Jeremiah 17:6

6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

Jeremiah 17:6 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 17:6

For he shall be like the heath in the desert
The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "myrice": and so the Latin interpreter of the Targum; but the word that paraphrase makes use of according to R. Hai, mentioned by Kimchi, signifies something that is thorny without, and eatable within; but this is not likely to be intended here. The Septuagint version renders it, "wild myrice"; it seems to be the same that is called "erice", or "ling", and "heath"; which delights to grow in wild and waste places; hence such with us are called "heaths", whether this grows upon them or not. It is a low shrub, fruitless and useless; and, because neither bears fruit nor seed, is reckoned by Pliny ^F15 among unhappy plants, and such as are condemned or forbid religious uses; and very fit to represent such persons as truest in men and in themselves, and not in the Lord: and shall not see when good cometh;
perceive or receive any advantage by rain coming upon it; as such persons do not receive any good by the pure ministration of the word, compared to rain; and so the self-righteous Jews did not see when the Messiah came, who is goodness itself; nor see him, and embrace him, nor his righteousness; but rejected him and that; went about to establish their own, and did not submit to his; nor did they attain to righteousness, or enjoy eternal life; as is the case of all self-justiciaries: but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land,
and not inhabited:
which became literally true of the land of Judea, for the rejection of the Messiah, and trust in themselves; see ( Deuteronomy 29:23 ) and may fitly represent the barren pastures of a man's own works of righteousness, which such as trust in themselves feed upon. All the characters are expressive of barrenness, as a wilderness, places parched with heat, and where salt is; for, as Pliny ^F16 says, where salt is found, it is barren, and produces nothing.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Nat. Hist. l. 13. c. 21. & l. 16. c. 26. & l. 24. c. 9.
F16 Nat. Hist. l. 31. c. 7.

Jeremiah 17:6 In-Context

4 And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou dost not know: for ye have kindled a fire in my anger, which shall burn for ever.

5 Thus hath the LORD said; Cursed be the man that trusts in man and makes flesh his arm and whose heart departs from the LORD.

6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

7 Blessed is the man that is steadfast in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out her roots by the river and shall not see when heat comes, but her leaf shall be green and shall not be fatigued in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.