Jeremiah 15:1-9

1 Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!
2 And if they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ tell them, ‘This is what the LORD says: “ ‘Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.’
3 “I will send four kinds of destroyers against them,” declares the LORD, “the sword to kill and the dogs to drag away and the birds and the wild animals to devour and destroy.
4 I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.
5 “Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will stop to ask how you are?
6 You have rejected me,” declares the LORD. “You keep on backsliding. So I will reach out and destroy you; I am tired of holding back.
7 I will winnow them with a winnowing fork at the city gates of the land. I will bring bereavement and destruction on my people, for they have not changed their ways.
8 I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. At midday I will bring a destroyer against the mothers of their young men; suddenly I will bring down on them anguish and terror.
9 The mother of seven will grow faint and breathe her last. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. I will put the survivors to the sword before their enemies,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 15:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 15

This chapter contains the Lord's answer to the prophet's prayers, in which he declares himself inexorable, and had resolved on the ruin of the Jewish nation for their sins; the prophet's complaint of the hardships he endured, notwithstanding his sincerity and integrity; and the Lord's promise of protection and deliverance, in case of his continuance in the faithful discharge of his office. The Lord denies the request of the prophet, by observing, that if even Moses and Samuel had been the intercessors for the people, he would not have regarded them, being determined upon casting them out, and sending them away captive, Jer 15:1, their punishment is declared, which was resolved on; some for death, or the pestilence; others for the sword; others for famine; and others for captivity; and others to be devoured by dogs, and fowls, and wild beasts, Jer 15:2,3, the cause of which were their sins, particularly their idolatry in the times of Manasseh, Jer 15:4, wherefore they should have no pity from men, nor would the Lord any more repent of the evil threatened, of which he was weary, because of their many backslidings, Jer 15:5,6, which destruction, being determined, is illustrated by a description of the instrument of it; by the multitude of widows, and the distress of mothers bereaved of their children, Jer 15:7-9 on which the prophet takes up a complaint of his being born for strife and contention, and of his being cursed by the people, though no usurer, Jer 15:10, when he is comforted with a promise of being used well by the enemy, both he and his remnant, Jer 15:11, but as for the people of the Jews in general, they would never be able to withstand the northern forces, the army of the Chaldeans; their riches and substance would be delivered into their hands, and their persons also be carried captive into a strange land, and the prophet along with them, because of their sins, and the wrath of God for them, Jer 15:12-14, upon which the prophet prays to the Lord, who knew him, that he would remember and visit him, and avenge him of his persecutors, and not take him away in his longsuffering; he urges, that he had suffered rebuke and reproach for his sake; that he was called by him to his office, which he had cheerfully entered on; he had his mission, commission, and message, from him, which he received with the greatest pleasure, signified by eating his words with joy; and that he had not associated himself with mockers and scoffers at religion and the word of God; and therefore expostulates why he should be put to so much pain, and be used as he was, Jer 15:15-18, wherefore the Lord promises that, upon condition of doing his work faithfully, he should be preserved, protected, and delivered, Jer 15:19-21.

Cross References 31

  • 1. S Exodus 32:11; Numbers 14:13-20
  • 2. S 1 Samuel 1:20; S 1 Samuel 7:8; 1 Samuel 7:9
  • 3. S 1 Samuel 2:25; S Jeremiah 7:16; Ezekiel 14:14,20
  • 4. S 2 Kings 17:20; Jeremiah 16:13
  • 5. Jeremiah 42:22; Jeremiah 43:11; Jeremiah 44:13
  • 6. S Deuteronomy 28:26; S Jeremiah 14:12; Lamentations 4:9
  • 7. Ezekiel 12:11; Revelation 13:10
  • 8. S Numbers 33:4; Leviticus 26:16
  • 9. S Leviticus 26:25
  • 10. S 1 Kings 21:19; S 2 Kings 9:36
  • 11. S Deuteronomy 28:26
  • 12. S Leviticus 26:22; Ezekiel 14:21; Ezekiel 33:27
  • 13. Jeremiah 24:9; Jeremiah 29:18; Jeremiah 34:17
  • 14. S Deuteronomy 28:25; S Job 17:6
  • 15. S 2 Kings 21:2; 2 Kings 23:26-27
  • 16. Isaiah 27:11; Isaiah 51:19; S Jeremiah 13:14; Jeremiah 16:13; Jeremiah 21:7; Nahum 3:7
  • 17. S Deuteronomy 32:15; Jeremiah 6:19; Jeremiah 7:24
  • 18. Isaiah 31:3; Zephaniah 1:4
  • 19. S Jeremiah 7:20; Amos 7:8
  • 20. S Isaiah 41:16
  • 21. Isaiah 3:26
  • 22. Jeremiah 18:21
  • 23. S 2 Chronicles 28:22
  • 24. S Isaiah 47:9
  • 25. S Jeremiah 4:7; S Jeremiah 6:4
  • 26. S Job 18:11
  • 27. 1 Samuel 2:5
  • 28. S Job 8:13
  • 29. Jeremiah 7:19
  • 30. Jeremiah 21:7; Jeremiah 25:31
  • 31. 2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 19:7
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