Jeremiah 4:8

4:5-18 The fierce conqueror of the neighbouring nations was to make Judah desolate. The prophet was afflicted to see the people lulled into security by false prophets. The approach of the enemy is described. Some attention was paid in Jerusalem to outward reformation; but it was necessary that their hearts should be washed, in the exercise of true repentance and faith, from the love and pollution of sin. When lesser calamities do not rouse sinners and reform nations, sentence will be given against them. The Lord's voice declares that misery is approaching, especially against wicked professors of the gospel; when it overtakes them, it will be plainly seen that the fruit of wickedness is bitter, and the end is fatal.

For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl,.... That is, because of this destruction threatened, which was so near at hand, and so sure and certain: for the fierce anger of the Lord is not turned back from us. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render it "from you" and some render it "from it" (u); from his purpose and design to destroy the Jews. Jarchi interprets this of Josiah, and his times, who, though he turned to the Lord with all his heart, yet the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his wrath and anger against Judah, 2 Kings 23:25. (u) "ab illo", i.e. "ab illo proposito", Cocceius; "ab eo", Montanus.

Gird you with sackcloth; the usual habit of mourners, especially in those days, Isaiah 22:12 Jeremiah 6:26 : it is a calling upon them to repent. Lament and howl: probably these expressions do import the several ways that men have to set forth their bitter complaints and sorrows of the mind, both by the gestures of the body, Jeremiah 2:37 Luke 18:13 , and expressions of the tongue, Psalm 32:3 Isaiah 59:11 . Is not turned back from us; neither will it, until it have accomplished its ends, Jeremiah 30:24 .

For this calamity the people was to mourn deeply. For the description of the mourning, cf. Joel 1:13 ; Micah 1:8 . For the wrath of the Lord has not turned from us, as in blind self-delusion ye imagine, Jeremiah 2:35 . The heath of Jahveh's anger is the burning wrath on account of the sins of Manasseh, with which the people has been threatened by the prophets. This wrath has not turned itself away, because even under Josiah the people has not sincerely returned to its God.

26 . The great influence possessed by the priests in this age appears from the place they occupy next the royal house. Jeremiah 2:8 ; Jeremiah 2:26 ; Jeremiah 4:9 ; Jeremiah 8:1 ; Jeremiah 13:13 ; Jeremiah 26:11 . between the holy and profane ] ch. Ezekiel 44:23 ; Jeremiah 15:19 ; Leviticus 10:10 .

5 . will leave thee thrown] I will throw thee down upon. brought together ] does not differ from “gathered,” meaning “buried,” cf. Jeremiah 8:2 ; Jeremiah 16:4 ; Jeremiah 25:33 . The great dragon’s carcase shall be flung upon the fields, which means death to the water monster; and the fowls and beasts shall feed on it. It is not necessary to allegorize the fowls and beasts, they belong to the figure of the carcase, ch. Ezekiel 39:17 seq .; Isaiah 18:6 ; Jeremiah 7:33 ; Jeremiah 34:20 . Ezekiel 29:5

10 . obeyed (lit. hearkened to ) the voice , &c.] So Exodus 15:26 ; Exodus 19:5 ; and especially in Deut. (as Deuteronomy 4:30 , Deuteronomy 9:23 , Deuteronomy 28:1-2 ; Deuteronomy 28:15 ), and Jer. (as Jeremiah 3:13 , Jeremiah 9:13 , Jeremiah 44:23 ). Cf. with this verse Bar 1:18 ; Bar 2:10 . to walk in his laws ] Cf. Jeremiah 26:4 ; Jeremiah 32:23 ; Jeremiah 44:10 ; Jeremiah 44:23 . which he set before us ] See Deuteronomy 4:8 ; Deuteronomy 11:32 ; Jeremiah 9:13 ; Jeremiah 44:10 , and esp. Jeremiah 26:4 (cf. the last clause). Daniel 9:10