Jeremiah 17

13. me--"Jehovah." Though "Thee" precedes. This sudden transition is usual in the prophetic style, owing to the prophet's continual realization of Jehovah's presence.
all that forsake thee--( Psalms 73:27 , Isaiah 1:28 ).
written in the earth--in the dust, that is, shall be consigned to oblivion. So Jesus' significant writing "on the ground (probably the accusers' names)" ( John 8:6 ). Names written in the dust are obliterated by a very slight wind. Their hopes and celebrity are wholly in the earth, not in the heavenly book of life ( Revelation 13:8 , Revelation 20:12 Revelation 20:15 ). The Jews, though boasting that they were the people of God, had no portion in heaven, no status before God and His angels. Contrast "written in heaven," that is, in the muster-roll of its blessed citizens ( Luke 10:20 ). Also, contrast "written in a book," and "in the rock for ever" ( Job 19:23 Job 19:24 ).
living waters--( Jeremiah 2:13 ).

14-18. Prayer of the prophet for deliverance from the enemies whom he excited by his faithful denunciations.
Heal . . . save--not only make me whole (as to the evils of soul as well as body which I am exposed to by contact with ungodly foes, Jeremiah 15:18 ), but keep me so.
my praise--He whom I have to praise for past favors, and therefore to whom alone I look for the time to come.

15. Where is the word?--( Isaiah 5:19 , Amos 5:18 ). Where is the fulfilment of the threats which thou didst utter as from God? A characteristic of the last stage of apostasy ( 2 Peter 3:4 ).

16. I have not refused Thy call of me to be a prophet ( Jonah 1:3 ), however painful to me it was to utter what would be sure to irritate the hearers ( Jeremiah 1:4 , &c.).; therefore Thou shouldest not forsake me ( Jeremiah 15:15 , &c.).
to follow thee--literally, "after thee"; as an under-pastor following Thee, the Chief Shepherd ( Ecclesiastes 12:11 , 1 Peter 5:4 ).
neither . . . desired--I have not wished for the day of calamity, though I foretell it as about to come on my countrymen; therefore they have no reason for persecuting me.
thou knowest--I appeal to Thee for the truth of what I assert.
that which came out of my lips--my words ( Deuteronomy 23:23 ).
right before thee--rather, "was before Thee"; was known to Thee--( Proverbs 5:21 ).

17. a terror--namely, by deserting me: all I fear is Thine abandoning me; if Thou art with me, I have no fear of evil from enemies.

18. destroy . . . destruction--"break them with a double breach," Hebrew ( Jeremiah 14:17 ). On "double,"

19-27. Delivered in the reign of Jehoiakim, who undid the good effected by Josiah's reformation, especially as to the observance of the Sabbath [EICHORN].
gate of . . . children of . . . people--The gate next the king's palace, called the gate of David, and the gate of the people, from its being the principal thoroughfare: now the Jaffa gate. It is probably the same as "the gate of the fountain" at the foot of Zion, near which were the king's garden and pool ( Jeremiah 39:4 , 2 Kings 25:4 , Nehemiah 2:14 , 3:15 , 12:37 ).

20. kings--He begins with the kings, as they ought to have repressed such a glaring profanation.

21. Take heed to yourselves--literally, "to your souls." MAURER explains, "as ye love your lives"; a phrase used here to give the greater weight to the command.
sabbath--The non-observance of it was a chief cause of the captivity, the number of years of the latter, seventy, being exactly made to agree with the number of Sabbaths which elapsed during the four hundred ninety years of their possession of Canaan from Saul to their removal ( Leviticus 26:34 Leviticus 26:35 , 2 Chronicles 36:21 ). On the restoration, therefore, stress was especially laid on Sabbath observance ( Nehemiah 13:19 ).
Jerusalem--It would have been scandalous anywhere; but in the capital, Jerusalem, it was an open insult to God. Sabbath-hallowing is intended as a symbol of holiness in general ( Ezekiel 20:12 ); therefore much stress is laid on it; the Jews' gross impiety is manifested in their setting God's will at naught, in the case of such an easy and positive command.

23. ( Jeremiah 7:24 Jeremiah 7:26 ).

24. A part put for the whole, "If ye keep the Sabbath and My other laws."

25. kings . . . in chariots--The kingdom at this time had been brought so low that this promise here was a special favor.
remain--Hebrew, "be inhabited" ( Jeremiah 17:6 , Isaiah 13:20 ).

26. plain mountains . . . south--( Joshua 15:1-4 ). The southern border had extended to the river of Egypt, but was now much curtailed by Egyptian invasions ( 2 Chronicles 35:20 , 2 Chronicles 36:3 2 Chronicles 36:4 ). The Hebrew for "south" means dry; the arid desert south of Judea is meant. The enumeration of all the parts of Judea, city, country, plain, hill, and desert, implies that no longer shall there be aught wanting of the integrity of the Jewish land ( Zechariah 7:7 ).
sacrifices--As in Jeremiah 17:22 , one constituent of Judea's prosperity is mentioned, namely, its kings on David's throne, the pledge of God being its guardian; so in this verse another constituent, namely, its priests, a pledge of God being propitious to it ( Psalms 107:22 ).

27. burden . . . in . . . gates . . . fire in the gates--retribution answering to the sin. The scene of their sin shall be the scene of their punishment ( Jeremiah 52:13 , 2 Kings 25:9 ).