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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 14:1-9

The first verse is the title of the whole chapter: it does indeed all concern the dearth, but much of it consists of the prophet's prayers concerning it; yet these are not unfitly said to be, The word of the Lord which came to him concerning it, for every acceptable prayer is that which God puts into our hearts; nothing is our word that comes to him but what is first his word that comes from him. In these verses we have, I. The language of nature lamenting the calamity. When the heavens were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 14:6

And the wild asses did stand in the high places ,.... To see where any grass was to be had, or where the wind blows more freely and cooly, to draw it in; as follows. The Targum renders it, "by the brooks"; and so Jarchi interprets it brooks of water; whither they came as usual to drink, and found them now dried up; and where they stood distressed and languishing, not knowing where to go for any: they snuffed up the wind like dragons : which, being of a hot nature, open their mouths, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 14:6

Snuffed up the wind like dragons - תנים tannim here probably means the hippopotamus, who, after feeding under the water, is obliged to come to the surface in order to take in fresh draughts of air; or it may mean the wild asses. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 14:6

Verse 6 The same thing is said of the wild asses, And the wild asses, he says, stood on the rocks: and yet this animal, we know, can endure want for a long Lime. But the Prophet, as I have said, intended to shew that there would be in this scarcity some remarkable evidences of God’s vengeance. Stood then did the wild asses on the rocks, and thence drew in wind like serpents: for great is the heat of serpents; on account of inward burning they are constrained to draw in wind to allay the heat... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 14:1-6

A plague of drought. I. A PLAGUE OF DROUGHT IS AN INSTANCE OF A NATURAL CALAMITY OCCASIONING GREAT DISTRESS . Jeremiah gives a vivid picture of the trouble such a plague causes. Men of all classes, from the noble to the ploughman, suffer under it; the animal world is driven from its natural instincts; universal desolation and agony prevail. Yet this is all natural . It is not the result of war nor of any human interference; it is a natural calamity. Nature is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 14:1-6

The miseries produced by lack of water. I. THE BITTER CONSCIOUSNESS THAT AN IMPERATIVE NEED CANNOT BE SATISFIED . Well might there be mourning, languishing, and crying. When we are speaking of need, one of the first questions to be asked is whether the need is natural or artificial. An artificial need, by continued self-indulgence, may come to be very keenly felt; and yet, when circumstances arise which prevent the satisfying of the need, the artificiality of it is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 14:1-9

Thankfulness through contrast: a harvest sermon. These verses are a terrible picture of drought and famine. Our thankfulness for what God has done for us in the bounteous harvest he has given may be called forth the more by considering the contrast with our happy lot which these verses present. Contrast is a great teacher. It is the black board on which the teacher's white markings are more clearly seen, the dark background of the sky on the face of which the stars shine out the more. Now,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 14:6

The wild asses … in the high places ; rather, on the bare heights . " The wild asses," says a traveler cited by Rosenmüller," are especially fond of treeless mountains." Like dragons ; render rather, like jackals ( as Jeremiah 9:11 ; Jeremiah 10:22 ). The allusion is to the way jackals hold their head as they howl. We are told that even the keen eyes of the wild asses fail, because there was [is] no grass ; rather, herbage . They grow dim first with seeking it so long... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 14:6

Like dragons - “Like jackals” Jeremiah 9:11.No grass - The keen sight of the wild donkey is well known, but they look around in vain for herb. read more

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