Jeremiah 9
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
JEREMIAH'S LAMENTATION FOR THE JEWS' SINS AND CONSEQUENT PUNISHMENT. (Jer. 9:1-26) This verse is more fitly joined to the last chapter, as Jer 9:23 in the Hebrew (compare Isa 22:4; Lam 2:11; Lam 3:48).
Open source ↗Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears,.... Or, "who will give to my head water, and to mine eyes a fountain of tears?" as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions. The prophet wishes that his head was turned and dissolved into water, and that tears might flow from his eyes as water issues out from a fountain; and he suggests, that could this be, it would not be sufficient to deplore the miserable estate of his people, and to express the inward grief and sorrow of his mind on account of it. That I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people; the design of all this is to set forth the greatness and horribleness of the destruction, signifying that words were wanting to express it, and tears to lament it; and to awaken the attention of the people to it, who were quite hardened, insensible, and stupid. The Jewish writers close the eighth chapter with this verse, and begin the ninth with the following.
Open source ↗Jer 9:1. "Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfarers! then would I leave my people, and go away from them. For they be all adulterers, a crew of faithless ones. Jer 9:2. They bend their tongue like their bow with lying; and not according to faithfulness do they manage in the land, but go on from evil to evil, and me they know not, saith Jahve. Jer 9:3. Beware each of his neighbour, and trust not in any brother; for every brother supplanteth, and every friend goeth slandering. Jer 9:4. And one overreaCheth the other, and truth they speak not; they teach their tongue to speak lies, to deal perversely they weary themselves. Jer 9:5. Thy dwelling is in the midst of deceit; in deceit they refuse to know me, saith Jahveh. Jer 9:6. Therefore thus hath spoken Jahveh of hosts: Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how should I deal in regard to the daughter of my people? Jer 9:7. A deadly arrow is their tongue; they speak deceit; with his mouth one speaketh peace with his neighbour, and inwardly within him he layeth ambush. Jer 9:8. Shall I not visit this upon them? saith Jahveh; or on such a people as this shall not my soul take vengeance?" Jeremiah would flee into the wilderness, far away from his people; because amidst such a corrupt, false, and cunning people, life had become unbearable, Jer 9:1. מי יתּנני, as in Isa 27:4, equivalent to מי יתּן לי, Psa 55:7 : who would give me = Oh that I had! The "lodging-place" is not a resting-place under the open sky, but a harbour for travellers - a building (khan) erected on the route of the caravans, as a shelter for travellers. Adultery and faithlessness are mentioned as cardinal sins. The first sin has been rebuked in Jer 5:7, the second is exposed in Jer 9:2-4. בּוגד, faithless either towards God or one's fe…
Open source ↗The prophet, being commissioned both to foretel the destruction coming upon Judah and Jerusalem and to point out the sin for which that destruction was brought upon them, here, as elsewhere, speaks of both very feelingly: what he said of both came from the heart, and therefore one would have thought it would reach to the heart. I. He abandons himself to sorrow in consideration of the calamitous condition of his people, which he sadly laments, a one that preferred Jerusalem before his chief joy and her grievances before his chief sorrows. 1. He laments the slaughter of the persons, the blood shed and the lives lost (Jer 9:1): "O that my head were waters, quite melted and dissolved with grief, that so my eyes might be fountains of tears, weeping abundantly, continually, and without intermission, still sending forth fresh floods of tears as there still occur fresh occasions for them!" The same word in Hebrew signifies both the eye and a fountain, as if in this land of sorrows our eyes were designed rather for weeping than seeing. Jeremiah wept much, and yet wished he could weep more, that he might affect a stupid people and rouse them to a due sense of the hand of God gone out against them. Note, It becomes us, while we are here in this vale of tears, to conform to the temper of the climate and to sow in tears. Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted hereafter; but let them expect that while they are here the clouds will still return after the rain. While we find our hearts such fountains of sin, it is fit that our eyes should be fountains of tears. But Jeremiah's grief here is upon the public account: he would weep day and night, not so much for the death of his own near relations, but for the slain of the daughter of his people, the multitudes of his co…
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) רֹאשׁ (rôʼsh, H7218) — the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of… מַיִם (mayim, H4325) — water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen עַיִן (ʻayin, H5869) — an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape) מָקוֹר (mâqôwr, H4726) — properly, something dug, i.e. a (general) source (of water, even when naturally flowing;… דִּמְעָה (dimʻâh, H1832) — weeping בָּכָה (bâkâh, H1058) — to weep; generally to bemoan יוֹמָם (yôwmâm, H3119) — daily לַיִל (layil, H3915) — properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity חָלָל (châlâl, H2491) — pierced (especially to death); figuratively, polluted בַּת (bath, H1323) — a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and… עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence…
