Jeremiah 6:27

Jeremiah Appointed as an Examiner

27 I have appointed you to be an assayer among My people- a refiner^[a]- so you may know and assay their way of life.^[b]

Jeremiah 6:27 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 6:27

I have set thee for a tower
Or "in" one ^F4; in a watch tower, to look about and observe the actions of the people, their sins and transgressions, and reprove them for them; as well as to descry the enemy, and give notice of danger; see ( Habakkuk 2:1 ) or, "for a trier"; since the word used comes from one which signifies to "try" metals, as gold and silver; and the rather this may be thought to be the meaning here, since the verb is made use of in this sense in the text; and the metaphor is carried on in the following words; though the word is used for towers in ( Isaiah 23:13 ) ( 32:14 ) and may well enough be understood of a watchtower, agreeably with the office of the prophet; who is here addressed as a watchman, and was one to the house of Israel: and as the faithful discharge of his work required courage, as well as diligence and faithfulness, it follows, and for a fortress among my people;
not to defend them, but himself against them; or he was to consider himself as so under the divine protection, that he was as a fortress or strong tower, impregnable, and not to be dismayed and terrified with their calumnies and threatenings; see ( Jeremiah 1:18 ) : that thou mayest know and try their way;
their course and manner of life, whether good or bad; which he would be able to do, being in his watch tower, and in the discharge of his duty; for the ministry of a good man is as a touchstone, by which the principles and practices of men are tried and known; for if it is heard and attended to with pleasure, it shows that the principles and practices of men are good; but if despised and rejected, the contrary is evident, see ( 1 John 4:5 1 John 4:6 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (Nwxb) "in exploratoria specula", Junius & Tremellius.

Jeremiah 6:27 In-Context

25 Don't go out to the fields; don't walk on the road. For the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side.

26 My dear people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in the dust. Mourn [as you would for] an only son, a bitter lament, for suddenly the destroyer will come on us.

27 I have appointed you to be an assayer among My people- a refiner- so you may know and assay their way of life.

28 All are stubborn rebels spreading slander. [They are] bronze and iron; all of them are corrupt.

29 The bellows blow, blasting the lead with fire. The refining is completely in vain; the evil ones are not separated out.

Footnotes

• [a] Text emended; MT reads fortress
• [b] 1 Ch 29:17; Ps 7:9; Pr 17:3