Jeremiah 30:13

[There is] none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up,.... None that will give themselves the trouble to look into their wound to judge of it; to consult, and reason, and debate about the

There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines. There is none to plead thy cause - a new image from a court of justice.

Concerning the general design of the prophet in these words, all interpreters seem agreed that the prophet’ s scope is to bring their uneasy thoughts to a rest, and make them rest satisfied with the providence of God; for there was no resistance of the will of God, which he metaphorically expresseth under the notion of one miserably and incurably wounded, whom no physician or surgeon could heal, and for whom there was no effectual plaster: but concerning the particular sense of the Hebrew words much is critically said, which I conceive not my work to repeat, nor is it of much moment to us to know whether the word more properly signifies healing medicines, or courses of cure, or plasters; those who are curious may read sufficiently about it in the English Annotations upon the text. It may be more material to consider whether the prophet’ s meaning be, there was none would do it, or there was none could do it, or there was none should do it, that is, whom God would admit at present to do it; as he elsewhere saith, though Noah, Daniel, and Job, and though Moses and Samuel, stood before him, they should save none but their own souls. The prophet’ s design doubtless was to satisfy this people that there was no present remedy for them but patience: though some would in charity plead for them, and though their false prophets might promise a cure; yet in very deed God would admit now of no plea for them, and all means that could be used for their more speedy restoration would prove no healing medicines, but like medicines that make the patients worse, and irritate instead of allaying the distemper.

Jeremiah 30:13 [There is] none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.Ver. 13. There is none to plead thy cause.] Thou art friendless. That thou mayest be bound up.] Thou art helpless.

(13) There is none to plead thy cause . . .—The words bring before us two images of extremest misery—the criminal who, standing before the dread judgment-seat, has no advocate, the plague-stricken sufferer who has no physician. The word is that used of Josiah in Jeremiah 22:16. There, and commonly elsewhere, it is translated “judge.” The second part of the sentence is better rendered, with a different punctuation, by Thou hast no healing medicines for binding up. It continues the symbolism of Jer 30:12, and reproduces that of Isa 1:6. There, and in Isaiah 38:21, Hosea 5:13, and probably in Proverbs 3:8, we have indications of the prominence given to external applications such as plasters, bandages, and the like, in the Eastern treatment of disease.

Verse 13. There is none to plead thy cause] All thy friends and allies have forsaken thee.

13. In the same v. the people of God appears both as defendant in a suit at law, and as one suffering from a wound which cannot be staunched. There is none to plead thy cause] Thine enemies at present are having it all their own way, as they arraign thee for thy sins before the bar of God’s justice. that thou mayest be bound up] rather, as mg. for thy wound thou hast no medicines nor plaister. “Wound” is lit. a compressed (i.e. bound up) thing. Cp. Hosea 5:13 twice; Obadiah 1:7 mg. medicines] plaister, lit. that which goes up (on the wound).

That thou mayest be bound up - Others put a stop after “cause,” and translate, For binding thy wound, healing plaster thou hast none.