Jeremias 9:13

13 And the Lord said to me, Because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them, and have not hearkened to my voice;

Jeremias 9:13 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 9:13

And the Lord saith
The Septuagint version adds, "to me"; there being no wise and understanding man, nor prophet ^F2, to take up this affair, and open the cause of it, therefore the Lord undertakes it himself: the question was put to them, but they not answering it, the Lord does it, because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them;
in a plain and easy manner, so as to be readily understood; yet this they attended not unto, but forsook it, neglected it, and cast it behind their backs. Kimchi's note on the phrase, "before them", is,

``not in heaven is it, nor beyond the sea is it;''

see ( Deuteronomy 30:11-14 ) : and have not obeyed my voice;
in the law, and by the prophets: neither walked therein:
according to it, as the Lord directed; they neither hearkened to the voice of the Lord, nor did as they were instructed by it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Vid. T. Nedarim, fol. 81. 1. & Bava Metzia fol. 85. 1, 2.

Jeremias 9:13 In-Context

11 And I will remove the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and make it a dwelling-place of dragons; and I will utterly waste the cities of Juda, so that they shall not be inhabited.

12 Who is the wise man, that he may understand this? and he that has the word of the mouth of the Lord to him, let him tell you wherefore the land has been destroyed, has been ravaged by fire like a desert, so that no one passes through it.

13 And the Lord said to me, Because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them, and have not hearkened to my voice;

14 but went after the lusts of their evil heart, and after the idols which their fathers taught them :

15 therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will feed them with trouble and will cause them to drink water of gall: