Jeremiah 6:5-15

5 So arise, let us attack at night and destroy her fortresses!”
6 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Cut down the trees and build siege ramps against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; it is filled with oppression.
7 As a well pours out its water, so she pours out her wickedness. Violence and destruction resound in her; her sickness and wounds are ever before me.
8 Take warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you and make your land desolate so no one can live in it.”
9 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Let them glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine; pass your hand over the branches again, like one gathering grapes.”
10 To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed[a]so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.
11 But I am full of the wrath of the LORD, and I cannot hold it in. “Pour it out on the children in the street and on the young men gathered together; both husband and wife will be caught in it, and the old, those weighed down with years.
12 Their houses will be turned over to others, together with their fields and their wives, when I stretch out my hand against those who live in the land,” declares the LORD.
13 “From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.
14 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.
15 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the LORD.

Jeremiah 6:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

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 6:2-6, 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 6:11,12,21, a description is given of the instruments of it, the Chaldeans, Jer 6:22,23 and it is aggravated by the anxiety, distress, and sorrow, the Jews would be in on account of it, Jer 6:24-26, 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 6:6,7, 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 6:16,17, their rejection of the law, and the precepts of it, Jer 6:18,19, 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 6:28-30.

Cross References 24

  • 1. Deuteronomy 20:19-20
  • 2. S 2 Samuel 20:15; Jeremiah 32:24; Jeremiah 52:4; Ezekiel 26:8
  • 3. S Deuteronomy 28:33; Jeremiah 25:38; Zephaniah 3:1
  • 4. S Psalms 55:9; S Isaiah 58:4; Ezekiel 7:11,23
  • 5. Jeremiah 20:8
  • 6. Ezekiel 23:18; Hosea 9:12
  • 7. S Genesis 45:7
  • 8. Jeremiah 7:13,24; Jeremiah 35:15
  • 9. Jeremiah 4:4; Acts 7:51
  • 10. S Isaiah 42:20
  • 11. Jeremiah 15:10,15; Jeremiah 20:8
  • 12. Jeremiah 7:20; Jeremiah 15:17
  • 13. Job 32:20; Jeremiah 20:9
  • 14. S 2 Chronicles 36:17; S Isaiah 40:30; Jeremiah 9:21
  • 15. Lamentations 2:21
  • 16. S Deuteronomy 28:30; Micah 2:4
  • 17. 1 Kings 11:4; Jeremiah 8:10; Jeremiah 29:23; Jeremiah 38:22; Jeremiah 43:6; Jeremiah 44:9,15
  • 18. Isaiah 5:25; Jeremiah 21:5; Jeremiah 32:21; Ezekiel 6:14; Ezekiel 35:3; Zephaniah 1:4
  • 19. S Jeremiah 2:29
  • 20. S Isaiah 56:11
  • 21. Lamentations 4:13; Jeremiah 8:10
  • 22. S Isaiah 30:10; S Jeremiah 4:10; Jeremiah 8:11; Ezekiel 13:10
  • 23. Jeremiah 3:3; Jeremiah 8:10-12; Micah 3:7; Zechariah 13:4
  • 24. 2 Chronicles 25:16; Jeremiah 27:15

Footnotes 1

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