Jeremiah 6:18

18 {Therefore} hear, O nations, and know, [O] community, {what will happen to them}.

Jeremiah 6:18 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 6:18

Therefore hear, ye nations
Since the Jews refused to hearken to the word of the Lord, the Gentiles are called upon to hear it, as in ( Acts 13:45 Acts 13:46 ) , this is a rebuke to the Jews, that the Gentiles would hear, when they would not: and know, O congregation;
either of Israel, as the Targum and Kimchi explain it; or of the nations of the world, the multitude of them; or the church of God in the midst of them: what is among them;
among the Jews: either what evil is among them; what sins and transgressions are committed by them; which were the cause of the Lord's threatening them with sore judgments, and bringing them upon them; so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret the words; to which agrees the Targum,

``and let the congregation of Israel know their sins;''

or the punishments the Lord inflicted on them: so the Vulgate Latin version, "and know, O congregation, what I will do unto them"; which sense is confirmed by what follows:

Jeremiah 6:18 In-Context

16 Thus says Yahweh: "Stand at [the] roads and look, and ask for [the] ancient paths, where the way of the good [is], and walk in it, and find rest for your inner selves. But they said, 'We will not walk [in it].'

17 And I raised up watchmen over you: 'Listen attentively to [the] sound of a horn.' But they said, 'We will not listen attentively.'

18 {Therefore} hear, O nations, and know, [O] community, {what will happen to them}.

19 Hear, O earth, look, I [am] about to bring disaster to this people, the fruit of their plans, because they have not listened attentively to my words, and my teaching, they have rejected it also.

20 What [is] this to me? Frankincense comes from Sheba, and the precious spice reed from a distant land. Your burnt offerings [are] not {acceptable}, your sacrifices are not pleasing to me."

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "To thus"
• [b]. Literally "what among them"