Verses 1-11
Jeremiah’s/YHWH’s Heart Cry At What Is To Happen To His People Because They Have Refused To Know YHWH And Are So Filled With Deceit And Falsehood (Jeremiah 8:18 to Jeremiah 9:11 ).
There are two ways of seeing this passage depending on whether we see YHWH as speaking throughout, or on whether we see Jeremiah as intermingling his own comments with those of YHWH. It is, for example, possible to see Jeremiah 8:18-19 a (and a number of the other verses) as being the words of Jeremiah, with on the other hand Jeremiah 8:19 b; Jeremiah 9:3 b, Jeremiah 9:6-9, Jeremiah 9:11 certainly being the words of YHWH, but it is equally possible that we are to see the whole as being in the words of YHWH apart from when we hear the cry of the people. We must not, however, over-emphasise the difference for we already know that Jeremiah was revealing the heart of YHWH.
Note the references to ‘the daughter of my people.’ While Jeremiah could himself have used this phrase previous references to ‘the daughter of My people’ have been in contexts where they were clearly from the mouth of YHWH (Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 6:26; Jeremiah 8:11; see also Jeremiah 9:7 in context). This would heavily support these verses as coming directly from the mouth of YHWH through the mouth of Jeremiah
Interpretation based on many of the words being Jeremiah’s.
On this interpretation Jeremiah, as YHWH’s spokesman, begins by declaring his constraint at what is happening to YHWH’s people. He then looks outward and takes note of the bewilderment of those in exile, with whom he was in communication (chapter 29), as they asked themselves from their distant outposts whether, in view of what was now happening to Judah, it demonstrated that YHWH was no longer king in Zion. YHWH’s response was firm and to the point. The situation in which His people found themselves was not to be seen as a sign that He was not King in Zion but rather as a sign that He was, which was why He was carrying out His judgment on His people. The real problem lay in the fact that by their behaviour they had provoked Him to anger, which explained why they had experienced no salvation. In other words their situation arose precisely because He WAS king in Zion and could therefore control what happened there.
The whole position is then confirmed by those of Judah still present in the land who complain that in spite of the time having passed they have not been delivered (either from famine or from invasion or from both). This leads on to Jeremiah asking ‘why not?’. His question about the lack of balm in Gilead may be seen as a sarcastic one bringing out the failure of their gods. Did these gods not know that there was a balm in Gilead, famous for its healing balms, why then have they not healed the people’s predicament? Or it may be one of genuine puzzlement as to why YHWH has not acted to heal His people in the same way as He had been their physician by supplying a balm in Gilead.
What follows probably in fact supports the former suggestion, for Jeremiah is now very much in line with YHWH at the thought of the sinfulness of the people. Even while he wept for them he had to point out that the truth was that they were still adulterers and treacherous. In consequence the desire of his faithful heart was to get away from them, away from the defilement of their sinfulness, to a place of refuge, thus expressing the fact that he wanted nothing more to do with them and had had enough of them and their ways. They had proved continually false, and while they claimed to have grown strong, it was certainly not strong for truth, something which was evidenced by the fact that they continued on from evil to evil and from deceit to deceit and continually refused to know YHWH.
Interpretation based on all the words being YHWH’s.
Now it is YHWH Who declares his grief and constraint at what is happening to His people (Jeremiah 8:18), and takes note of the bewilderment of those in exile, as they asked themselves from their distant outposts whether, in view of what was happening to in the land to Judah, it demonstrated that YHWH was no longer king in Zion (Jeremiah 8:19 a). His immediate response was to point out that the situation in which His people Judah found themselves was not a sign that He was not King in Zion but was rather a sign that He was, and that that was why He was carrying out His judgment on His people (Jeremiah 8:19 b). In other words the real problem arose, not from His inadequacy, but from the fact that they had provoked Him to anger by their extremes of sinfulness, which was the reason why they had experienced no salvation (Jeremiah 8:20).
