Jeremiah 18:1-17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 18:9

And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom ,.... By way of promise on the other hand: or, "and the moment I shall speak", &c.; as in Jeremiah 18:7 ; in favour to a people; signifying, that if they do that which is right and good, and continue therein, it may be expected that I will appear for and among such a nation and kingdom: to build and to plant it ; to build up its fences that have been broken down, and to plant it with pleasant... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 18:10

If it do evil in my sight ,.... What is sinful, contrary to the law and will of God, openly and publicly, in a bold and daring manner: that it obey not my voice : in my word, and by my prophets, but turn a deaf ear to them, and slight and despise all instructions, admonitions, and reproofs: then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them ; or, "do them good" F20 להיטיב אותו "ad benefaciendum ei", Montanus; "ut benefacerem ei", Valablus, Pagninus;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 18:11

Now therefore go to ,.... This is the application of the above general rules of procedure to the people of the Jews, and particularly that which relates to the destruction of a nation or kingdom, and the declaration of it in order to reclaim them: speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem , saying, thus saith the Lord ; or, "to the man of Judah" F21 אל איש יהודה "ad virum Jehudah", Montanus, Cocceius, Schmidt. ; the body of the Jewish nation, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 18:12

And they said, there is no hope ,.... Or, "but they said" F23 ואמרו "sed dixerunt", Schmidt; "sed dicunt", Piscator. ; not that there was no hope of the grace and mercy of God, upon their repentance and reformation, for that is before declared; but that they were so hardened in their sins, so fixed in their wicked courses, and so determined to go on in them, that there was no room for the prophet to hope of ever reclaiming them; signifying, that it was to little purpose to talk to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 18:13

Therefore thus saith the Lord ,.... This being the case of the people of the Jews, and they so resolutely bent on their own ways: ask ye among the Heathen ; inquire among the nations of the world, the Gentiles that know not the true God, and have not the external revelation of his will, only the dim light of nature to guide them; and see if anything like this is to be found among them, as with this people, favoured with the law of God, his word and ordinances to direct them, and his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 18:14

Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon, which cometh from the rock of the field ?.... Lebanon was a mountain on the borders of Judea, the top of which was covered in the summertime with snow, from the whiteness of which it had its name, Lebanon; as the Alps, for the same reason, which lie between France and Italy: now, the snow being dissolved by the heat, ran in flowing streams down the rocks into the field and plain, where they might be easily come at, and drank of; and would a thirsty... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 18:15

Because my people hath forgotten me ,.... Or, "that they have forgotten me" F26 כי שכחני "quod obliti sunt", Schmidt. ; this is the horrible thing they have done, which was unheard of among the Gentiles, who were always tenacious of their gods, and the worship of them; and that foolish and unwise thing, which was like leaving pure flowing streams of water for dirty puddles. This is to be understood of their forsaking the worship of God, as the Targum interprets it, and following... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 18:16

To make their land desolate ,.... Not that this was the intention either of those that led them out of the right way into those wrong paths, or of them that went into them; but so it was eventually; this was the issue of things; their idolatry and other sins were the cause of their land being desolate; through the ravage of the enemy, let in upon them by way of judgment; and through the destruction of men by them; so that there were few or none to cultivate and manure it: and a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 18:17

I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy ,.... As the east wind, which is generally strong and boisterous, drives the chaff and stubble, and anything that is light, before it, and scatters it here and there; so the Lord threatens to scatter the people of the Jews over the face of the earth, before their enemies, whom they should not be able to withstand. It denotes the power of the enemy God would make use of; the ease with which this should be done; and the utter dispersion... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 18:1

The word which came to Jeremiah - This discourse is supposed to have been delivered some time in the reign of Jehoiakim, probably within the first three years. read more

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