Geneva Study Bible Oh 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! O that my head were {a} waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
(a) The prophet shows the great compassion that he had toward this people, seeing that he could never sufficiently lament the destruction that he saw to hang over them, which is a special note to discern the true pastors from the hirelings. See Geneva Jer 4:19 Oh 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. O that I had in the wilderness a {b} lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all {c} adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
(b) He shows that there was more peace and greater safety for him to dwell among the wild beasts than among this wicked people except that God has given him this charge. (c) Utterly turned from God. And 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. And they bend their tongues like their bow for {d} 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.
(d) To belie and slander their neighbours. Take 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. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any {e} brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
(e) Meaning, that all were corrupt, and none could find an honest man. And 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. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they {f} have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
(f) They have so practised deceit, that they cannot forsake it. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit; {g} through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.
(g) They would rather have forsaken God than left their wicked trade. Therefore 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? Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will {h} melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
(h) With the fire of affliction. Their 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. Their 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.
Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
For 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. For the {i} 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 have fled; they are gone.
(i) Signifying that all the places about Jerusalem would be destroyed. And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
Who 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? Who is the {k} 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?
(k) Meaning that they are all without sense and understanding and that God has taken his spirit from them. And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein; And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them: But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which {l} their fathers taught them:
(l) He shows that the children cannot excuse themselves by their fathers: for both father and child if they are wicked will perish. Therefore 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. Therefore 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 {m} to drink.
(m) Read Jer 8:14. I 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. I 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.
Thus 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: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for {n} the skilful women, that they may come; and send for skilful women, that they may come:
(n) Seeing you cannot lament your own sins, call for those foolish women, whom of a superstition you have to lament for the dead, that they by their feigned tears may provoke you to some sorrow. And 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. And 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.
For 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. For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we laid waste! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings {o} have cast us out.
(o) As though they were weary of us, because of our iniquities, Le 18:28,20:22. Yet 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. Yet hear the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and {p} teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.
(p) He derides the superstition of the women who made an art of mourning, and taught to weep with feigned tears. For 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. For death hath come up into our {q} windows, and hath entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from outside, and the young men from the streets.
(q) Signifying that there is no means to deliver the wicked from God's judgments: but when they think to be most sure, and most far off, then they are soonest taken. Speak, 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. Speak, 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.
Thus 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: Thus saith the LORD, Let not the {r} wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
(r) As none can save himself by his own labour, or any worldly means, he shows that it is vain to put our trust in it, but that we trust in the Lord, and rejoice in him, who only can deliver. But 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. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD who {s} exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
(s) These three points are necessary to know correctly his mercy, in which consists our salvation: his judgment, which he executes continually against the wicked, and his justice, by which he defends and maintains the faithful. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them who are {t} circumcised with the uncircumcised;
(t) Meaning, both Jews and Gentiles, as in this next verse he shows the cause, Jer 4:4. Egypt, 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. Egypt, 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. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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