This position is then portrayed as confirmed by Judah themselves complaining that in spite of the time having passed they had not been delivered. Their should have been a summer harvest, and their had not (Jeremiah 8:20). This backs up the truth of what YHWH has been saying. It is noteworthy that YHWH is not portrayed as complacent about this, or as standing aloof. Rather we are to see that His heart was breaking because of the situation of His people (Jeremiah 8:21). On the other hand He recognises that He has no alternative but to chasten them. This then leads Him on to ask why they have not been saved in view of the fact that there is a well known balm in Gilead, provided by Him. Is He not the provider of healing? Why then have they not been healed? And the answer is because they have sinned so grievously that there is no healing. Alternately we may see the question as partly a sarcastic one suggesting amazement at the failure of their gods (only partly because He knows what the real solution to their problem is, and that it has to do with the God of Gilead). Do these gods not know that there is a balm in Gilead, famous for its healing balms, why then have they not healed the people’s predicament as He could have done? It is subtly bringing out that these gods have failed to heal and pointing out that they were clearly therefore unaware of the God-given healing properties available in Gilead to which they could have resorted.
This then leads on to the fact that while YHWH felt deeply for His people and had indeed wept for them, He knew that He had to face up to the truth about them. They were still unchanged, incorrigible adulterers and traitors, so that all that He could desire at this stage was to get away from them to a place of refuge, leaving them to their fate. This was because they were continually false, for while they may claim that they had grown strong it was certainly not strong for truth, something which was evidenced by the fact that they continued on from evil to evil and from deceit to deceit and continually refused to know Him.
The passage may be analysed as follows:
· The prophet/YHWH seek consolation over what is coming on the people (Jeremiah 8:18).
· A cry comes from YHWH’s far off exiled people (either Israel or the initial exiles of Judah) as to what is happening and bewailing the fact that they themselves have not been delivered as they had expected (their prophets were very optimistic), or alternatively expressing astonishment because those in the land of Judah have not been delivered (Jeremiah 8:19 a). If we see Jeremiah as involved then in the light of what follows the second alternative appears the most likely, for his change of attitude from tears to a desire to leave them to their deserts, requires a process which brings about his change of thought which does not involve the exiles.
· To this YHWH replies giving His reasons. It is either because of their sins (if they are querying their own failure to be delivered) or because of the sins of Judah (if they are asking why Judah have not been delivered) (Jeremiah 8:19 b).
· The people of Judah (or possibly the exiles of Israel, continuing their questioning) then also cry out, declaring that they have not been delivered (Jeremiah 8:20), emphasising the fact of YHWH’s judgment.
· The prophet then either joins in the questioning and decries the fact that his people are still unhealed in spite of the presence of the Healer of Gilead, praying for help by his weeping for them, or alternatively he sarcastically asks the people of Judah why their gods have not been able to heal them (Jeremiah 8:21 to Jeremiah 9:1). Alternatively YHWH asks why it is that they are not healed when their God is the healing God of Gilead. The answer, of course, is because they have sinned so deeply against Him and have refused His illumination.
· Having considered YHWH’s defence Jeremiah’s attitude alters abruptly and he desires to go into a lonely refuge in the wilderness to get away from such an adulterous and treacherous people. If the speaker of YHWH it is the point at which He finally leaves His people to their own deserts (Jeremiah 9:2).
· He points out that their bent tongue is like a bent bow firing off falsehood and deceit, and feelingly describes their deceitful behaviour towards each other (Jeremiah 9:3-5).
· The prophet himself (or YHWH) dwells among a deceitful people who refuse to know YHWH and who will thus consequently be melted down and tried by Him in order that He might test them out (Jeremiah 9:6-7).
· This is necessary because their tongue is like a deadly arrow towards their neighbours (Jeremiah 9:8).
· The consequence is that YHWH will visit them in judgment and obtain His recompense (Jeremiah 9:9).
