Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by
a
perpetual backsliding?
&c.] These people fill into sin, and rise not again by
repentance; they turn out of the good ways of God and religion,
and return not again; they backslide and revolt from the Lord,
and they continue in their revolt and rebellion; their
backsliding is an everlasting one; there is no hope of their
repentance and recovery: it is a vehement and passionate
expostulation about the people of the Jews, founded upon the
former general observation, showing them to be the worst of all
people: it is a common saying, "it is a long lane that has no
turning"; but these people, having departed from the Lord, return
no more. A very learned man renders the words, "why does
Jerusalem turn away this people with an obstinate aversion?"
F2 that is, the rulers and governors of
Jerusalem, as in ( Matthew
23:37 ) or rather thus, "why does a stubborn aversion turn
away this people, O Jerusalem?" and so they are an address to the
magistrates and inhabitants of Jerusalem. They hold fast
deceit;
practise it, and continue in the practice of it, both with God
and man: they refuse to return:
to the Lord, to his worship, and to the right ways of holiness
and truth, from whence they had erred; see ( Jeremiah 5:3
) .