Jeremiah 18:17

17 As a burning wind I shall scatter them before the enemy (Like a burning wind I shall scatter them before the enemy); I shall show to them the back and not the face, in the day of the perdition of them.

Jeremiah 18:17 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 18:17

I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy,
&c.] As the east wind, which is generally strong and boisterous, drives the chaff and stubble, and anything that is light, before it, and scatters it here and there; so the Lord threatens to scatter the people of the Jews over the face of the earth, before their enemies, whom they should not be able to withstand. It denotes the power of the enemy God would make use of; the ease with which this should be done; and the utter dispersion of them; and is their present case: I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their
calamity;
that is, will not look upon them in a favourable way, nor with any pity and compassion for them, nor hear their cries; but turn his back upon them, and a deaf ear unto them, and give them no help and relief, or deliver them out of their calamities; but suffer them to continue upon them, and them to sink under them; see ( Proverbs 1:26-28 ) ; which refers to the same time of calamity as here.

Jeremiah 18:17 In-Context

15 For my people hath forgotten me, and they offered sacrifices in vain, and stumbled in their ways, and in the paths of the world (and stumbled on their own ways, and on the paths of the world), (so) that they went by those in a way not trodden;

16 that the land of them should be into desolation, and into an hissing everlasting; for why each that passeth by it, shall be astonied, and shall move his head. (so that their land now be into desolation, and into an everlasting hissing; for each person who passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall move their head.)

17 As a burning wind I shall scatter them before the enemy (Like a burning wind I shall scatter them before the enemy); I shall show to them the back and not the face, in the day of the perdition of them.

18 And they said, Come ye, and think we thoughts against Jeremy; for why the law shall not perish from a priest, neither counsel shall perish from a wise man, neither word shall perish from a prophet (for the Law shall never perish from, or be lost to, a priest, nor good advice from a wise man, nor God's word from a prophet); come ye, and smite we him with (the) tongue, and take we none heed to all the words of him.

19 Lord, give thou attention to me, and hear thou the voice of mine adversaries.