Jeremías 16:15-21

15 En cambio, dirán: “Tan cierto como que el Señor
vive, quien trajo a Israel de regreso a su propia tierra desde la tierra del norte y de todos los países a donde él los envió al destierro”. Pues los traeré nuevamente a esta tierra que les di a sus antepasados.

16 »Ahora mandaré llamar a muchos pescadores para que los capturen —dice el Señor
—. Mandaré llamar a cazadores para que los cacen en los montes, en las colinas y en las cuevas.

17 Los vigilo de cerca y veo cada pecado. No hay esperanza de que se escondan de mí.

18 Duplicaré su castigo por todos sus pecados, porque han contaminado mi tierra con las imágenes sin vida de sus detestables dioses y han llenado mi territorio con sus hechos malignos».

19 Oración de confianza de Jeremías
S
, ¡tú eres mi fuerza y mi fortaleza,
mi refugio en el día de aflicción!
Las naciones del mundo entero
vendrán a ti y te dirán:
«Nuestros antepasados nos han dejado una herencia despreciable,
porque rendían culto a ídolos inútiles.

20 ¿Acaso puede la gente hacer sus propios dioses?
¡Esos no son dioses verdaderos en absoluto!».

21 El Señor
dice:
«Ahora les mostraré mi poder;
ahora les mostraré mi fuerza.
Al fin sabrán y entenderán
que yo soy el Señor
.

Jeremías 16:15-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 16

In this chapter the ruin and destruction of the Jews is set forth, and confirmed by the prophet's being forbid to be merry, or to go into the house of feasting or mourning, with the reasons thereof; also the sins of the people, the cause of it, are pointed at; and afterwards a promise of their restoration is made; and the chapter is concluded with a prayer of the prophet, pressing his faith in the divine protection, and in the calling of the Gentiles. After the preface or introduction, Jer 16:1, the prophet is forbid to take a wife, or have any children, with the reason of it; because that parents and children would die of grievous deaths unlamented, and not be buried, Jer 16:2-4 and he is also forbid to go into the house of mourning, because peace, lovingkindness, and mercy, were taken from the people, and both great and small would die, and no lamentation be made for them, nor have any burial also, Jer 16:5-7, nor might he go into the house of feasting, because the voice of joy and gladness would cease out of the land, Jer 16:8,9, and upon the people's inquiring the reason of all this, the prophet is bid to tell them, that it was for their forsaking the Lord and his worship, and for their idolatrous practices; of which they were more guilty than their forefathers, and therefore would be cast out of the land, and carried captive into a strange country, Jer 16:10-13 but, after all this, they should be restored again to their own land, and have a greater deliverance than that out of Egypt, as they themselves would own, Jer 16:14,15 but before this would be, fishers and hunters should be sent to distress them, and all because of their iniquities, which God's eye was upon, and would recompense, Jer 16:16-18, and the chapter is closed with the prophet's prayer, in which he expresses his faith in the Lord, and in the conversion of the Gentiles, who would be convinced of their idolatry, and made to know the power and name of the Lord, Jer 16:19,20.