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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 8:4-12

The prophet here is instructed to set before this people the folly of their impenitence, which was it that brought this ruin upon them. They are here represented as the most stupid senseless people in the world, that would not be made wise by all the methods that Infinite Wisdom took to bring them to themselves and their right mind, and so to prevent the ruin that was coming upon them. I. They would not attend to the dictates of reason. They would not act in the affairs of their souls with the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 8:7

Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times ,.... Of going and returning; for this is a bird of passage, as Pliny F4 Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 23. and other naturalists observe; which goes away as winter approaches, and returns when that is over. The temperature of the air, as to heat and cold, and the natural propensity of such birds of passage to breed their young, are thought to be the incentives to change their habitation; and wonderful thing it is in nature, that they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 8:8

How do ye say, we are wise ,.... Which they were continually boasting of, though they were ignorant of the judgment of the Lord, and were more stupid than the stork, turtle, crane, and swallow: and the law of the Lord is with us ? this was the foundation of their boast, because the law was given to them, and not to the nations of the world, which knew not God, and therefore they must be a wise and understanding people; and this law continued with them, they had it in their synagogues,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 8:7

The stork in the heaven - The birds of passage know the times of their going and return, and punctually observe them; they obey the dictates of nature, but my people do not obey my law. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 8:8

The pen of the scribes is in vain - The deceitful pen of the scribes. They have written falsely, though they had the truth before them. It is too bold an assertion to say that "the Jews have never falsified the sacred oracles;" they have done it again and again. They have written falsities when they knew they were such. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 8:7

Verse 7 Here again Jeremiah condemns the shameful insensibility of the people, — that they had less wisdom than birds, not endued with reason and understanding. He then says, that the Jews were more foolish than cranes, swallows, and storks. He no doubt deeply wounded the feelings of the people by so severe a reproof; but it was necessary thus sharply to reprehend the despisers of God; for it appears evident by these words, that they were become exceedingly hardened in their vices. No wonder,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 8:8

Verse 8 Interpreters think that the Prophet here directs his words to the priests, and the false prophets, and the other chiefs of the people, because they proudly arrogated to themselves the knowledge of the law: but what is said may be no less extended to the whole people; for, as we shall presently see, all of them, from the least to the greatest, no doubt boasted that they were sufficiently wise. I hence think that the Prophet here inveighs against the whole body of the people; for all,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:4-7

Apostasy an anomalous and incalculable thing. I. THE ANALOGIES Or COMMON SENSE AND INSTINCT ARE FALSIFIED . ( Jeremiah 8:4-6 .) If a man fall, he will rise again to his feet; if he has made a mistake or gone in a wrong direction, and discovers it, he will turn again, unless he be absolutely bereft of his senses. One might expect similar behavior in spiritual matters. But in the wickedness and defection of Israel it was not so; their apostasy seemed perpetual. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:4-7

The unnatural conduct of Jerusalem. Still more humiliation for the proud, self-satisfied city. The prophet comes with a heavenly light, revealing the very foundations of her glory, and showing how unsubstantial they are, how easily exposed as contradicting truth and the highest propriety. What is aimed at here is to set before man, by the force of contrast, what he ought to be, in the sum of all his faculties made one by a will which acts according to the commandment of God. And so we see—... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 8:4-11

Backsliding in its worst forms. All departures from God are evil, but some are only temporary, and are quickly followed by repentance, return, and restoration. There are others, however, of a far more serious kind, and we have in these verses a great deal told us concerning them. We are told of some of— I. THEIR CHARACTERISTICS . 1. So contrary to men ' s wonted ways . For when men find that they have brought evil on themselves, they will at once seek to undo such evil ( ... read more

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