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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 14:2

Judah mourneth ,.... That is, the inhabitants of Judah; those of the house of Judah, as the Targum; these mourned because of the drought and famine that were upon the land: and the gates thereof languish ; the cities of Judah, as the Targum; the inhabitants of them, which used to be supplied from the field, and out of the country; gates may be mentioned, because through the gates the provisions were brought into the city; but now none; and therefore are said to languish; or else those... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 14:2

The gates thereof languish - The gates being the places of public resort, they are put here for the people. They are black unto the ground - Covered from head to foot with a black garment, the emblem of sorrow and calamity. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 14:2

Verse 2 The Prophet intimates in these words, that so great would be the scarcity as to appear to be a manifest and remarkable evidence of God’s vengeance; for when God punishes us in a common way, we for the most part refer the event to some fortuitous circumstances, and the devil also ever retains our minds in the consideration of secondary causes. Hence the Prophet declares here that an event so unusual could not be ascribed to natural causes, as that the earth should become so sterile, but... 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 14:2

The tenses in the following description should be perfects and presents; the Authorized Version, by its inconsistency, destroys the unity of the picture. The gates thereof ; i.e. the people assembled there. They are black unto the ground. "To be black," in Hebrew, is "to be dressed in mourning" (so e . g . Psalms 35:14 , "I bowed down in black"). Here we must understand the same verb which is expressed in the psalm, "They bowed down in mourning attire to the ground." "Black,"... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 14:2

They are black unto the ground - The people assembled at the gates, the usual places of concourse, are in deep mourning and sit humbly on the ground. read more

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