6:1 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).
6:2 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.
6:3 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.
6:4f 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.
6:7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her
wickedness: g violence and destruction is heard in her;
before me continually [are] grief and wounds.
(g) He shows the reason why it would be destroyed, and how
it comes from themselves.
6:8 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.
6:9 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.
6:10 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.
6:11 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.
6:14 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.
6:16 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.
6:17 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.
6:18 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.
6:20 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.
