Jeremiah 49

Jeremiah 49:1

Enter not - Do not go to comfort such as mourn for any relations dead, (for their feastings upon those occasions were upon a consolatory account) those that die are most happy, for I will take away the peace of this people, and deprive them of all my mercy and loving - kindness.

Jeremiah 49:2

Nor cut - Cutting themselves and cutting off their hair, were Pagan customs, which God forbad his own people; but yet it seemed they practised them: but saith God, Men shall die so fast that they shall have no leisure to cut themselves.

Jeremiah 49:3

Deal bread - It was a custom among them, when they had any friend, that had lost his relations, to send them some meat (for among the Hebrews all things they ate were called bread) and then to go and sup with them, and speak comfortably to them. The cup - They were also wont to send wine, that they might forget their sorrows; this is called, The cup of consolation.

Jeremiah 49:4

Go - God did not only forbid his prophet to go into houses of mourning, but forbad him to go into houses, where they were wont to eat and drink upon a more chearful account.

Jeremiah 49:9

Ye shall serve - What is now matter of choice to you, shall then be forced upon you.

Jeremiah 49:10

Notwithstanding - God sweetens the dreadful threatenings preceding, with a comfortable promise of their restoration.

Jeremiah 49:12

Fishers - Those enemies whom God made use of to destroy the Jews, hunting them out of all holes and coverts wheresoever they should take sanctuary.

Jeremiah 49:14

I will recompense - Before I will restore them, I will plentifully punish them, (for so double here signifies, not the double of what their sins deserve.) Defiled - By their idolatry, blood and cruelty. Detestable - Unclean beasts offered to their idols, or innocent persons slain by them.

Jeremiah 49:17

Therefore - Because all the mercy I have shewed them, will not learn them to know my might, I will once for all make them to understand it, by the dreadful strokes of my vengeance. And - They shall know that my name is Jehovah; that I am not such a one as their idols, but one who have my being from myself, and give life and being to all other things, and have all might and power in my hand, and can do whatsoever I please.

Jeremiah 49:19

Graven - Nor is it a thing done in secret, but it is engraven upon the horns of their altars. God’s altar was four - square, and at each corner there was a rising part made of brass, these were called the horns of the altar. Now their sin is said to be engraven upon the horns of the altar, because the blood of the sacrifices which they offered to idols was sprinkled there, or because their altars had some inscription upon them, declaring to what idol that altar was consecrated.

Jeremiah 49:20

Their children - This shewed how inveterate they were in this sin of idolatry, that they taught it their children.

Jeremiah 49:21

My mountain - Jerusalem stood at the foot of an hill, and part of it on the side of it, upon the top of which hills, were many pleasant fields.

Jeremiah 49:22

For ever - For a long time; so the word ever is often taken.

Jeremiah 49:27

The heart - There is nothing so false and deceitful as the heart of man; deceitful in its apprehensions of things, in the hopes and promises which it nourishes, in the assurances that it gives us; unsearchable by others, deceitful with reference to ourselves, and abominably wicked, so that neither can a man know his own heart, nor can any other know that of his neighbour’s.

Jeremiah 49:29

Hatcheth them not - Having lost them, either by some man that has taken them from her, or by some vermin or wild beast. A fool - Shall lose it again before he dies, and then shall understand what a fool he was.

Jeremiah 49:31

Depart - From what I have revealed to them as thy will, shall have no portion beyond the earth.

Jeremiah 49:32

For thou art - He whom alone I have reason to praise for mercies already received.

Jeremiah 49:33

Where - Daring the vengeance of God.

Jeremiah 49:34

I hastened not - As I did not seek the office of a prophet, so when thou wast pleased to call me to it, I did not decline.