Jeremiah8
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1At that time, saith Jehovah, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;
2and they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried, they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
3And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith Jehovah of hosts.
4Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Shall men fall, and not rise up again? Shall one turn away, and not return?
5Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
6I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turneth to his course, as a horse that rusheth headlong in the battle.
7Yea, the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the law of Jehovah.
8How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes hath wrought falsely.
9The wise men are put to shame, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of Jehovah; and what manner of wisdom is in them?
10Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall possess them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
11And they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
12Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall; in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah.
13I will utterly consume them, saith Jehovah: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
14Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities, and let us be silent there; for Jehovah our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Jehovah.
15We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay!
16The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan: at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones the whole land trembleth; for they are come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it; the city and those that dwell therein.
17For, behold, I will send serpents, adders, among you, which will not be charmed; and they shall bite you, saith Jehovah.
18Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! my heart is faint within me.
19Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: Is not Jehovah in Zion? is not her King in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with foreign vanities?
20The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
21For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt: I mourn; dismay hath taken hold on me.
22Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 8.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The remains of the dead exposed. (1-3). The stupidity of the people, compared with the instinct of the brute creation. (4-13). The alarm of the invasion, and lamentation. (14-22).
vv1-3
Though no real hurt can be done to a dead body, yet disgrace to the remains of wicked persons may alarm those yet alive; and this reminds us that the Divine justice and punishments extend beyond the grave. Whatever befalls us here, let us humble ourselves before God, and seek his mercy.
vv4-13
What brought this ruin? 1. The people would not attend to reason; they would not act in the affairs of their souls with common prudence. Sin is backsliding; it is going back from the way that leads to life, to that which leads to destruction. 2. They would not attend to the warning of conscience. They did not take the first step towards repentance: true repentance begins in serious inquiry as to what we have done, from conviction that we have done amiss. 3. They would not attend to the ways of providence, nor understand the voice of God in them, 7. They know not how to improve the seasons of grace, which God affords. Many boast of their religious knowledge, yet, unless taught by the Spirit of God, the instinct of brutes is a more sure guide than their supposed wisdom. 4. They would not attend to the written word. Many enjoy abundance of the means of grace, have Bibles and ministers, but they have them in vain. They will soon be ashamed of their devices. The pretenders to wisdom were the priests and the false prophets. They flattered people in sin, and so flattered them into destruction, silencing their fears and complaints with, All is well. Selfish teachers may promise peace when there is no peace; and thus men encourage each other in committing evil; but in the day of visitation they will have no refuge to flee unto.
vv14-22
At length they begin to see the hand of God lifted up. And when God appears against us, every thing that is against us appears formidable. As salvation only can be found in the Lord, so the present moment should be seized. Is there no medicine proper for a sick and dying kingdom? Is there no skilful, faithful hand to apply the medicine? Yes, God is able to help and to heal them. If sinners die of their wounds, their blood is upon their own heads. The blood of Christ is balm in Gilead, his Spirit is the Physician there, all-sufficient; so that the people may be healed, but will not. Thus men die unpardoned and unchanged, for they will not come to Christ to be saved.
Key Words
עֵת: time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.
נְאֻם: an oracle
עֶצֶם: a bone (as strong); by extension, the body; figuratively, the substance, i.e. (as pron.) selfsame
מֶלֶךְ: a king
יְהוּדָה: Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
שַׂר: a head person (of any rank or class)
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
נָבִיא: a prophet or (generally) inspired man
יָשַׁב: properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
Cross References
Jeremiah 8Verbal echo of serving and worshiping the sun, moon, and host of heaven.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Verbatim repetition of false healing, crying 'Peace, peace; when there is no peace.'
Supported by JFB
Parallels the ignominious fate of unburied corpses becoming like dung on the earth.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identical phrase of corpses becoming as dung for the earth.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Warning against worshiping the host of heaven, sun, and moon which Israel loved.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Punishment in kind; casting dead carcasses before their helpless idols.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Historical execution of defiling pagan high places with human bones.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Extreme misery described as men seeking death and choosing it rather than life.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Play on the double meaning of falling and returning in repentance.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates the headlong rush of the sinner, compared to a battle horse.
Supported by JFB
Identical phrase lamenting looking for peace and health but finding trouble.
Supported by JFB
Shame of dead kings cast out of their tombs like abominable branches.
Supported by JFB
Fulfillment of Covenant curses where wives and fields are given to strangers.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Specific mention of taking balm of Gilead in vain for incurable wounds.
Supported by JFB