Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts ,.... Of armies above and below; and so can do what he pleases in heaven and in earth: because ye have not heard my words ; by the prophets, so as to obey them; they had heard them externally, but did not observe to do them. read more
Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north , saith the Lord ,.... The Targum is, the kingdoms of the north, the same with those in Jeremiah 1:15 ; even all those kingdoms which were subject to the king of Babylon, and lay north of Judea: and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon my servant : though a great king, he was a servant of the Lord of hosts; his servant, both as a creature of his make, and as a king that ruled under him; and as he was an instrument in his hand... read more
Moreover, I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness ,.... At their festivals, and nuptial solemnities: the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride ; expressing their mutual love unto, and delight in, each other; so agreeable to one another and their friends: or it may mean those epithalamies, or nuptial songs, sung unto them by their friends: the sound of the millstones ; either the voice of those that sing at the mill while grinding; or rather... read more
And this whole land shall be a desolation ,.... Not only the city of Jerusalem, but all Judea, without inhabitants, or very few, and shall be uncultivated, and become barren and unfruitful: and an astonishment ; to all other nations, and to all persons that pass through, beholding the desolations of it: and other nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years ; both the Jews, and other nations of Egypt, reckoning from the date of this prophecy, the fourth year of Jehoiakim's... read more
Behold, I will send - At this time Nebuchadrezzar had not invaded the land, according to this Version; but the Hebrew may be translated, "Behold I am sending, and have taken all the families;" that is, all the allies of the king of Babylon. Instead of ואל reel , "and To Nebuchadrezzar," as in the common Hebrew Bible, seven MSS. of Kennicott's and De Rossi's, and one of my own, have ואת veeth , "And Nebuchadrezzar," which is undoubtedly the true reading. read more
I will take from them - See Jeremiah 7:34 , and Jeremiah 16:9 . The sound of the mill-stones, and the light of the candle - These two are conjoined, because they generally ground the corn before day, by the light of the candle. Sir J. Chardin has remarked, that every where in the morning may be heard the noise of the mills; for they generally grind every day just as much as is necessary for the day's consumption. Where then the noise of the grill is not heard, nor the light of the... read more
Shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years - As this prophecy was delivered in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, and in the first of Nebuchadnezzar, and began to be accomplished in the same year, (for then Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judea, and took Jerusalem), seventy years from this time will reach down to the first year of Cyrus, when he made his proclamation for the restoration of the Jews, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. See the note on Isaiah 13:19 ; (note), where the subject is farther... read more
Verse 9 Here follows a denunciation of punishment; the Prophet says that God would no longer deal in words, for their iniquity had ripened, according to what is in Genesis, “My Spirit shall not contend (or strive) any more with man.” (Genesis 6:3.) When God prepares to execute vengeance on the wickedness of men, he says that there is no more time for contending. A sudden execution of judgment is then what is here intended; but he mentions at the same time the punishment. After having... read more
Verse 10 He confirms here what I have just said, — that the Jews were not to be chastised in a common manner, but be exposed to extreme distress. For though all things may not be with us prosperous and according to our wishes, yet marriages may still be celebrated, and some hilarity may remain; we may yet eat and drink and enjoy the necessaries of life, though we may have no pleasures; but the Prophet shews here that such would be the devastation of the land, that there would be no thoughts... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 25:8-14
Here is the sentence grounded upon the foregoing charge: ?Because you have not heard my words, I must take another course with you,? Jer. 25:8. Note, When men will not regard the judgments of God's mouth they may expect to feel the judgments of his hands, to hear the rod, since they would not hear the word; for the sinner must either be parted from his sin or perish in it. Wrath comes without remedy against those only that sin without repentance. It is not so much men's turning aside that... read more