Jeremiah 5:26-28

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 5:25-31

Here, I. The prophet shows them what mischief their sins had done them: They have turned away these things (Jer. 5:25), the former and the latter rain, which they used to have in due season (Jer. 5:24), but which had of late been withheld (Jer. 3:3), by reason of which the appointed weeks of harvest had sometimes disappointed them. ?It is your sin that has withholden good from you, when God was ready to bestow it upon you.? Note, It is sin that stops the current of God's favour to us, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 5:26

For among my people are found wicked men ,.... Not a few only, but in general they appeared to be so, upon an inquiry into their character and conduct; for otherwise it would not have been so difficult to find a good man among them, as is suggested Jeremiah 5:1 , they lay wait as he that setteth snares ; or, "they look about" F3 ישור "aspicit", Vatablus, i. e. "quisque eorum", Piscator; "aspicient", Pagninus. ; that is, as Kimchi interprets it, every man looks in the ways, to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 5:27

As a cage is full of birds ,.... Jarchi and Kimchi understand it of a place in which fowls, are brought up and fattened, what we call a "pen"; and, so the Targum renders it, a house or place of fattening. The word is rendered a "basket" in Amos 8:1 and may here design one in which birds taken in snares, or by hawking, were put. The Septuagint version, and those that follow it, render it, "a snare": which agrees with what goes before. It seems to intend a decoy, in which many birds are put... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 5:28

They are waxen fat, they shine ,.... Becoming rich they grew fat, and their faces shone through fatness; so oil, delicious food, and good living, as it fattens men, it makes their faces to shine; see Psalm 104:15 , yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked ; though they pretended to religion, the fear and worship of God, yet they committed crimes more heinous than the most abandoned and profligate sinners: or, "they exceed the words of the wicked" F6 עברו דברי רע ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 5:26

They lay wait, as he that setteth snares - A metaphor taken from fowlers, who, having fixed their nets, lie down and keep out of sight, that when birds come, they may be ready to draw and entangle them. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 5:27

As a cage is full of birds - There is no doubt that the reference here is to a decoy or trap-cage, as Dr. Blayney has rendered it; in these the fowlers put several tame birds, which when the wild ones see, they come and light on the cage, and fall into the snare. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 5:28

They judge not the cause, yet they prosper - Perhaps we might be justified in translating, "And shall they prosper?" read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 5:26

Verse 26 What the previous verse contains is here confirmed, — that the Jews, through their own fault, had deprived themselves of God’s favor. It was necessary to do this; for otherwise they would have had some answer to give, inasmuch as hypocrites, being so perverse, do not easily yield. Hence the Prophet confirms what he had said, — that there were wicked men among God’s people. But this ought not to be confined to some among them, as it is done by interpreters, who seem not to explain quite... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 5:27

Verse 27 Jeremiah goes on with the same subject. He made use, as we have said, of a similitude taken from fowling: he now applies this similitude to the Jews, — that their houses were full of fraud, as the cage (some render it basket (155)) is full of birds: for fowlers, when they go for game, carry with them either bags or cages or baskets. So then Jeremiah says, that they collected plunder on every side, so that their houses were full of frauds: but by fraud he means spoils, which they... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 5:28

Verse 28 Here the Prophet reproves those who were high in dignity, station, and wealth, and who wished at the same time to be deemed inviolable, because they were the rulers of the people. He had spoken before generally, but now he assails the higher orders, the king’s counselors, the priests, the judges, and all endowed with authority. He says, that they were swoln with fatness, that they were shining, though they had exceeded, etc We see how he confirms what he had briefly referred to; for as... read more

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