View Jeremiah 8 in the note window.
The calamity of the Jews, both dead and alive, ver. 1 - 3.
Their brutish impenitency, ver. 4 - 7.
Their vain boast of wisdom: their covetousness, security, impudence,
ver. 8 - 12.
Their grievous judgments, ver. 13 - 17.
Bewailed by the prophet, ver. 18 - 22.
1: The bones - This denotes the utter desolation of the city, not
only rasing the walls, but turning up the very sepulchres which were
accounted sacred, and not to be violated.
4: Not arise - Will they never think of rising again?
Not return - Will he wander for ever?
5: Deceit - Their false prophets, encouraging themselves in their
wickedness, and pleasing themselves, that their miseries should not
come upon them.
6: I - God.
7: Appointed time - The seasons of her going and coming.
The judgment - God's vengeance, hovering over Jerusalem, and Judea.
8: How - These things considered where is your wisdom? He speaks to
the whole body of the people. The Lord - This may have a more special eye
to the priests. In vain - For any use they made of it; neither need it
ever have been copied out by the scribe. A scribe was a teacher, one
well versed in the scripture, or esteemed to be so.
13: Pass away - Shall be taken away by their enemies.
14: Why - The people at length seem to bethink themselves, and thus
to bespeak each other. Silent - Keep close within our walls.
16: The snorting - The fury of the Chaldeans march is described
by the snorting of their horses, which is a noise they make through
their nostrils. Heard - Even to Jerusalem. Have devoured - It is
spoken in a prophetical style, who use to express the certainty of
what shall be, as if it actually were already.
17: Shall bite - There will be no appeasing their fury by any method.
18: Sorrow - The prophet now seems to speak, how greatly the calamity
of this people affected him.
19: Why - As if God should seem to reply; let them not think it
strange, seeing they have turned their backs upon me, and trusted to idols.
21: Am I hurt - The prophet here shews how deeply he is affected with
the peoples misery. Black - I am as those that are clad in deep mourning.
