38 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Jeremiah 14 This chapter contains prophecy of a drought, which produced a famine, Jeremiah 14:1, and is described by the dismal effects of it; and general distress in the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, Jeremiah 14:2, even the nobles were affected with it, whose servants returned without water ashamed, when sent for it,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. Or, "concerning the words of straints" (x); that is, concerning the businesses of a drought, as the Targum; concerning the Lord's restraining rain from the earth, and forbidding the heavens dropping it down; the consequence of which is a drought, or dryness of the earth; and the...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter was penned upon occasion of a great drought, for want of rain. This judgment began in the latter end of Josiah's reign, but, as it should seem, continued in the beginning of Jehoiakim's: for less judgments are sent to give warning of greater coming, if not prevented by repentance. This calamity was mentioned several times before, but...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. There had been no rain, so the crops had failed, and there was a famine in the land. Jeremiah describes that famine in striking poetic imagery.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Judah mourneth,.... That is, the inhabitants of Judah; those of the house of Judah, as the Targum; these mourned because of the drought and famine that were upon the land: and the gates thereof languish; the cities of Judah, as the Targum; the inhabitants of them, which used to be supplied from the field, and out of the country; gates may be...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads. Because the ground is chapt,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters,.... To places where water used to be; to the pools, the upper and the lower, particularly to the fountain of Shiloah, which, Jerom says, was the only one the city of Jerusalem used. The meaning either is, that the nobles in Jerusalem sent their own children to get water for them, they...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Because the ground is chapt,.... Through the violent heat of the sun, and want of rain; or, is broken (y); and crumbles into dust. The Targum is, "because of sins, the inhabitants of the earth are broken:'' for there was no rain in the earth; this was the reason of the dearth, and of the famine, and why there was no water in the pits, and the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Yea, the hind also calved in the field,.... Or brought forth her young in the field; of which see Job 39:1, and which they sometimes did through fear, particularly when frightened with thunder and lightning; and which are common in a time of heat and drought, which is the case here; see Psalms 29:9 of these sort of creatures there were great...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the wild asses did stand in the high places,.... To see where any grass was to be had, or where the wind blows more freely and cooly, to draw it in; as follows. The Targum renders it, "by the brooks"; and so Jarchi interprets it brooks of water; whither they came as usual to drink, and found them now dried up; and where they stood distressed...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us,.... That we deserve such judgments to be inflicted on us; and that God is righteous in bringing them; and we are altogether undeserving of the favour now about to be asked. These are the words of the prophet interceding for his people, and confessing their sins and his own: do thou it for thy...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: “Thou canst not do it because of any merit of ours.”
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
For our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? Why shouldest thou be as a man astonished, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou O LORD, art in the midst of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
O the hope of Israel,.... The author, object, ground, and foundation of hope of all good things, both here and hereafter; in whom Israel had been used to hope in times past, and had great encouragement so to do, Psalms 130:7 or, "the expectation of Israel" (f); whom they looked for to come: the Saviour thereof in time of trouble; the Saviour of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied,.... Astonished, and so surprised as not to know what to say or do; or "asleep", as the Septuagint; taking no notice of us, and being altogether unconcerned what becomes of us; or, as one "dumb" (i); that will give no answer to our prayers: as a mighty man that cannot save? who, though he is able to save,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord unto this people,.... Instead of answering the prophet directly and immediately, he first speaks to the people, and observes their sin is the cause of his conduct; and whom he does not vouchsafe to call his people; they having broken covenant with him, and so notoriously backslidden from him; but this people, this wicked and...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. “You may pray, if you like to do so, for a plague to come upon them as a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said the Lord unto me,.... To the prophet; now the Lord gives a more direct answer to him, and to his prayers and intercession for the people; which he forbids, saying, pray not for this people for their good; or "for good things", as the Septuagint; for rain, that the famine might cease; and for deliverance from their enemies, that they...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
When they fast, I will not hear their cry,.... Or, "though they fast" (k); very probably on account of the want of rain, and the dearth or famine, a fast was proclaimed; see Jeremiah 36:9, when they prayed and cried aloud, and made a great noise; but their prayers being hypocritical, and not arising from a pure heart, or offered up in faith and...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. After being long provoked, God at last determines that he will punish the rebellious nation, and he seems, as it were, to put Jeremiah on one side,...