The prophet’s inner struggles and Yahweh’s responses 15:10-21This pericope contains two instances in which Jeremiah faced crushing discouragement in his ministry (Jeremiah 15:10-21). He confessed his frustration to the Lord, and the Lord responded with encouragement. read more
4. Warnings in view of Judah’s hard heart 15:10-25:38This section of the book contains several collections of Jeremiah’s confessions, symbolic acts, and messages. These passages reflect conditions that were very grim, so their origin may have been shortly before the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. read more
If Jeremiah repented, the Lord would make him as indestructible as a bronze wall (cf. Jeremiah 15:12; Jeremiah 1:18-19). No one would be able to destroy him because the Lord would be with him and deliver him from his adversaries. He would rescue him from the wicked who would try to kill him, and He would free him from the grasp of those who would treat him violently."The antidote for the prophet’s earlier ’Woe is me’ [Jeremiah 15:10] was the Lord’s ’I am with thee’ (Jeremiah 15:20). No better... read more
1-9. The coming woes described.1. Moses (Exodus 17:11; Exodus 32:11; Numbers 14:13-20) and Samuel (1 Samuel 7:9; 1 Samuel 12:23) were successful pleaders with God in time past: cp. Psalms 99:6. 2. To death] meaning, by pestilence. 4. To be removed into] RV ’to be tossed to and fro among.’ For Manasseh’s wickedness see 2 Kings 21:3. 7. They shall be dispersed and driven forth from the land by every way of exit. 8. Even the mothers of warriors in the prime of youth shall have none to protect... read more
(20) I will make thee unto this people . . .—It is significant that the promise reproduced the very words which the prophet had heard when he was first summoned to his work (see Note on Jeremiah 1:18-19). Jehovah had not been unfaithful to His word, but, like all promises, it depended on implied conditions, and these the faint-hearted, desponding prophet had but imperfectly fulfilled. Let him “return” to the temper of trust, and there should be an abundant deliverance for him. read more
The Eating of God's Words Jeremiah 15:16 The former verse contains a suggestion which bears upon the interpretation of this text. That suggestion is this, that the position which the prophet finds himself in is due to the words of God which he had found and had eaten. I. The first word he found was, the word of Divine ordination: 'Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, before thy birth I knew thee; and at thy birth I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations'.... 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
CHAPTER 15 The Prophet’s Deep Soul-Exercise 1. The answer (Jeremiah 15:1-9 ) 2. The prophet’s grief and sorrow and Jehovah’s answer (Jeremiah 15:10-21 ) Jeremiah 15:1-9 . The preceding prayer is now answered and the Lord tells Jeremiah that if Moses and Samuel, these two great men of intercessory prayer, were pleading, judgment would not be averted. What is in store for those who are appointed to death, for the sword, for the famine, for captivity, will be accomplished. There is no escape.... read more
15:20 And I will make thee to this people a fortified brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not {y} prevail against thee: for I [am] with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.(y) I will teach you with an invincible strength and constancy, so that all the powers of the world will not overcome you. read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 15:20
20, 21. The promise of Jeremiah 1:18; Jeremiah 1:19, in almost the same words, but with the addition, adapted to the present attacks of Jeremiah's formidable enemies, "I will deliver thee out of . . . wicked . . . redeem . . . terrible"; the repetition is in order to assure Jeremiah that God is the same now as when He first made the promise, in opposition to the prophet's irreverent accusation of unfaithfulness (Jeremiah 1:19- :). read more