Jérémie 18:16

16 Pour faire de leur pays une désolation, une dérision perpétuelle, en sorte que tous ceux qui y passent, s'étonnent et branlent la tête.

Jérémie 18:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 18:16

To make their land desolate
Not that this was the intention either of those that led them out of the right way into those wrong paths, or of them that went into them; but so it was eventually; this was the issue of things; their idolatry and other sins were the cause of their land being desolate; through the ravage of the enemy, let in upon them by way of judgment; and through the destruction of men by them; so that there were few or none to cultivate and manure it: [and] a perpetual hissing;
to be hissed at perpetually by the enemy, whenever they passed by it, and observed its desolation; thereby expressing their hatred at its inhabitants; their joy at its desolation; and their satisfaction in it, which would be for ever; or, as Kimchi interprets, a long time. This is the present case of the Jews; and has been ever since their destruction by the Romans; and will be until the fulness of the Gentiles is gathered in: everyone that passeth thereby shall be astonished:
to see the desolations made, and the strange alterations in a place once so famous for fruitfulness and number of inhabitants: and wag his head;
either out of pity, or rather in a way of derision and exultation; see ( Lamentations 2:15 Lamentations 2:16 ) .

Jérémie 18:16 In-Context

14 La neige du Liban abandonne-t-elle le rocher des champs? Ou voit-on tarir les eaux venues de loin, fraîches et ruisselantes?

15 Cependant mon peuple m'a oublié. Il a offert des parfums au néant. On les a fait chanceler dans leurs voies, quitter les sentiers anciens, pour suivre les voies d'un chemin non tracé,

16 Pour faire de leur pays une désolation, une dérision perpétuelle, en sorte que tous ceux qui y passent, s'étonnent et branlent la tête.

17 Je les disperserai devant l'ennemi, comme par le vent d'Orient; je leur tournerai le dos, je ne les regarderai pas, au jour de leur calamité.

18 Et ils disent: Venez, et formons des complots contre Jérémie! Car la loi ne se perdra pas chez le sacrificateur, ni le conseil chez le sage, ni la parole chez le prophète. Venez, et frappons-le de la langue, et ne faisons attention à aucun de ses discours!