(7) O Lord . . .—From the picture of suffering the prophet turns to a prayer for pardon and a confession of sins. He is sure that the drought has not come without cause, and that it calls men to repentance.Do thou it.—Better, more generally, act thou, not according to the rigour of inexorable justice, but according to the Name which witnesses of mercy and long-suffering (Exodus 34:6). read more
(8) As a wayfaring man . . .—No image could paint more vividly the sense of abandonment which weighed on the prophet’s heart. Israel had looked to Jehovah as its help and stay, its watchful guardian. Now he seemed as indifferent to it as the passing traveller is to the interests of the city in the inn or khan of which he lodges for a single night. read more
(9) As a man astonied.—The word so rendered is not found elsewhere, but cognate words in Arabic have the meaning of being startled and perplexed.Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us.—After all, then, so the prophet’s reviving faith tells him, Jehovah is more than the passing guest. He abides still among His people. He is as a mighty man, strong to save, though as yet He refrains from action.We are called by thy name.—Literally, as in the margin, Thy name is called upon us, i.e. (as in Isaiah... read more
CHAPTER IXTHE DROUGHT AND ITS MORAL IMPLICATIONSJeremiah 14:1-22; Jeremiah 15:1-21 (17?)VARIOUS opinions have been expressed about the division of these chapters. They have been cut up into short sections, supposed to be more or less independent of each other; and they have been regarded as constituting a well-organised whole, at least so far as the eighteenth verse of chapter 17. The truth may lie between these extremes. Chapters 14, 15 certainly hang together; for in them the prophet... read more
II. THE PROPHET’S MINISTRY BEFORE THE FALL OF JERUSALEM, THE PROPHECIES OF JUDGMENT AND RESTORATION, THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF JEREMIAH, HIS FAITHFULNESS AND His SUFFERING CHAPTER 14 The Great Drought, the Sword, the Famine, and the Pestilence 1. The description of the drought (Jeremiah 14:1-6 ) 2. The prophet’s priestly intercession (Jeremiah 14:7-9 ) 3. The answer (Jeremiah 14:10-18 ) 4. The renewed prayer (Jeremiah 14:19-22 ) Jeremiah 14:1-6 . The vivid description of the great... read more
14:7 {f} O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou [it] for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.(f) He shows the only way to remedy God’s plagues, which is by true confession of our sins, and returning to him by repentance. read more
14:8 O the hope of Israel, his saviour in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a {g} stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man [that] turneth aside to tarry for a night?(g) That takes no care for us. read more
14:9 Why shouldest thou be as a man astonished, as {h} a mighty man [that] cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, [art] in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.(h) That takes no care for us. read more
“ IN THE SWELLING OF JORDAN ” God told the prophet worse was to come. The Swelling of Jordan would be experienced later, and in the present lesson, especially towards the close, we have an illustration of it. There are things of interest to look at in the meantime, for example, an illustration of that symbolic teaching mentioned earlier. In chapter 13 we have what two symbols? See Jeremiah 13:1-11 for the first and Jeremiah 13:12-14 for the second. The prophet acted these out before the... read more
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John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 14:1-22
1-6. Description of the drought.2. The gates thereof languish] Figurative of the people who collect there. They are black unto] RV ’They sit in black (mourning) upon.’3. Covered their heads] as a sign of grief or confusion: cp. David (2 Samuel 19:4) and Haman (Esther 6:12). 6. They snuffed up the wind] RV ’They pant for air.’ Dragons] RV ’jackals.’7-22. Jeremiah’s pleadings and God’s replies.7. Do thou it] RV ’work thou.’8. As a stranger, etc.] one who has no interest in the people. Turneth... read more