View Jeremiah 16 in the note window.
The prophet is commanded to abstain from marriage, from mourning, or
festival assemblies; hereby representing to them their approaching
misery, ver. 1 - 9.
Their sins which caused it, ver. 10 - 13.
Their strange deliverance from Babylon, ver. 14, 15.
After that their iniquity is recompensed, ver. 16 - 18.
The prophet's comfort in the calling of the Gentiles, ver. 19 - 21
5: Enter not - Do not go to comfort such as mourn for any relations
dead, (for their feastings upon those occasions were upon a consolatory
account) those that die are most happy, for I will take away the peace
of this people, and deprive them of all my mercy and loving - kindness.
6: Nor cut - Cutting themselves and cutting off their hair, were
Pagan customs, which God forbad his own people; but yet it seemed
they practised them: but saith God, Men shall die so fast that they
shall have no leisure to cut themselves.
7: Deal bread - It was a custom among them, when they had any friend,
that had lost his relations, to send them some meat (for among the
Hebrews all things they ate were called bread) and then to go and
sup with them, and speak comfortably to them. The cup - They were
also wont to send wine, that they might forget their sorrows; this
is called, The cup of consolation.
8: Go - God did not only forbid his prophet to go into houses of
mourning, but forbad him to go into houses, where they were wont to
eat and drink upon a more chearful account.
13: Ye shall serve - What is now matter of choice to you, shall then
be forced upon you.
14: Notwithstanding - God sweetens the dreadful threatenings
preceding, with a comfortable promise of their restoration.
16: Fishers - Those enemies whom God made use of to destroy the
Jews, hunting them out of all holes and coverts wheresoever they
should take sanctuary.
18: I will recompense - Before I will restore them, I will
plentifully punish them, (for so double here signifies, not the
double of what their sins deserve.) Defiled - By their idolatry,
blood and cruelty. Detestable - Unclean beasts offered to their
idols, or innocent persons slain by them.
21: Therefore - Because all the mercy I have shewed them, will not
learn them to know my might, I will once for all make them to understand
it, by the dreadful strokes of my vengeance. And - They shall know that
my name is Jehovah; that I am not such a one as their idols, but one who
have my being from myself, and give life and being to all other things,
and have all might and power in my hand, and can do whatsoever I please.
