Jeremiah 9:22

22 Dead bodies are scattered everywhere, like piles of manure on the fields, like grain cut and left behind by the reapers, grain that no one gathers. This is what the Lord has told me to say."

Jeremiah 9:22 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 9:22

Speak, thus saith the Lord
These are the words of the Lord to Jeremiah, to go on with his prophecy in his name; so the Targum,

``prophesy, thus saith the Lord:''

even the carcasses of men shall fall as dung upon the open field;
or, "upon the face of the field" ^F6; this shows the reason why the women are called to mourning, because the men would fall by the sword in the open field, and there lie and rot, and become dung upon it. The Targum is,

``as dung spread upon the face of the field;''

which denotes the great number that should fall, which would cover the face of the field; the condition they should be in; and the contempt and neglect they should be had in: and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them;
as a handful of corn that is forgot, and left by the harvestman; or as ears of corn which are dropped by the reaper, or binder, and are usually gleaned or gathered up by the poor that follow; but in the case referred to, or supposed, are not gathered; so it would be with these people; they should be left upon the ground, like a handful forgot, or like ears of corn dropped, and not gathered up, and there they should lie, and none should bury them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (hdvh ynp le) "super faciebus agri", Montanus, Schmidt; "in facie agri", Cocceius; "in superficie agri", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Jeremiah 9:22 In-Context

20 I said, "Listen to the Lord, you women, and pay attention to his words. Teach your daughters how to mourn, and your friends how to sing a funeral song.

21 Death has come in through our windows and entered our palaces; it has cut down the children in the streets and the young men in the marketplaces.

22 Dead bodies are scattered everywhere, like piles of manure on the fields, like grain cut and left behind by the reapers, grain that no one gathers. This is what the Lord has told me to say."

23 The Lord says, "The wise should not boast of their wisdom, nor the strong of their strength, nor the rich of their wealth.

24 If any want to boast, they should boast that they know and understand me, because my love is constant, and I do what is just and right. These are the things that please me. I, the Lord, have spoken."