· This is followed by YHWH weeping over Judah because of what He is having to do to them (Jeremiah 9:10-11).
Jeremiah (Or YHWH) Seeks Consolation.
“Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow!
My heart is faint within me.”
Jeremiah (or YHWH) did not find this judgment on His people pleasant or easy to take. It was causing great sorrow in his heart, a sorrow which resulted in faintness and a refusal to be comforted. On this interpretation the thought is that however much he sought comfort his heart was faint within him at what he was having to do.
There is, however, a translation problem here so that other meanings are possible. The meaning of the word(s) mabliygiyth (found only here) is uncertain. It may indicate a desire for recovery of some kind, e.g. a desire for ‘comfort, or strengthening’, or alternatively it may relate to a similar word in Arabic meaning ‘shine, illuminate’ indicating a desire for an illumination which could bring comfort (or otherwise). Another suggested alternative which does not alter the consonantal text (the inspired text) is to repoint and read as mibbeliy giythi (possibly meaning ‘without healing’), translating as ‘sorrow within me is without healing, my heart within me is faint ’.
The Hebrew is:
mabliygiyth·i------------‘al-i---------------yagon------‘al-i--------leb-i-----------------dawy
Which translates literally as:
illumination-of me-----on/within me---affliction---on me----heart-of-me----languishing.
On this basis we have the translation ‘My illumination within me is sorrow/affliction, within me my heart is faint (the Hebrew leaves the ‘is’ to be assumed in both phrases). This would indicate that the only illumination that he has is that of affliction so that his mind and heart are languishing and are faint.
Another alternative suggestion is to translate as, ‘My strength! Within me is sorrow, within me is my heart faint,’ indicating that his strength is failing him because his sorrow is so overwhelming.
Meanwhile The Exiles of Israel (or the Earliest Exiles of Judah) Are Puzzled At What Is Happening.
“Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people,
From a land which is very far off,
‘Is not YHWH in Zion?
Is not her King in her?’ ”
Meanwhile even the far off exiles (the daughter of my people) were puzzled at what was happening to Zion. Their cry came from a land very far off (Assyria/Babylon), asking bemusedly ‘Is not YHWH in Zion? Is not her King in her?’ ” As they surveyed the scene they could not comprehend how, if YHWH was King in Zion He could allow what was happening to happen.
Others see the questions as being asked because they could not understand why they themselves had not been delivered and restored as their false prophets had promised, which would tie in with the later complaint ‘we are not saved’ (Jeremiah 8:20).
YHWH’s Defence.
“Why have they provoked me to anger,
With their graven images, and with foreign vanities?”
YHWH offers His defence. He says that the question should rather be, ‘Why had they provoked Him to anger with their graven images and with the foreign no-gods (vanities, breaths of wind)’ to which they had turned. This was why as King He was acting against them in judgment, because they were traitors all. All therefore needed to be punished. They had put themselves beyond the pale.
The People’s Despair.
This may be the cry of the exiles bewailing the fact that nothing had happened. Another year has passed without their deliverance by YHWH. (But in that case why separate it from Jeremiah 8:19 a by means of Jeremiah 8:19 b)? Or it may be the cry of the people living in Judah in despair over the continuing failure of the harvest at a time of drought, or of their failure to be saved from invasion, or of both (Invasion necessarily interrupted the harvests). They may be blaming their gods for the failure, or they may be blaming YHWH. We are not told. If we take Jeremiah 8:19-20 together we may see a pattern emerging as follows:
· The exiles complaint - why is YHWH allowing this to happen (Jeremiah 8:19 a)?
· YHWH’s complaint - it is because of the utterly evil behaviour of His people (Jeremiah 8:19 b).
· Judah’s complaint - we have been waiting to be delivered and it has not happened (Jeremiah 8:20).
