Jeremiah 14:17

17 et dices ad eos verbum istud deducant oculi mei lacrimam per noctem et diem et non taceant quoniam contritione magna contrita est virgo filia populi mei plaga pessima vehementer

Jeremiah 14:17 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 14:17

Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them
Instead of praying for the people, the prophet has a doleful lamentation put into his mouth, to pronounce in their hearing, in order to assure them of the calamities that were coming upon them, and to affect them with them. Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not
cease:
or "be silent" ^F16; signifying that there would be quickly just reason and occasion for incessant grief and sorrow in them; and if they were so hardened as not to be affected with their case, he could not refrain shedding tears night and day in great abundance; which would have a voice in them, to call upon them to weeping and lamentation also. Some take these words to be a direction and instruction to the people; so the Septuagint,

``bring down upon your eyes tears night and day, and let them not cease;''

and the Arabic version,

``pour out of your eyes tears night and day continually;''

and the Syriac version is,

``let our eyes drop tears night and day incessantly.''

For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach,
with a very grievous blow;
cities are sometimes called virgins, which were never taken; and so Jerusalem here, it having never been taken since it was in the hands of the people of Judah; nor were its inhabitants as yet carried captive, but now would be; which, together with the famine and the sword, by which many should perish, is the great breach and grievous blow spoken of; and which is given as a reason, and was a sufficient one, for sorrow and mourning.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (hnymdt) "sileant", Schmidt; "taceant", Pegninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 14:17 In-Context

15 ideo haec dicit Dominus de prophetis qui prophetant in nomine meo quos ego non misi dicentes gladius et famis non erit in terra hac in gladio et fame consumentur prophetae illi

16 et populi quibus prophetant erunt proiecti in viis Hierusalem prae fame et gladio et non erit qui sepeliat eos ipsi et uxores eorum filii et filiae eorum et effundam super eos malum suum

17 et dices ad eos verbum istud deducant oculi mei lacrimam per noctem et diem et non taceant quoniam contritione magna contrita est virgo filia populi mei plaga pessima vehementer

18 si egressus fuero ad agros ecce occisi gladio et si introiero in civitatem ecce adtenuati fame propheta quoque et sacerdos abierunt in terram quam ignorabant

19 numquid proiciens abiecisti Iudam aut Sion abominata est anima tua quare ergo percussisti nos ita ut nulla sit sanitas expectavimus pacem et non est bonum et tempus curationis et ecce turbatio