Geremia 6:7 Commento

In this chapter, as before, we have, I. A prophecy of the invading of the land of Judah and the besieging of Jerusalem by the Chaldean army (Jer 6:1-6), with the spoils they should make of the country (Jer 6:9) and the terror which all should be seized with on that occasion (Jer 6:22-26). II. An account of those sins of Judah and Jerusalem which provoked God to bring this desolating judgment upon them. Their oppression (Jer 6:7), their contempt of the word of God (Jer 6:10-12), their worldliness (Jer 6:13), the treachery of their prophets (Jer 6:14), their impudence in sin (Jer 6:15), their obstinacy against reproofs (Jer 6:18, Jer 6:19), which made their sacrifices unacceptable to him (Jer 6:20), and for which he gave them up to ruin (Jer 6:21), but tried them first (Jer 6:27) and then rejected them as irreclaimable (Jer 6:28-30). III. Good counsel given them in the midst of all this, but in vain (Jer 6:8, Jer 6:16, Jer 6:17).

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 6 This chapter is of the same argument with the former; and contains two things in it, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, and the causes of it, which are intermixedly handled in it; a lively description is made of the notice of the approach of the enemy by blowing of trumpets and firing of beacons, Jer 6:1, and of the siege of the city, by pitching tents around it, casting up a mount against it, and scaling its walls at noon and by night, Jer 6:2, and this destruction is illustrated by the simile of gleaning of grapes, Jer 6:9, and amplified by the universality of it, with respect to persons and things; it reaching to persons of every age, and in every state, as old men, young men, and children, husbands and wives, and to all sorts of possessions, houses and fields, Jer 6:11, a description is given of the instruments of it, the Chaldeans, Jer 6:22 and it is aggravated by the anxiety, distress, and sorrow, the Jews would be in on account of it, Jer 6:24, the causes of it are in general the great aboundings of sin and wickedness in the midst of them, illustrated by a fountain casting out its waters, Jer 6:6, in particular, their neglect and contempt of the word of the Lord, Jer 6:10, the sin of covetousness, which prevailed among all sorts of people, high and low, in civil or religious life, Jer 6:13, the unfaithfulness of the prophets to the people, declaring peace, when there was none, Jer 6:14, their impenitence and hardness, Jer 6:15, their disregard to all instructions and warnings, Jer 6:16, their rejection of the law, and the precepts of it, Jer 6:18, their hypocritical sacrifices, Jer 6:20, and the chapter is concluded with an address to the prophet, setting forth his character and office, and the end of it, Jer 6:27 and his testimony concerning the people, showing their obstinacy and stubbornness, illustrated by a simile of refining metal in a furnace without success, Jer 6:28.

As a fountain casteth out her waters,.... In great abundance, and continually: so she casteth out her wickedness; this metaphor expresses the multitude of her sins, the frequent and constant commission of them, and the source and spring of them, the corrupt fountain of the heart; see Mat 12:34, violence and spoil is heard in her; that is, the cry of those that are oppressed and spoiled is heard, and that by the Lord himself, whose ears are open to the cries of the oppressed, and will avenge them: before me continually is grief and wounds; the poor, who were grieved and wounded by their oppressors; the Lord was an eye and ear witness of their grievances, and would redress them; nor could their enemies expect to escape his wrath, since they were all known to him; or else the sense is, that because of their violence and spoil of the poor, it was continually before the Lord, in his mind and purpose, and he was just ready to bring upon them, by way of punishment for these things, what would grieve and wound them; so Jarchi interprets it, which Kimchi mentions; and to it the Targum agrees, "the voice of robbers and plunderers is heard in her before me continually, therefore will I bring upon her evil and smiting.''

(Verse 7) This is a city of visitation (or falsehood); all slander (or oppression) is in its midst. Just as a well or a lake makes its water cold, so it has made its evil cold. The Lord has commanded that trees be cut down, and that mounds be built all around. For the time of its visitation has come, to receive payment for its sins, the greatest of which is false accusation, to oppress the innocent through slander. Just as a well or a cold pond makes its water cold, so in the midst of Jerusalem, the malice that is in it has lost all the warmth of life. And it should be noted that those who are kindled by the Holy Spirit are called fervent, but evil things are cold. Hence it is written (Matthew 24) that in the last days, when iniquity shall be multiplied, the charity of many shall grow cold. I believe this also sounds like that: I am made like those who go down into the pit (Psalm 28:1). However, let the Latin reader understand, as we have said once, that lacus does not sound like stagnum among the Greeks, but like cisterna, which is called Gubba in the Syriac and Hebrew languages. However, in the present place, instead of lacus, which everyone has similarly translated, it is called Bor in Hebrew.

ZION'S FOES PREPARE WAR AGAINST HER: HER SINS ARE THE CAUSE. (Jer. 6:1-30) Benjamin--Jerusalem was situated in the tribe of Benjamin, which was here separated from that of Judah by the valley of Hinnom. Though it was inhabited partly by Benjamites, partly by men of Judah, he addresses the former as being his own countrymen. blow . . . trumpet . . . Tekoa--Tikehu, Tekoa form a play on sounds. The birthplace of Amos. Beth-haccerem--meaning in Hebrew, "vineyard-house." It and Tekoa were a few miles south of Jerusalem. As the enemy came from the north, the inhabitants of the surrounding country would naturally flee southwards. The fire-signal on the hills gave warning of danger approaching.

fountain--rather, a well dug, from which water springs; distinct from a natural spring or fountain. casteth out--causeth to flow; literally, "causeth to dig," the cause being put for the effect (Kg2 21:16, Kg2 21:24; Isa 57:20). me--Jehovah.