If this is the case we may see Judah as by it bewailing the failure of their false gods. Or it may be that they are rather expressing their displeasure because YHWH had not saved them, on the grounds that, in spite of what He had said, they had thought that He would. Now suddenly they were being brought face to face with the fact that they were wrong.
“The harvest is past, the summer is ended,
And we are not saved.”
This may be in the words of Jeremiah speaking on behalf of the people, or the words of the people in the land of Judah as they cried out in their distress. It may even have been a common proverb used when expectations were not fulfilled. But the essential idea is the same. (Alternatively it might be the cry of the exiles).
The question that arises is as to who is seen as having failed to do the saving. Is it their false gods, or is it YHWH?
· Either the thought is that it was those no-gods who were supposed to have provided Judah with a good harvest and to have ensured her safety. Were they not nature gods? Was it not their responsibility to produce a harvest? Surely then they should have saved them. On this scenario the false gods are seen as having failed. The harvest was past, the summer was ended, but there had been no deliverance from either famine or the invader, or both. It may have reference to the great drought of Jeremiah 14:1, or to a time when they were shut up in their cities by invaders so that the harvest went to waste because the invader still possessed the land outside the cities. Either way there was no benefit from the harvest for His people, or deliverance from their peril, thus indicating that their no-gods had utterly failed them.
· Or the thought may be that they were grumbling because YHWH had not saved them. This may have been their response to the question of the exiles, or their direct grumble against the God from Whom they had expected response in view of the fact that they had maintained the Temple ritual
Others see the thought as being that it was the cry of Israel/Judah from exile (compareJeremiah 8:19; Jeremiah 8:19 a).
Whichever way it was, it was emphasising the fact that no deliverance had taken place. This helps to explain the prophet’s (or YHWH’s) own distress. To one who loved his people it was one thing to prophesy what was going to happen to them, it was quite another to see it actually happening.
The Prophet (Or YHWH) Suffers With His People.
“For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt.
I mourn, dismay has taken hold on me.”
Jeremiah (or YHWH) did not see it as easy to stand aside and watch what was happening. He was deeply hurt because of the hurt of the daughter of his people, and he (He) mourned over it, and was filled with dismay at it.
As we have already seen previous references to ‘the daughter of My people’ have been from the mouth of YHWH (Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 6:26; Jeremiah 8:11; see also Jeremiah 9:7) which would heavily support these verses as coming directly from the mouth of YHWH through the mouth of Jeremiah.
“Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Why then is the health of the daughter of my people,
Not recovered?”
The chapter has contained a number of references to recovery from sickness. The false prophets had healed their hurt all too glibly (Jeremiah 8:11). They had looked for a time of healing but it had not come (Jeremiah 8:15). Instead they would be bitten by deadly snakes (Jeremiah 8:17). Healing had possibly been lacking in Jeremiah 8:18. Now the prophet longs for some means of recovery, and looks for it to the recognised centre for healing, or rather to the healing God Who was the source of the benefits found at Gilead.
The balm of Gilead was probably the resin or gum of the storax tree. It was used medicinally and was well known for its healing virtues (compare Jeremiah 46:11, and see Genesis 37:25). Gilead was seemingly also known for its physicians who would apply the balm. So if the question is regarding the failure of the false gods to heal Jeremiah (or YHWH) is seen as expressing sarcastic or yearning surprise at the fact that the people had not recovered. After all the people had rejected YHWH, electing rather for self-help and their no-gods. Why then had these not provided a means for them to heal themselves by utilising such resources as those at Gilead? Why had they not healed themselves.
But the question may be centring on the question as to why YHWH Who had provided the famed balm of Gilead, had now failed to act as Physician for His people. The balm of Gilead showed what He could do. Why then had He not healed them? Why were they not healed? This might then be seen as leading on to the fact that the failure was only due to the intransigence of His people, so that that was why He had not been willing to cure them.
The Prophet Despairs Of His People Because of What Is Coming, And Because They Are So Sinful.
