Jeremiah 9:22-23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 9:12-22

Two things the prophet designs, in these verses, with reference to the approaching destruction of Judah and Jerusalem:?1. To convince people of the justice of God in it, that they had by sin brought it upon themselves and that therefore they had no reason to quarrel with God, who did them no wrong at all, but a great deal of reason to fall out with their sins, which did them all this mischief. 2. To affect people with the greatness of the desolation that was coming, and the miserable effects... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 9:23-26

The prophet had been endeavouring to possess this people with a holy fear of God and his judgments, to convince them both of sin and wrath; but still they had recourse to some sorry subterfuge or other, under which to shelter themselves from the conviction and with which to excuse themselves in the obstinacy and carelessness. He therefore sets himself here to drive them from these refuges of lies and to show them the insufficiency of them. I. When they were told how inevitable the judgment... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 9:22

Speak, thus saith the Lord ,.... These are the words of the Lord to Jeremiah, to go on with his prophecy in his name; so the Targum, "prophesy, thus saith the Lord:' even the carcasses of men shall fall as dung upon the open field ; or, "upon the face of the field" F6 על פני השדה "super faciebus agri", Montanus, Schmidt; "in facie agri", Cocceius; "in superficie agri", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; this shows the reason why the women are called to mourning, because... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 9:23

Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom ,.... Not in his natural wisdom, or knowledge of natural things: this is often but an appearance of wisdom, and is science falsely so called; and whatever is real of this kind is of God; and the best falls short of leading men to a true and saving knowledge of God; the foolishness of God is wiser than it; and it is made foolish, destroyed, and brought to nought by him: nor in evangelical wisdom and knowledge; not in that which is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 9:22

And as the handful after the harvestman - The reapers, after having cut enough to fill their hand, threw it down; and the binders, following after, collected those handfuls, and bound them in sheaves. Death is represented as having cut down the inhabitants of the land, as the reapers do the corn; but so general was the slaughter, that there was none to bury the dead, to gather up these handfuls; so that they lay in a state of putrescence, as dung upon the open field. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 9:23

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom - Because God is the Fountain of all good, neither wisdom, nor might, nor riches, nor prosperity can come but from or through him. Nothing can be more rational than that the Source of all our blessings should be acknowledged. Riches cannot deliver in the day of death; strength cannot avail against him; and as a shield against him, our wisdom is foolishness. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 9:22

Verse 22 Though Jeremiah continues the same subject, he yet introduces a preface, — that he had been commanded to declare what he says here; for on account of the strangeness of the event, the prophecy seemed incredible. He might, indeed, have proceeded with the subject, and omitted the words, “Thus saith Jehovah,” and have begun thus: “Fall shall the carcase of man,” etc. But, as I have said, this prophecy seemed to the greatest part as worthless, as though it was a fable: it was therefore... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 9:23

Verse 23 This is a remarkable passage, and often found in the mouth of men, as other notable sentences, which are known as proverbial sayings: but yet few rightly consider how these words are connected with the previous context. Hence there are many who are satisfied with a simple explanation, as though it were a subject abruptly introduced, and as though the Prophet commenced something new; and they confine themselves to those words: and thus they misrepresent the meaning of the Prophet, or at... 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 9:10-22

The terrible threatenings of love. There are few more awful passages of Scripture than this. The doom denounced on the guilty people is indeed dreadful. Nevertheless that doom had not yet descended. There was a merciful pause, during which space was given for repentance. Meanwhile the prophet was bidden to utter these threatenings. Notice— I. How TERRIBLE THEY ARE . 1. In themselves . The fertile hills and pastures of their country shall be laid waste, so that no living... read more