Jeremiah 9:4-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 9:1-11

The prophet, being commissioned both to foretel the destruction coming upon Judah and Jerusalem and to point out the sin for which that destruction was brought upon them, here, as elsewhere, speaks of both very feelingly: what he said of both came from the heart, and therefore one would have thought it would reach to the heart. I. He abandons himself to sorrow in consideration of the calamitous condition of his people, which he sadly laments, a one that preferred Jerusalem before his chief joy... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 9:4

Take ye heed everyone of his neighbour ,.... Take care of being imposed upon by them, since they are so given to lying and deceit; be not too credulous, or too easily believe what is said; or keep yourselves from them; have no company or conversation with them, since evil communications corrupt good manners: and trust ye not in any brother ; whether by blood or by marriage, or by religion, believe not his words; trust him not, neither with your money, nor with your mind; commit not your... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 9:5

And they will deceive everyone his neighbour ,.... In conversation, with lying words; and in trade and commerce, by art and tricking: and will not speak the truth ; with respect to facts they report, or goods they sell: they have taught their tongue to speak lies ; and become so accustomed to lying that they cannot do otherwise; it is as it were natural to them: and weary themselves to commit iniquity ; spared no pains to come at it, nor any in it, and go on even to weariness;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 9:6

Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit ,.... In the midst of a people of deceit, as Kimchi and Ben Molech. These are the words of the Lord to the prophet, showing what a people he dwelt among, and had to do with; how cautiously and prudently he should act; how little they were to be trusted to and depended upon; and what little hope there was of bringing them to true repentance, since there was so much deceit and hypocrisy among them. The Targum interprets the words not of the habitation... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 9:5

And weary themselves to commit iniquity - O, what a drudgery is sin! and how much labor must a man take in order to get to hell! The tenth part of it, in working together with God, would bring him to the gate of glory. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 9:4

Verse 4 In this verse the Prophet describes the extreme wickedness of the people. For though sometimes thefts, robberies, frauds, slaughters, perjuries, sorceries prevail, yet some regard for near relations remains; but it is monstrous when all relative affections are destroyed. As then, even in the most wicked, there remain some natural affections, called storgoe by philosophers, it follows, that men depart wholly from nature and become wild beasts, when these no longer exist. This is the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 9:5

Verse 5 Jeremiah goes on with the same subject. He says that fidelity had so disappeared among the Jews, that every one endeavored to deceive his neighbor. Hence it followed, that they were withhout any shame. Some sense of shame at least remains among men, when they have to do with their own friends; for though they may be wholly given to gain, and to indulge in falsehoods, yet when they transact business with friends, they retain some regard for equity, and shame checks their wickedness: but... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 9:6

Verse 6 The Prophet here introduces God as the speaker, that the Jews might know that they had not to do with mortal man. For they might, according to their usual perverseness, have raised this objection, “Thou indeed severely condemnest us, and treatest us reproachfully; but who has made thee our judge?” Lest then they should think that the words which he had hitherto declared, were the words of man, he interposes the authority of God, Thou, he says, dwellest in the midst of a deceitful people... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 9:2-6

The self-opposition and futility of the sinner's life. A strong argument against the practice of a thing may often be found in the supposition that it should become universal. This is valid in the case of the practices and desires of wicked men. The idea of Hobbes concerning the original state of human society is ingenious and conceivable from this very reason, were it not contradicted by the world's history. I. ONE SIN ENTAILS ANOTHER , AND CRIME LEADS TO CRIME . ( ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 9:2-22

Complaint of the treachery and folly of the people; lamentation over their consequences. read more

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