Jeremiah 21

8. "Life," if ye surrender; "death," if ye persist in opposing the Chaldees (compare Deuteronomy 30:19 ). The individuality of Jeremiah's mission from God is shown in that he urges to unconditional surrender; whereas all former prophets had urged the people to oppose their invaders ( Isaiah 7:16 , Isaiah 37:33 Isaiah 37:35 ).

9. ( Jeremiah 38:2 Jeremiah 38:17 Jeremiah 38:18 ).
falleth to--deserts to.
life . . . a prey--proverbial, to make one's escape with life, like a valuable spoil or prey that one carries off; the narrowness of the escape, and the joy felt at it, are included in the idea ( Jeremiah 39:18 ).

10. set . . . face against--determined to punish

12. house of David--the royal family and all in office about the king. He calls them so, because it was the greater disgrace that they had so degenerated from the piety of their forefather, David; and to repress their glorying in their descent from him, as if they were therefore inviolable; but God will not spare them as apostates.
in the morning--alluding to the time of dispensing justice ( Job 24:17 , Psalms 101:8 ); but the sense is mainly proverbial, for "with promptness" ( Psalms 90:14 , 143:8 ). MAURER translates, "every morning."
lest my fury . . . like fire--Already it was kindled, and the decree of God gone forth against the city ( Jeremiah 21:4 Jeremiah 21:5 ), but the king and his house may yet be preserved by repentance and reformation. God urges to righteousness, not as if they can thereby escape punishment wholly, but as the condition of a mitigation of it.

13. inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain--Jerusalem personified; situated for the most part on hills, with valleys at the bottom of them, as the valley of Hinnom, &c.; and beyond the valleys and mountains again, a position most fortified by nature, whence the inhabitants fancied themselves beyond the reach of enemies; but since God is "against" them, their position will avail nothing for them. The "valley" between Mount Zion and Moriah is called Tyropoeon. ROBINSON takes, "rock of the plain" as Mount Zion, on which is a level tract of some extent. It is appropriately here referred to, being the site of the royal residence of the "house of David," addressed ( Jeremiah 21:12 ).

14. fruit of your doings--( Proverbs 1:31 , Isaiah 3:10 Isaiah 3:11 ).
forest thereof--namely of your city, taken from Jeremiah 21:13 . "Forest" refers to the dense mass of houses built of cedar, &c. brought from Lebanon ( Jeremiah 22:7 , 52:13 , 2 Kings 25:9 ).