Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 8

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

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.
Verse 1

At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:
7:32-34, 1 Kings 13:2, 2 Kings 23:16,20, 2 Chronicles 34:4,5, Ezekiel 6:5, 37:1, Amos 2:1
Verse 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, Deuteronomy 4:19, 17:3, 2 Kings 17:16, 21:3,5, 23:5, 2 Chronicles 33:3-5, Ezekiel 8:16, Zephaniah 1:5, Acts 7:42
they shall be
9:22, 16:4, 22:19, 36:30, 2 Kings 9:36,37, Psalms 83:10, Ecclesiastes 6:3, Zephaniah 1:17
Verse 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, 1 Kings 19:4, Job 3:20-22, 7:15,16, Jonah 4:3, Revelation 6:16, 9:6
in all
23:3,8, 29:14,28, 32:36,37, 40:12, Deuteronomy 30:1,4, Daniel 9:7
Verse 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, ver. 4-13. Then, apostrophising his countrymen, he advises them to retire with him to some fortified city, ver. 14-16. God then threatens to bring foes against them, that are irresistible, ver. 17. 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, ver. 18-20. The prophet regrets that her wounds had not been healed, and laments over her slain, ver. 21; ch. 9:1.
Shall they
Proverbs 24:16, Hosea 14:1, Amos 5:2, Micah 7:8
turn
3:1,22, 4:1, 23:14, 36:3, 1 Kings 8:38, Isaiah 44:22, 55:7, Ezekiel 18:23, Hosea 6:1, 7:10
Verse 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, Hosea 4:16, 11:7
they hold
9:6, Proverbs 4:13, Isaiah 30:10, 44:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, Revelation 2:25
they refuse
5:3, Isaiah 1:20, Zechariah 7:11, John 5:40, Hebrews 12:25
Verse 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.
hearkened
Job 33:27,28, Psalms 14:2, Isaiah 30:18, Malachi 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9
no
5:1, Isaiah 59:16, Ezekiel 22:30, Micah 7:2
saying
Job 10:2, Ezekiel 18:28, Haggai 1:5,7, Luke 15:17-19
as
2:24,25, Job 39:19-25
Verse 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
Proverbs 6:6-8, Isaiah 1:3
turtle
Song of Solomon 2:12
people
5:4, Isaiah 1:3, 5:12
know
5:4,5
Verse 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, John 9:41, Romans 1:22, 2:17-29, 1 Corinthians 3:18-20
the law
Psalms 147:19, Hosea 8:12
Lo
Matthew 15:6
in vain, etc
or, the false pen of the scribes worketh for falsehood.
Proverbs 17:6, Isaiah 10:1,2
Verse 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, Isaiah 19:11, Ezekiel 7:26, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
lo
Deuteronomy 4:6, Psalms 19:7, 119:98-100, Isaiah 8:20, 1 Corinthians 1:18-29, 2 Timothy 3:15
what wisdom
Heb. the wisdom of what thing, etc.
Verse 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, Deuteronomy 28:30-32, Amos 5:11, Zephaniah 1:13
for
6:13, Isaiah 56:10-12, Ezekiel 33:31, Micah 3:5,11, Titus 1:7,11, 2 Peter 2:1-3
from the prophet
5:31, 23:11-17,25,26, 32:32, Isaiah 28:7, Lamentations 4:13, Ezekiel 22:27,28
Verse 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, 1 Kings 22:6,13, Lamentations 2:14, Ezekiel 13:10-16,22, Micah 2:11
Verse 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, Psalms 52:1,7, Isaiah 3:9, Zephaniah 3:5, Philippians 3:19
therefore
Isaiah 9:13-17, 24:2, Ezekiel 22:25-31, Hosea 4:5,6
in the
Deuteronomy 32:35, Hosea 5:9
Verse 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.
Isaiah 24:21,22, Ezekiel 22:19-21, 24:3-11
there
Leviticus 26:20, Deuteronomy 28:39-42, Isaiah 5:4-6,10, Hosea 2:8,9, Joel 1:7,10-12, Habakkuk 3:17, Haggai 1:11, 2:17, Matthew 21:19, Luke 13:6-9
the leaf
17:8, Psalms 1:3,4, James 1:11
Verse 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
2 Kings 7:3,4
enter
4:5,6, 35:11, 2 Samuel 20:6
be silent
Leviticus 10:3, Psalms 39:2, Lamentations 3:27,28, Amos 6:10, Habakkuk 2:20, Zechariah 2:13
water
9:15, 23:15, Numbers 5:18-24, Deuteronomy 32:32, Psalms 69:21, Lamentations 3:19, Matthew 27:34
gall
or, poison.
Verse 15

We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!
4:10, 14:19, Micah 1:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:3
Verse 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, Judges 18:29, 20:1
the whole
4:24, Habakkuk 3:10
at the
6:23, 47:3, Judges 5:22, Nahum 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.
Psalms 24:1, 1 Corinthians 10:26,28
Verse 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
Deuteronomy 32:24, Isaiah 14:29, Amos 5:19, 9:3, Revelation 9:19
which
Psalms 58:4,5, Ecclesiastes 10:11
Verse 18

When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
my
6:24, 10:19-22, Job 7:13,14, Isaiah 22:4, Lamentations 1:16,17, Daniel 10:16,17, Habakkuk 3:16
in
Heb. upon.
Verse 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, Isaiah 13:5, 39:3
them, etc
Heb. the country of them that are afar off. the Lord.
14:19, 31:6, Psalms 135:21, Isaiah 12:6, 52:1, Joel 2:32, 3:21, Obadiah 1:17, Revelation 2:1
her king
Psalms 146:10, 149:2, Isaiah 33:22
Why
5,6, Deuteronomy 32:16-21, Isaiah 1:4
Verse 20

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
Proverbs 10:5, Luke 13:25, 19:44, Hebrews 3:7-15, Matthew 25:1-12
Verse 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, Nehemiah 2:3, Psalms 137:3-6, Luke 19:41, Romans 9:1-3
I am
Song of Solomon 1:5,6, Joel 2:6, Nahum 2:10
Verse 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, Genesis 37:25, 43:11
no physician
Matthew 9:11,12, Luke 5:31,32, 8:43
why
30:12-17
recovered
Heb. gone up.
Isaiah 1:5,6

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