Jeremiah 5:22

22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

Jeremiah 5:22 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 5:22

Fear ye not me? saith the Lord
They did not fear the Lord, and this is a reproof to them for the want of it, which is a reproof of their ignorance and folly; for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, ( Proverbs 9:10 ) , and where that is there is true wisdom; but, where it is not, there is nothing but ignorance and stupidity: will ye not tremble at my presence?
or "face"; his wrath and anger, justly resenting their carriage to him. The Targum is,

``from before my Word;''

the essential Word, his Son: or, "will ye not be in pain?" as a woman in travail; as Kimchi observes the word ^F2 signifies: which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual
decree, that it cannot pass it.
This is a very wonderful thing in nature, that the earth and sea, being spherical, and making one terraqueous globe, and the waters of the sea being higher than the earth, should be so bounded and restrained, by the power and providence of God, as not to overflow the earth, and that by means of the sand, which is penetrable, flexible, and movable; and yet this is set as a bound, and by the decree of God remains firm and stable, and that for ever, so that the sea cannot bear it down, go through it, or over it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail;
though they roar, yet can they not pass over it;
even when the sea is the most tumultuous and raging. This is an instance of the mighty power of God, and carries in it an argument and reason why he should be feared; and yet such was the stupidity of this people, that though they saw this with their eyes, the sea and the tossings of it, and the sand set as a bound to it, and an effectual one, and heard the roarings and ragings of the waves of it in vain; yet they feared not the Lord that did all this; and so showed themselves more stupid and disobedient than the sea and its waves, which obeyed their Maker, though destitute of sense and reason; see ( Job 26:10 ) ( 38:8-11 ) ( Psalms 104:6 Psalms 104:9 ) ( Proverbs 8:29 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 "Significantissima impimis vox est" (wlyxt) , "quae significat ita angi ut parturiens", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 5:22 In-Context

20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.