Jeremiah 15:4
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I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
When we left the prophet, in the close of the foregoing chapter, so pathetically poring out his prayers before God, we had reason to hope that in this chapter we should find God reconciled to the land and the prophet brought into a quiet composed frame; but, to our great surprise, we find it much otherwise as to both. I. Notwithstanding the prophet's prayers, God here ratifies the sentence given against the people, and abandons them to ruin turning a deaf ear to all the intercessions made for them (Jer 15:1-9). II. The prophet himself, notwithstanding the satisfaction he had in communion with God, still finds himself uneasy and out of temper. 1. He complains to God of his continual struggle with his persecutors (Jer 15:10). 2. God assures him that he shall be taken under special protection, though there was a general desolation coming upon the land (Jer 15:11-14). 3. He appeals to God concerning his sincerity in the discharge of his prophetic office and thinks it hard that he should not have more of the comfort of it (Jer 15:15-18). 4. Fresh security is given him that, upon condition he continue faithful, God will continue his care of him and his favour to him (Jer 15:19-21). And thus, at length, we hope he regained the possession of his own soul.
Open source ↗15:4 Judah’s apostasy could be traced back to Manasseh son of Hezekiah, the king who reigned 697–642 BC (see 2 Kgs 21:1-18; 2 Chr 33:1-20).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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I will make them a horror and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a disgrace and an object of scorn, ridicule, and cursing wherever I have banished them.
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Bring a mob against them and consign them to terror and plunder.
The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
I will pursue them with sword and famine and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth—a curse, a desolation, and an object of scorn and reproach among all the nations to which I banish them.
Therefore this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed Me; you have not proclaimed freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. So now I proclaim freedom for you, declares the LORD—freedom to fall by sword, by plague, and by famine! I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
I will scatter them among the nations that neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send a sword after them until I have finished them off.”
Jerusalem has sinned greatly; therefore she has become an object of scorn. All who honored her now despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns away.
Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.