Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations - Volume 1

1Be assembled, ye children of Benjamin, From the midst of Jerusalem, And in Tekoa sound the trumpet; In Beth-haccerem also set up a sign; For evil is seen from the north, And great distress.

2To a quiet and delicate womanHave I likened the daughter of Sion:

3To her shall come shepherds and their flocks; They shall pitch their tents near her around, Feed shall each in his own place.

4Prepare ye war against her: “Arise ye, and let us ascend at mid-day; Alas for us! for declined has the day, For extended are the evening shadows:

5Arise, and let us ascend in the night, And let us demolish her palaces.” (1:319)

6For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, — Cut ye down wood, And form against. Jerusalem a mound; It is a city of visitation, Entire oppression is in the midst of her:

7As a fountain casts out its waters, So she casts out her wickedness; Violence and plunder is heard of in her; Before me continually is grief and smiting.

8Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, Lest my soul be torn from thee, Lest I make thee a desert, A land not inhabited.

9Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, — By gleaning they shall glean, as a vine, The remnant of Israel: Turn back thine hand, As a grape-gatherer into the baskets. (1:326)

10To whom shall I speak and protest, That they may hear? Behold, uncircumcised is their ear, And they cannot hear; Behold, the word of Jehovah isto them a reproach; They delight not in it.

11Of Jehovah’s indignation therefore am I full, I am wearied with refraining To pour it on the children in the streets, And on the assembly of young men also; For the husband with his wife shall be taken, The aged with the full of days:

12And turned shall be their houses to aliens, Their fields and their wives in like manner; For I will stretch out my hand On the inhabitants of the land, saith Jehovah:

13For from the least to the greatest of them, Every one is given to covetousness; And from the prophet to the priest, Every one acts deceitfully;

14And healed have they the wound Of the daughter of my people slightly By saying, “Peace, peace,” when there was no peace. (1:336)

15Were they ashamed, that they had done abomination? Even of shame they were not ashamed, And how to blush they knew not: Fall therefore shall they among the fallen; At the time of their visitation They shall perish, saith Jehovah. (1:339)

16Thus said Jehovah, — Stand in the ways and see, Inquire also concerning the old paths, Which is the right way, and walk ye in it, That ye may find rest to your soul: And they said, “We will not walk in it.”

17I also set over them watchmen, That they might, attend to the sound of the trumpet; But they said, “We will not attend.”

18Hear therefore, ye nations, And know, thou assembly, what shall be to them:

19Hear, thou land; behold I bring an evil On this people, the fruit of their thoughts; Because to my words they have not hearkened, And my law have they despised.

20To what purpose is this to me? Incense cometh from Sheba, And the sweet came from a far country; Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, And your sacrifices are not pleasant to me.

21Therefore thus saith Jehovah, — Behold, I lay before this people stumblingblocks; And stumble shall fathers and sons alike; Neighbor and friend, they shall perish.

22Thus saith Jehovah, — Behold, a people shall corns from the north country, And a great nation shall be roused From the sides of the earth:

23On the bow and spear shall they lay hold; They are cruel and will not spare; Their voice, like the sea, will roar, And on horses shall they mount; Arrayed shall they be as men for war, Against thee, O daughter of Sion.

24We have heard its fame; Relaxed are our hands, Anguish has laid hold on us, The pain as of one in travail.

25Go not forth into the field, Nor walk by the way; For the sword of the enemy Is a terror on every side.

26Daughter of my people! gird on sackcloth, And roll thyself in the dust; Make thee mourning, as for an only son, Most bitter lamentation; For suddenly shall come on thee the spoiler.

27A tower have I made thee to my people, — A fortress; that thou mightest know And try their ways:

28All are entire apostates, Walking in detraction; Brass and iron are they; All of them are corrupters. (1:358)

29Burnt are the bellows by the fire, Entire is the lead, In vain has melted the melter; For the wicked have not been refined:

30Reprobate silver shall they call them, Because rejected them has Jehovah (1:360)