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Jeremiah

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Jeremiah 9

Commentary · verses 1-26

Jeremiah finished his thought from the last chapter…

1Oh 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!

1Oh 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!

Commentary · verse 1

Jeremiah was often referred to as the "weeping prophet."

2Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

3And they bend their tongue, as it were their bow, for falsehood; and they are grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah.

4Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders.

2Oh 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.

3And 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.

4Take 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.

Commentary · verses 2-4

All the people in these days were treacherous: deceitful.

5And they will deceive every one his neighbor, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves to commit iniquity.

6Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith Jehovah.

5And 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.

6Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.

Commentary · verses 5-6

The Jews refused to know God because of deceit. They were not considering and did not know the right HOW/WHY behind the events that God was causing in their lives.

7Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how else should I do, because of the daughter of my people?

8Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth wait for him.

9Shall I not visit them for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

7Therefore 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?

8Their 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.

9Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Commentary · verses 7-9

God pondered judgment on Israel for the things listed in verses 2-8.

10For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the pastures of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none passeth through; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the birds of the heavens and the beasts are fled, they are gone.

11And I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.

10For 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.

11And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.

Commentary · verses 10-11

Jerusalem and Judah would be destroyed.

12Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken, that he may declare it? wherefore is the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that none passeth through?

12Who 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?

Commentary · verse 12

God wanted to know if any man would understand what was happening, if any man would know the cause of these judgments.

13And Jehovah saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein, 14but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baalim, which their fathers taught them; 15therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

13And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;

14But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:

15Therefore 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.

Commentary · verses 13-15

Because the Jews were rejecting God and committing idolatry, God would give them bitter food and drink.

16I will scatter them also among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them.

16I 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.

Commentary · verse 16

They would also be scattered abroad and war would consume them.

17Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skilful women, that they may come:

17Thus 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:

Commentary · verse 17

God called for the "mourning women." These were women trained in compassion, and often paid at funerals to mourn.

18and 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.

19For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we ruined! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.

20Yet hear the word of Jehovah, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth; and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbor lamentation.

21For death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces; to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.

22Speak, Thus saith Jehovah, The dead bodies of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman; and none shall gather them.

18And 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.

19For 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.

20Yet 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.

21For 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.

22Speak, 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.

Commentary · verses 18-22

God gave these women words from Him to speak during this time.

23Thus saith Jehovah, 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; 24but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he hath understanding, and knoweth me, that I am Jehovah who exerciseth lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith Jehovah.

23Thus 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:

24But 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.

Commentary · verses 23-24

Paul referenced this verse in 1 Corinthians 1:31 and 2 Corinthians 10:17. Do not glory in man's wisdom, man's might, and man's riches. If you glory, glory in understanding and knowing God. God exercised lovingkindness, Justice, and Righteousness in the earth (as an effect of His Nature being Right and Just). God delighted in these things. After reading this verse, what would you think if someone told you that God was "too big to understand"?

Doctrines on this passage

25Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will punish all them that are circumcised in their uncircumcision:

25Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;

Commentary · verse 25

The day would come when the circumcised (Jews) would be punished in their uncircumcision, in their disbelief.

26Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that have the corners of their hair cut off, that dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.

26Egypt, 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.

Commentary · verse 26

God compared uncircumcised nations to Israel being uncircumcised in heart. Circumcision would not save Israel if they had no faith. Edom was from Esau. Ammon and Moab were from Lot.

Jeremiah 7-9 covered prophecies that showed mercy had run out for Judah and judgment was on its way.

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