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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 8:15

Verse 15 He explains his meaning more clearly in this verse, — that the Jews in vain flattered themselves, while they entertained vain hopes. He then says that there was no reason for them to deceive themselves; for were they to promise themselves peace a hundred times, ruin would still be nigh them, and that though they hoped for a time of healing, terror would assail them. We hence see that in the last verse his purpose was to shew how foolish the people were, who thought that they would be... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 8:16

Verse 16 He says, Heard has been the snorting of horses from Daniel Dan was on the extremities, as it is well known, of the land of Canaan. Some think that the loudness of the noise is intended, as it was heard from such a distance in the holy city itself; but I know not whether this can be gathered from the words of the Prophet. The simpler and the correcter meaning then is, that though Jerusalem rested securely, they were not yet in a quiet state on the borders of the land, for they were... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 8:17

Verse 17 He increases their terror by another comparison, — that not only enemies would violently attack them, but that their bitings would be venomous. He had spoken of horses, and mentioned their violent onsets; but he now expresses another thing, — that the Jews would have to carry on war with vipers and basilisks The Prophet no doubt only meant to shew that they could not possibly escape; for as from serpents men can hardly escape, especially when they are numerous, and assail them on every... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:13

There shall be no grapes , etc.; rather, there are no grapes … and the leaf is faded . It is the actual condition of things which the prophet describes. Elsewhere Judah is compared to a vine with bad grapes ( Jeremiah 2:21 ); here the vine does not even pretend to bear fruit. Another figure is that of a barren fig tree (comp. Matthew 21:19 ). And the things that I have given them , etc.; rather, and I gave them that which they transgress (viz. laws ). The construction,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:13-15

False hopes ministering despair. The lessons of life are not readily learned by most men. They require to be frequently repeated ere they produce an impression. God, therefore, deals severely with his people, whose delusion is the more unpardonable because of the piety of their fathers and the light of revelation which had been given. He will, therefore, make to "pass away from them" one by one the things that he had given: the fruits of the earth shall be cut off; the comforts of life... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:14

Why do we sit still? The prophet transports us by a stroke of his pea into the midst of the fulfillment of his prophecy. The people of the country districts are represented as urging each other to flight. True, it is the resource of despair. No defensed cities can defend them against the judgment of Jehovah. Let us be silent ; rather, let us perish ; literally, let us be put to silence . Hath put us to silence ; rather, hath caused us to perish ; i . e . hath decreed our... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:14-15

Despair. I. DESPAIR WILL ARISE ON THE PERCEPTION THAT THERE IS NO WAY OF ESCAPE FROM RUIN . The miserable Jews are pictured as first sitting still helplessly, and then rousing themselves to enter the fenced cities, only to find that death awaits them there as surely as in the open plain. People are too ready to believe that "something will turn up," and so hold on, in confidence and indifference, till their eyes are suddenly opened, and they see room for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:15

Health ; rather , healing . Another rendering is tranquility (same sense as in Ecclesiastes 10:4 ). Trouble ; rather, terror. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:16

The invader is introduced with the same mysterious indefiniteness as in Jeremiah 4:13 . From Dan ; i . e . from the northern frontier (see on Jeremiah 4:15 ). Trembled ; rather, quaked (so Jeremiah 49:21 ). His strong ones . The phrase "strong ones" generally denotes oxen, but here (as in Jeremiah 47:3 ; Jeremiah 50:11 ) horses. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:17

A new image to intensify the impression of dreadfulness. Serpents, cockatrices ; rather, serpents ( even ) basilisks . The second noun is in apposition to the more general "serpents." "Basilisks" ( Serpentes regulos ) are the renderings of Aquila and the Vulgate. Some species of highly venomous serpent is clearly intended; more than this we cannot say. The root probably means "to hiss." Canon Tristram thinks of "a very beautifully marked yellow serpent, and the largest of the... read more

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