Jeremiah 4:28

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 4:19-31

The prophet is here in an agony, and cries out like one upon the rack of pain with some acute distemper, or as a woman in travail. The expressions are very pathetic and moving, enough to melt a heart of stone into compassion: My bowels! my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; and yet well, and in health himself, and nothing ails him. Note, A good man, in such a bad world as this is, cannot but be a man of sorrows. My heart makes a noise in me, through the tumult of my spirits, and I cannot... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 4:28

For this shall the earth mourn ,.... That is, for the full end that will be made hereafter, though not now; the earth may be said to mourn when the inhabitants of it do; or when it is destroyed, and is become desolate, as the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, explain it; when it is uncultivated and uninhabited: and the heavens above be black ; with thick clouds, and storms, and tempests; in allusion to mourners, that are clothed with black: these figures, of the earth's mourning, and the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 4:28

Verse 28 Jeremiah proceeds here with the same subject, and still introduces God as the speaker, that what is said might produce a greater effect. For this, he says, the land shall mourn. The mourning of the land is to be taken for its desolation; but he refers to what he had said before. He does not speak of the inhabitants of the land; for they who thus explain the passage, diminish much the force of the expression; for the Prophet here ascribes terror and sorrow to the very elements, which is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 4:5-31

A revelation of grievous purport has suddenly reached the prophet. See how the foe draws nearer and nearer, and how alarm drives the scattered population to seek for refuge in the fortified cities. Can such be the issue of the promises of peace with which Jehovah has encouraged his people? Such are the contents of the first paragraph ( Jeremiah 4:5-10 ). Next,-in short, detached figures the prophet sets forth the sin of the people and its punishment. Like a scorching simoom is the former;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 4:5-31

The proclamation of woe. Such is the character of this entire section, and we observe upon this proclamation— I. THAT , LIKE ALL SUCH , IT IS PROMPTED BY DIVINE LOVE . The most fearful judgments contained in the whole Bible are those denounced by our Lord Jesus Christ. The most awful words ever spoken are those which proceeded out of the mouth of him at whose graciousness all-men wondered. It is evident, therefore, that they were the utterances, as is this one here,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 4:19-30

The fellowship of Christ's sufferings. The extreme anguish of the prophet which is revealed in these verses justifies the affirmation that, like St. Paul, Jeremiah also knew "the fellowship of Christ's sufferings." Consider— I. THEIR NATURE . 1. The sight of the constant dishonor done to God. This was part of our Lord's suffering. Living amongst men at all involved it. It has been said truly that, if the Son of God became incarnate, he must be a "man of sorrows." But if it be a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 4:20-30

"Suddenly are my tents spoiled." "When thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do?" A surely coming confession compelling a present serious question. Note the historic reference of the words to the people to whom the prophet spoke. Applying them in more general sense, let us observe— I. THE CONFESSION . "Suddenly," etc. This confession. 1. Not that of the child of God , for his tents cannot be spoiled. 2. The confession of the worldling and all those who are living without... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 4:28

For this ; i . e . because of the impending judgment. Be black . "To be black" is equivalent to "to put on mourning" (comp. Jeremiah 8:21 ; Jeremiah 14:2 ). read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 4:28

For ... - Because of this doom upon Judah.I have purposed it - The Septuagint arrangement restores the parallelism:For I have spoken, and will not repent,I have purposed, and will not turn back from it. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Jeremiah 4:28-29

Jeremiah 4:28-29. For this shall the earth mourn, &c. More expressions to set forth the dreadfulness of the judgment: he makes the elements to personate mourners. And the heavens above be black Under sad calamities every thing looks dismal; even the heavens themselves do not seem to shine with their usual brightness. Because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, &c. Blaney, following the LXX., changes a little the order of the words, and reads, “I have spoken, and do not repent:... read more

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