Jeremiah15
King James Version · Public Domain
1Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
2And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.
3And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.
4And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
5For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?
6Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.
7And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways.
8Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas: I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday: I have caused him to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city.
9She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith the Lord.
10Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.
11The Lord said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
12Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?
13Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.
14And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.
15O Lord, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.
16Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.
17I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
18Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?
19Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.
20And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
21And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 15.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The destruction of the wicked described. (1-9). The prophet laments such messages, and is reproved. (10-14). He supplicates pardon, and is promised protection. (15-21).
vv1-9
The Lord declares that even Moses and Samuel must have pleaded in vain. The putting of this as a case, though they should stand before him, shows that they do not, and that saints in heaven do not pray for saints on earth. The Jews were condemned to different kinds of misery by the righteous judgment of God, and the remnant would be driven away, like the chaff, into captivity. Then was the populous city made desolate. Bad examples and misused authority often produce fatal effects, even after men are dead, or have repented of their crimes: this should make all greatly dread being the occasion of sin in others.
vv10-14
Jeremiah met with much contempt and reproach, when they ought to have blessed him, and God for him. It is a great and sufficient support to the people of God, that however troublesome their way may be, it shall be well with them in their latter end. God turns to the people. Shall the most hardy and vigorous of their efforts be able to contend with the counsel of God, or with the army of the Chaldeans? Let them hear their doom. The enemy will treat the prophet well. But the people who had great estates would be used hardly. All parts of the country had added to the national guilt; and let each take shame to itself.
vv15-21
It is matter of comfort that we have a God, to whose knowledge of all things we may appeal. Jeremiah pleads with God for mercy and relief against his enemies, persecutors, and slanderers. It will be a comfort to God's ministers, when men despise them, if they have the testimony of their own consciences. But he complains, that he found little pleasure in his work. Some good people lose much of the pleasantness of religion by the fretfulness and uneasiness of their natural temper, which they indulge. The Lord called the prophet to cease from his distrust, and to return to his work. If he attended thereto, he might be assured the Lord would deliver him from his enemies. Those who are with God, and faithful to him, he will deliver from trouble or carry through it. Many things appear frightful, which do not at all hurt a real believer in Christ.
Key Words
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
שְׁמוּאֵל: Shemuel, the name of three Israelites
עָמַד: to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
נֶפֶשׁ: properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
שָׁלַח: to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
יָצָא: to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Cross References
Jeremiah 15Moses' historic, successful intercession for Israel after the golden calf, contrasted with God's refusal here.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Samuel's highly effective intercessory cry for deliverance, highlighting the unprecedented severity of Judah's rejection.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Parallel divine declaration that even supreme intercessors cannot save a land doomed to judgment.
Supported by John Calvin
Confirms the unquenched divine wrath against Judah specifically due to the enduring provocations of Manasseh.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The Mosaic covenant's penal sanctions, specifically appointing terror, disease, and consumption over the disobedient.
Supported by JFB
Detailed historical record of Manasseh's extreme sins which triggered the irreversible decree of exile.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ezekiel's identical prophetic experience of eating God's word, finding it sweet before digesting hard truths.
Supported by John Calvin
John eating the little book, finding it sweet as honey in the mouth but bitter.
Supported by John Calvin
The covenant curse of being removed into all kingdoms of the earth, fulfilled in Jeremiah.
Supported by JFB
Hannah's song declaring the barren hath borne seven, echoed here to show the reverse judgment.
Supported by JFB
Fulfillment of the promise that enemies would treat Jeremiah well during the Babylonian captivity.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jeremiah's deep personal distress and status as a man of strife, triggering his prayer.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Reiteration of Jeremiah's original commission promise of a protective wall against his fierce adversaries.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallel imagery of the sun going down at noon, signaling sudden catastrophe during prosperity.
Supported by JFB
The law concerning usury, showing Jeremiah avoided social practices that typically provoke bitter legal disputes.
Supported by Matthew Poole