Jeremiah 17:6 - Exposition

Like the heath in the desert ; as forlorn as some well-known desert plant. But which plant? St. Jerome explains, "Et erit quasi myrice ['tamarisk'], quae Hebraice dicitur Aroer (?) sire, at interpretatus est Syrus, lignum infructuosum." The versions agree in supposing the comparison to be to a plant; and a very similar word in Arabic ( ghargar ) means the mountain juniper; Tristram, the dwarf juniper. Most, however, take the word to be an adjective equivalent to "destitute." Dr. Thomson tells a story of a poor destitute woman he found in the desert (comp. Jeremiah 48:6 —the form there is Aroer , here it is ‛ar‛ār ; Psalms 102:18 ). Shall not see ; i.e. shall not perceive, or feel any evil consequences (comp. Isaiah 44:16 , "I have seen the fire," equivalent to "feel the flame"). A salt land ; i.e. one entirely barren (comp. Deuteronomy 29:23 ).