“Oh that my head were waters,
And my eyes a fountain of tears,
that I might weep day and night,
For the slain of the daughter of my people!
The prayer is an indication of the numbers who were dying. It indicates that Jeremiah (or YHWH) was distraught as he looked out in prophetic foresight on the masses of the slain among his people, (or already actually saw them before him) and that he longed that his head and eyes might be a gushing spring so that he could continue on weeping for his people day and night. The fact that he weeps for the slain (not for the living - compare Jeremiah 7:16) may be an indication of the judgment that had already come upon them, or it may be visionary, having the future in mind. He is forbidden to pray for the living, but he can weep (not pray) over those who are dead.
“Oh that I had in the wilderness ,
A lodging-place of wayfaring men,
That I might leave my people,
And go from them!
For they are all adulterers,
An assembly of treacherous men.
It is all too much for him. Here we learn that he (He) also longed to get away from those who were still in Judah living because of what they were. He desired a lodging-place for travellers ( a khan or primitive inn) somewhere in the wilderness so that he could go there away from his people. It would be very basic, but it would at least supply him with solitude, and would remove him from the midst of the evil by which he was surrounded. And the reason for his longing was that they were all adulterers (both spiritually and literally), and were a gathering of treacherous people. he could no longer stand their physical presence and the atmosphere that they produced. Note that if it is Jeremiah speaking he has no blame for YHWH. He recognises that the people are receiving what they deserve.
And they bend their tongue,
Their bow, for falsehood,
And they are grown strong in the land,
But not for truth,
For they proceed from evil to evil,
And they do not know me,
The word of YHWH.”
For their tongues, which should have spoken truth, were like bows which they bent in order to project falsehood. Thus while they claimed that they had grown strong in the land it had certainly not been ‘for truth’, and this was especially so of their leaders who had risen among them. (This may well have been spoken after the cream of their leaders had been carried off into captivity in the initial exile). Indeed by their lives they denied and rejected all that was true and righteous, and proceeded from evil to evil. And this, said YHWH, was because ‘they do not know Me’ (i.e. know Him in His essential Being). For if they had truly known Him (although they no doubt claimed to know Him) they would have been worshipping Him only and would have been observing the requirements of His covenant. As He had openly declared to them, ‘You will worship YHWH your God, and Him only will you serve’.
The judgment that is coming on them is therefore seen as fully deserved, even though it was a heavy burden for Jeremiah (and for YHWH). Note that the hopelessness of their situation is now constantly being made clear, and that it was not only man hurting God, but also man hurting man.
Their Combined Sin Is Such That None Can Trust Another.
‘Beware every one of his neighbour,
And do not trust in any brother,
For every brother will utterly supplant,
And every neighbour will go about with slanders.’
The idea of their deceit and falsehood is now taken up. They are so false that no one can trust anyone else. Every man has to beware of his neighbour, no brother can be trusted. For every brother will seek to get one over on his brother, and every neighbour spreads slanders and lies. This is the direction in which our modern society is going, and has already gone in relation, for example, to business ethics. The days when a man’s word was his bond have mainly gone. (Note the chiastic structure - neighbour, brother, brother, neighbour).
‘Every brother will utterly supplant (‘aqab).’ Possibly a reference using Jacob (Ya ‘aqob) the supplanter (‘aqab) of his brother as an example (Genesis 27:36).
‘And they will deceive every one his neighbour,
And will not speak the truth,
They have taught their tongue to speak lies,
They weary themselves to commit iniquity.’
The situation is such that everyone deceives everyone else. No one’s word can be relied on. They have all trained themselves to speak falsely and unreliably, and they are so full of sin that they wear themselves out in their eagerness to practise it.
‘Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit,
Through deceit they refuse to know me,
The word of YHWH.’
