isa 24:21,22 Eze 22:19-21 24:3-11

there. Le 26:20 De 28:39-42 Isa 5:4-6,10 Ho 2:8,9 Joe 1:7,10-12 Hab 3:17 Hag 1:11 2:17 Mt 21:19 Lu 13:6-9

the leaf. 17:8 Ps 1:3,4 Jas 1:11

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.

do. 2Ki 7:3,4

enter. 4:5,6 35:11 2Sa 20:6

be silent. Le 10:3 Ps 39:2 La 3:27,28 Am 6:10 Hab 2:20 Zec 2:13

water. 9:13 23:15 Nu 5:18-24 De 32:32 Ps 69:21 La 3:19 Mt 27:34

gall. or poison.

15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

4:10 14:19 Mic 1:12 1Th 5:3

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.

The snorting. Grotius observes, after Jerome, that Nebuchadnezzar, having subdued Phoenicia, passed through Dan, in his way to Jerusalem.

was heard. 4:15,16 Jud 18:29 20:1

the whole. 4:24 Hab 3:10

at the. 6:23 47:3 Jud 5:22 Na 1:4,5 3:2

of his strong ones. Of his war-horses. This is a fine image; so terrible was the united neighings of the cavalry of the Babylonians, that the reverberation of the air caused the ground to tremble.

all that is in it. Heb. the fulness thereof. Ps 24:1 1Co 10:26,28

17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.

I will. De 32:24 Isa 14:29 Am 5:19 9:3 Re 9:19

which. Ps 58:4,5 Ec 10:11

18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.

my. 6:24 10:19-22 Job 7:13,14 Isa 22:4 La 1:16,17 Da 10:16,17 Hab 3:16

in Heb. upon.

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?

the voice. 4:16,17,30,31 Isa 13:5 39:3

them Heb. the country of them that are afar off. the Lord. 14:19 31:6 Ps 135:21 Isa 12:6 52:1 Joe 2:32 3:21 Ob 17 Re 2:1

her king. Ps 146:10 149:2 Isa 33:22

why. 8:5,6 De 32:16-21 Isa 1:4

20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

Pr 10:5 Lu 13:25 19:44 Heb 3:7-15 Mt 25:1-12

21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

the hurt. 4:19 9:1 14:17 17:16 Ne 2:3 Ps 137:3-6 Lu 19:41 Ro 9:1-3

I am. So 1:5,6 Joe 2:6 Na 2:10

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?

no balm. 46:11 51:8 Ge 37:25 43:11

no physician. Mt 9:11,12 Lu 5:31,32 8:43

why. 30:12-17

recovered. Heb. gone up. Isa 1:5,6