Jeremías 9:16-26

16 Los esparciré entre las naciones que no conocieron ni ellos ni sus padres, y enviaré tras ellos la espada hasta aniquilarlos.

17 Así dice el SEÑOR de los ejércitos: Considerad, llamad a las plañideras, que vengan; enviad por las más hábiles, que vengan,

18 que se apresuren y eleven una lamentación por nosotros, para que derramen lágrimas nuestros ojos y fluya agua de nuestros párpados.

19 Porque voz de lamentación se oye desde Sion: "¡Cómo hemos sido arrasados! En gran manera estamos avergonzados, porque tenemos que abandonar la tierra, porque han derribado nuestras moradas."

20 Oíd, pues, mujeres, la palabra del SEÑOR, y reciba vuestro oído la palabra de su boca; enseñad la lamentación a vuestras hijas y la endecha cada una a su vecina.

21 Porque la muerte ha subido por nuestras ventanas, ha entrado en nuestros palacios, exterminando a los niños de las calles, a los jóvenes de las plazas.

22 Di: Así declara el SEÑOR: "Los cadáveres de los hombres caerán como estiércol sobre la faz del campo, y como gavillas tras el segador, y no habrá quien las recoja."

23 Así dice el SEÑOR: No se gloríe el sabio de su sabiduría, ni se gloríe el poderoso de su poder, ni el rico se gloríe de su riqueza;

24 mas el que se gloríe, gloríese de esto: de que me entiende y me conoce, pues yo soy el SEÑOR que hago misericordia, derecho y justicia en la tierra, porque en estas cosas me complazcodeclara el SEÑOR.

25 He aquí, vienen díasdeclara el SEÑORen que castigaré a todo el que esté circuncidado sólo en la carne:

26 a Egipto, a Judá, a los hijos de Amón, a Moab y a todos los que se rapan las sienes, a los que habitan en el desierto; porque todas las naciones son incircuncisas, y toda la casa de Israel es incircuncisa de corazón.

Jeremías 9:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 9

This chapter is a continuation of the judgments of God upon the Jews for their sins and transgressions herein mentioned; illustrated by the lamentation of the prophet; by calling for the mourning women, and upon other women that had lost their husbands or children, with an intimation that none of any rank and class should escape. The prophet is introduced mourning over the destruction of his people, Jer 9:1, and as uneasy at his stay with them, because of their uncleanness, treachery, lying, unfaithfulness, and deceit, Jer 9:2-6, wherefore the Lord threatens to melt and try them; and for their deceitfulness particularly to visit them, and avenge himself on them, Jer 9:7-9, the destruction is described by the desolation of the mountains and habitations of the wilderness; they being so burnt up, that there were neither grass upon them, nor beasts nor birds to be seen or heard about them; and of Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, so that there was no inhabitant in them, Jer 9:10,11, upon which a wise man is inquired after, to give the true reason of all this, Jer 9:12 but none appearing, the Lord gives it himself; which were their disobedience to his law, and their worship of idols, following the imagination of their own hearts, Jer 9:13,14 wherefore they are threatened to be fed with wormwood and gall; to be scattered among the nations, and a sword sent after them to their utter consumption, Jer 9:15,16, hence, for the certainty of it, mourning women are ordered to be called for in haste, to assist them in their mourning, on account of their distress, Jer 9:17-19, and such as were mothers of children are bid to teach their daughters and neighbours lamentation, because of the children and young men cut off by death, and for the carcasses of men that should fall as dung in the field, and as the handful after the harvestman, Jer 9:20-22, and it is suggested that none should escape; not the wise man by any art or cunning he was master of; nor the strong man by his strength; nor the rich man by his riches; and therefore ought not either of them to glory in these things, but in the Lord, as exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, Jer 9:23,24, and the chapter is concluded with a strong asseveration, that the wicked, both circumcised and uncircumcised, should be punished, Jer 9:25,26.