Indeed Jeremiah should recognise that his own dwelling is in the midst of deceit, and that he himself is surrounded on all sides by untrustworthiness (which was why he had desired to go to a refuge in the wilderness - Jeremiah 8:2). It is this very ingrained falsehood that results in his people not genuinely knowing YHWH in their hearts, and is the explanation as to why they have refused to know Him. It is not that they are unaware of Him. It is rather that they have specifically and deliberately rejected Him.
Here the ‘Your’ is singular indicating Jeremiah. Note how their sin is growing. In Jeremiah 8:3 they did not know YHWH, now they have set their hearts against knowing Him. In other words they are becoming so impervious to sin and rebellion that they are in danger of blaspheming against the Spirit of Truth manifested through the words of YHWH which were being proclaimed through Jeremiah. And this is ‘the solemn prophetic word of YHWH’. Such is the consequence of allowing deceit and falsehood to take possession of the heart.
YHWH Will Test His People Out.
‘Therefore thus says YHWH of hosts,
“Behold, I will melt them, and try them,
For how should I do otherwise,
Because of the daughter of my people?”
As a result of their continuing in their deceitful and untrustworthy ways, YHWH of hosts (controller of all the hosts of men as well as of the heavens) will melt them in the refiner’s fire and put them to the test in order to reveal the truth about their lack of quality and purity (compare Jeremiah 6:27-30). For how could He as a holy God do otherwise as a result of what His people had become?
This extreme of chastisement was necessary because all else had failed. There was no future in going on with things as they were. Israel had had six hundred years in which to sought themselves out and had failed to do so (just as God had given the Canaanites/Amorites a further four hundred years in Genesis 15:16). Going on like that was pointless. Now it was a time for melting down so as to obtain the good from among the bad.
But All It Reveals Is Folly And Disobedience Deserving of Judgment.
‘Their tongue is a deadly arrow,
It speaks deceit,
One speaks peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth,
But in his heart he lays wait for him.’
Their continuing deceitfulness is then emphasised and expounded on. Their tongue is like a deadly arrow, speeding from the bow of their bent tongues (Jeremiah 8:3), and speaking lies and deceit. They put on a pretence of friendship and neighbourliness towards their fellow-citizens, while in their hearts they are waiting to ambush them. The whole nation has become a mass of deceit and untrustworthiness.
“Shall I not visit them for these things?” The word of YHWH.
“Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”
In view of this how could YHWH, the holy One (Isaiah 57:15), not visit them with judgment and chastening because of what they had become? How could He fail to call their sin into account, and bring on them the vengeance warned about in the covenant? See in this regard Leviticus 26:0; Deuteronomy 28:0. The answer, of course, is that He could not fail to do either, because of what He is. And that that is ‘the sure and certain word of YHWH’ (neum YHWH).
A Vision Of What In Consequence Will Happen To Judah.
‘For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing,
And for the pastures of the steppeland a lamentation,
Because they are burned up, so that no one passes through,
Nor can men hear the voice of the cattle,
From the birds of the heavens to the beasts they are fled,
They are gone.’
The coming judgment and visitation is now graphically and prophetically described in terms of God’s lament for the mountains, in which they had lived and worked and worshipped, and the pasturelands on which they had grazed their animals. For He sees prophetically how they have all been burned up, first by the invaders, and then by the burning sun, and as a result have become desolate so that no one passes through. Consequently there would be no sound of the lowing or bleating of cows, sheep and goats; no birdsong; no growling or roaring of wild animals. All would be silent. For the land would be deserted and empty, and all such would have departed. Compare Jeremiah 4:23-26.
“And I will make Jerusalem heaps,
A dwelling-place of jackals,
And I will make the cities of Judah,
A desolation, without inhabitant.”
For His intention was to turn Jerusalem into heaps of ruins, a place where jackals (literally ‘howlers’) would make their dens (compare Jeremiah 10:22, this is one of Jeremiah’s regular descriptions of desolation, see Jeremiah 49:33; Jeremiah 51:37), and to make the cities of Judah totally bare of inhabitants. In other words His judgment would come on the whole land without exception.
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