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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 16:1-9

The prophet is here for a sign to the people. They would not regard what he said; let it be tried whether they will regard what he does. In general, he must conduct himself so, in every thing, as became one that expected to see his country in ruins very shortly. This he foretold, but few regarded the prediction; therefore he is to show that he is himself fully satisfied in the truth of it. Others go on in their usual course, but he, in the prospect of these sad times, is forbidden and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 16:4

They shall die of grievous deaths ,.... Such as the sword, famine, and pestilence. The Targum particularly adds famine. It may be rendered, "deaths of diseases, or sicknesses" F21 ממותי תחלאים "mortibus aegrotationum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, "aegritudium", Munster, Vatablus; "mortibus morborum", Schmidt. So Stockius, p. 340, 597, who restrains it to the death of individuals by the pestilence. ; such as are brought on by long sickness and lingering distempers; by which a man... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 16:5

For thus saith the Lord, enter not into the house of mourning ,.... On account of his dead relations or neighbours; since they were taken away from the evil to come, and therefore no occasion to mourn for them: moreover, this was to show the certainty of what is before and after said; that, at the time of the general calamity predicted, there would be no lamentation made for the dead. R. Joseph Kimchi says the word here used signifies, in the Arabic F23 "magna et vehementi voce... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 16:6

Both the great and the small shall die in this land ,.... The nobles as well as the common people, high and low, rich and poor; none shall be exempted from the grievous deaths by the sword, famine, and pestilence. They shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them ; as before, Jeremiah 16:4 , this shall be the common case of them all; the great and the rich shall have no more care and notice taken of them than the poor: nor cut themselves ; their flesh, with their nails,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 16:7

Neither shall men tear themselves ,.... Either their flesh, or their clothes: or, "stretch out" F25 ולא יפרסו "et non expandent, sub. manus suas", Vatablus, Montanus; "extendent", Pagninus, Calvin. So Kimchi and Ben Melech. ; that is, their hands, and clap them together, and wring them, as persons in great distress do: or "divide", or "break", or "deal unto them" F26 "Non divident", Tigurine version; "neque impertientur, sub. cibum", Junius & Tremellius; "partientur... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 16:4

They shall die of grievous deaths - All prematurely; see Jeremiah 14:16 . As dung upon the face of the earth - See Jeremiah 8:2 . Be meat for the fowls - See Jeremiah 7:33 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 16:5

Enter not into the house of mourning - The public calamities are too great to permit individual losses to come into consideration. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 16:6

Nor cut themselves - A custom of the heathen forbidden to the Jews, Leviticus 19:28 ; Deuteronomy 14:1 , and which appears now to have prevailed among them; because, having become idolaters, they conformed to all the customs of the heathen. They tore their hair, rent their garments, cut their hands, arms, and faces. These were not only signs of sorrow but were even supposed to give ease to the dead, and appease the angry deities. The Hindoos, on the death of a relation, express their... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 16:4

Verse 4 But the reason why God forbad his Prophet to marry, follows, because they were all consigned to destruction. We hence learn that celibacy is not here commended, as some foolish men have imagined from what is here said; but it is the same as though God had said, “There is no reason for any one to set his mind on begetting an offspring, or to think that this would be to his advantage: whosoever is wise will abstain from raarriage, as he has death before his eyes, and is as it were near to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 16:5

Verse 5 As Jeremiah was forbidden at the beginning of the chapter to take a wife, for a dreadful devastation of the whole land was very nigh; so now God confirms what he had previously said, that so great would be the slaughter, that none would be found to perform the common office of lamenting the dead: at the same time he intimates now something more grievous, — that they who perished would be unworthy of any kind office. As he had said before, “Their carcases shall be cast to the “beasts of... read more

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