Geneva Study Bible O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. O ye children of {a} Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in {b} Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in {c} Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
(a) He speaks to them chiefly because they should take heed by the example of their brethren the other half of their tribe, who were now carried away prisoners. (b) Which was a city in Judah, six miles from Bethlehem, 2Ch 11:6. (c) Read Ne 3:14. I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. I have likened the daughter of Zion to {d} a comely and delicate woman.
(d) I have intreated her gently, and given her abundance of all things. The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. The shepherds with their flocks {e} shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her on every side; they shall feed every one in his place.
(e) She will be so destroyed that the sheep may be fed in her. Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. {f} Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! for the day departeth, for the shadows of the evening are lengthened.
(f) He speaks this in the person of the Babylonians, who complain that the time fails them before they have brought their enterprises to pass. Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces. Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds. As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.
Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. Be thou instructed, O {h} Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.
(h) He warns them to amend by his correction, and turn to him by repentance. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn {i} back thy hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.
(i) He exhorts the Babylonians to be diligent to search out all and to leave none. To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is {k} uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is to them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
(k) They delight to hear vain things, and to shut up their ears to true doctrine. Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: {l} I will pour it out upon the {m} children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.
(l) As the Lord had given him his word to be as a fire of his indignation to burn the wicked, Jer 5:14 so he kindles it now when he sees that all remedies are past. (m) No one will be spared. And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD. And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.
For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, {n} Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
(n) When the people began to fear God's judgments, the false prophets comforted them by flatterings, showing that God would send peace and not war. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the {o} old paths, where is the good way, and walk in it, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it.
(o) In which the patriarchs and prophets walked, directed by the word of God: signifying that there is no true way, but that which God prescribes. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. Also I set {p} watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
(p) Prophets who would warn you of the dangers that were at hand. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Therefore hear, ye {q} nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
(q) God takes all the world to witness and the insensible creatures of the ingratitude of the Jews. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. To what purpose cometh there to me {r} incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a distant country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to me.
(r) Read Isa 1:11, Am 5:21. Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish. Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the {s} north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.
(s) From Babylon by Dan, which was north of Jerusalem. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail. We have heard the report of it: our hands become {t} feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
(t) For fear of the enemy: he speaks this in the person of the Jews. Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side. Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us. O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way. I have set {u} thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
(u) Meaning, Jeremiah, whom God had appointed to try out the godly from the wicked, as a founder does the pure metal from the dross. They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. The {x} bellows is burned, the lead is consumed by the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
(x) All the pain and labour that has been taken with them is lost. Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them. Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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