Jeremiah 15:5

15:1-9 The Lord declares that even Moses and Samuel must have pleaded in vain. The putting of this as a case, though they should stand before him, shows that they do not, and that saints in heaven do not pray for saints on earth. The Jews were condemned to different kinds of misery by the righteous judgment of God, and the remnant would be driven away, like the chaff, into captivity. Then was the populous city made desolate. Bad examples and misused authority often produce fatal effects, even after men are dead, or have repented of their crimes: this should make all greatly dread being the occasion of sin in others.

For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem?.... The inhabitants of it; their sins being so many, and so heinous, and so aggravated, and so deserving of punishment, that none could pity their case, or have a heart of compassion towards them, or even spare reproaching them: or "who shall bemoan thee?" sympathize and condole with thee, or speak a comfortable word to thee, or seek to alleviate thy grief and sorrow: or "who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?" or "of thy peace?" (c) shall not think it worth their while to go a step out of their way, or turn into a house, and inquire of thy welfare, or salute thee. (c) "ad petendum de pace tua", Pagninus; "ad interrogandum te de paca tua", Piscator; "sive prosperitate tua", Junius & Tremellius.

Verse 5. - For who shall have pity ? or, for who can have pity , etc.? (the imperfect in its potential sense). The horror which will seize upon the spectators will effectually preclude pity. Who shall go aside ? As one turns aside to call at a house. So Genesis 19:2 (literally, turn aside , not "turn in"). Jeremiah 15:5

(5) To ask how thou doest? —This is a fair paraphrase of the original, but it wants the Oriental colouring of the more literal to ask after thy peace. As “Peace be with thee” was the usual formula of salutation, sc.,” Is it peace?” was the equivalent for our more prosaic question, “How do you do?” ( Genesis 43:27 ; Judges 18:15 ). The same phrase meets us in Exodus 18:7 , “They asked each other of their welfare,” literally, of their peace.

In Jeremiah 15:5-9 we have a still further account of this appalling judgment and its causes. The grounding כּי in Jeremiah 15:5 attaches to the central thought of Jeremiah 15:4 . The sinful people will be given up to all the kingdoms of the earth to be ill used, for no one will or can have compassion on Jerusalem, since its rejection by God is a just punishment for its rejection of the Lord ( Jeremiah 15:6 ). "Have pity" and "bemoan" denote loving sympathy for the fall of the unfortunate. חמל, to feel sympathy; נוּד, to lament and bemoan. סוּר, to swerve from the straight way, and turn aside or enter into any one's house; cf. Genesis 19:2 ., Exodus 3:3 , etc. ל שׁאל לשׁלום, to inquire of one as to his health, cf. Exodus 18:7 ; then: to salute one, to desire לך שׁלום, Genesis 43:27 ; Judges 18:15 , and often. Not only will none show sympathy for Jerusalem, none will even ask how it goes with her welfare.

8 . But thou, thyself , shalt , etc.] The emphatic thou is necessary after the intrusion of the previous v . return ] If this be meant in a spiritual sense, the like does not elsewhere occur in Deut.; but is found in Isaiah 10:21 ; Isaiah 19:22 , Jeremiah 3:1 ; Jeremiah 3:7 ; Jeremiah 3:12 ; Jeremiah 3:22 ; Jeremiah 4:1 ; Jeremiah 15:19 ; Jeremiah 18:11 (= Jeremiah 35:15 ), Jeremiah 23:14 , Jeremiah 24:7 , Jeremiah 36:3 , Ezekiel 18:23 , etc. For the rest of this v erse see above Deuteronomy 15:5 , Deuteronomy 28:1 ; Deuteronomy 28:15 .

In the latter sense sôd occurs in two passages illustrating the present one, Jeremiah 23:18 ; Jeremiah 23:22 , where Jeremiah implies that the true prophets have access to the “council” of Jehovah, and preach the principles which are there approved (cf. Job 15:8 , R.V. marg. ; also Psalm 89:7 ). his servants the prophets ] An expression otherwise used chiefly by writers of the age of Jeremiah ( 2 Kings 17:13 ; 2 Kings 17:23 ; 2 Kings 21:10 ; 2 Kings 24:2 ; Jeremiah 7:25 ; Jeremiah 25:4 ; Jeremiah 26:5 ; Jeremiah 29:19 ; Jeremiah 35:15 ; Ezekiel 38:17 ; also Zechariah 1:6 ; Daniel 9:10 ).