View Jeremiah 9 in the note window.
The prophet's lamentation continues over their adultery, deceit,
idolatry, which God would certainly punish, and they should be laid
waste, when they should sufficiently lament, ver. 1 - 22.
No trust in ourselves, but in God, who will punish all nations,
ver. 23 - 26.
2: A lodging place - Some retiring place, though it were but some
mean hut in the wilderness.
5: Weary - They use industry, and contrivance in it, they spare no
labour.
7: Try them - By melting them, I will bring upon them, the fire of
the Chaldean war, that shall purge away those deceits in which they
trust, that the remnant may be purified. For how - I have tried all
other means.
10: Wailing - The prophet having taken up a lamentation for the
slaughter of the people, now re - assumes it for the desolation of the
whole land. The mountains shall not be able to secure them, nor the
valleys to feed them.
12: Who is - Is there not a wise man among you, that will search into
the cause of all these threatened judgments.
16: A sword - But I will follow them with the sword, 'till they be
destroyed, such of them as were appointed for destruction; for otherwise,
they were not all consumed, a full end was not to be made.
17: Women - Who were hired to tear their hair, and beat their breasts,
with other mourning postures, a foolish custom which has obtained in most
ages and countries. Cunning - Such as are most skilful in it.
20: Every one - It denotes how large and universal the mourning
shall be.
21: Death - The unavoidableness of the ruin is expressed
metaphorically, alluding to the storming of a city, wherein
there is no respect had to sex, youth, or age.
22: As the handful - They shall be no more regarded than a few
scattered ears that drop out of the reapers hand, which either lie
on the ground and are eaten by birds, or trod to dirt by beasts.
None - None shall have so much respect to them, as to afford burial.
24: Knoweth - Whether we make any curious distinction between
understanding God, as if that be more speculative, whereby we rightly
apprehend his nature; and knowing God, as if that be more practical,
as directing the conversation, we need not here enquire; yet certainly
both center in this, that we so know and understand God as to trust in
him, and depend on him alone in all conditions. Exercise - Kindness,
as it relates to his own people; judgment, in punishing the wicked;
righteousness, as he deals justly and uprightly with both.