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) מִדְבָּר (midbâr, H4057) — a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also… מָלוֹן (mâlôwn, H4411) — a lodgment, i.e. caravanserai or encampment אָרַח (ʼârach, H732) — to travel עָזַב (ʻâzab, H5800) — to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc. עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) נָאַף (nâʼaph, H5003) — to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize עֲצָרָה (ʻătsârâh, H6116) — an assembly, especially on afestival or holiday בָּגַד (bâgad, H898) — to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly; by implication, to pillage
Open source ↗דָּרַךְ (dârak, H1869) — to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string abow (by treading on it in bending) לָשׁוֹן (lâshôwn, H3956) — the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or… קֶשֶׁת (qesheth, H7198) — a bow, forshooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, H8267) — an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial) גָּבַר (gâbar, H1396) — to be strong; by implication, to prevail, act insolently אֱמוּנָה (ʼĕmûwnâh, H530) — literally firmness; figuratively security; morally fidelity אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… רַע (raʻ, H7451) — bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… רֵעַ (rêaʻ, H7453) — an associate (more or less close) בָּטַח (bâṭach, H982) — figuratively, to trust, be confident or sure אָח (ʼâch, H251) — a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or… עָקַב (ʻâqab, H6117) — to seize by the heel; figuratively, to circumvent (as if tripping up the heels); also to… הָלַךְ (hâlak, H1980) — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively) רָכִיל (râkîyl, H7400) — a scandal-monger (as travelling about)
Open source ↗הָתַל (hâthal, H2048) — to deride; by implication, to cheat אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… רֵעַ (rêaʻ, H7453) — an associate (more or less close) דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… אֶמֶת (ʼemeth, H571) — stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthiness לָמַד (lâmad, H3925) — properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive) לָשׁוֹן (lâshôwn, H3956) — the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or… שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, H8267) — an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial) לָאָה (lâʼâh, H3811) — to tire; (figuratively) to be (or make) disgusted עָוָה (ʻâvâh, H5753) — to crook, literally or figuratively
Open source ↗יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to… תָּוֶךְ (tâvek, H8432) — a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre מִרְמָה (mirmâh, H4820) — fraud מָאֵן (mâʼên, H3985) — to refuse יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);… צָרַף (tsâraph, H6884) — to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively) בָּחַן (bâchan, H974) — to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… בַּת (bath, H1323) — a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and… עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence…
Open source ↗לָשׁוֹן (lâshôwn, H3956) — the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or… חֵץ (chêts, H2671) — properly, a piercer, i.e. an arrow; by implication, a wound; figuratively, (of God)… שָׁחַט (shâchaṭ, H7819) — to slaughter (in sacrifice or massacre) דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… מִרְמָה (mirmâh, H4820) — fraud שָׁלוֹם (shâlôwm, H7965) — safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health,… רֵעַ (rêaʻ, H7453) — an associate (more or less close) פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);… קֶרֶב (qereb, H7130) — properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial… שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… אֹרֶב (ʼôreb, H696) — {ambuscade}
Open source ↗פָּקַד (pâqad, H6485) — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care… נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… נָקַם (nâqam, H5358) — to grudge, i.e. avenge or punish גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight…
Open source ↗הַר (har, H2022) — a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively) נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative בְּכִי (Bᵉkîy, H1065) — a weeping; by analogy, a dripping נְהִי (nᵉhîy, H5092) — an elegy נָאָה (nâʼâh, H4999) — a home; figuratively, a pasture מִדְבָּר (midbâr, H4057) — a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also… קִינָה (qîynâh, H7015) — a dirge (as accompanied by beating the breasts or on instruments) יָצַת (yâtsath, H3341) — to burn or set on fire; figuratively, to desolate אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… עָבַר (ʻâbar, H5674) — to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive,… שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… קוֹל (qôwl, H6963) — a voice or sound מִקְנֶה (miqneh, H4735) — something bought, i.e. property, but only livestock; abstractly, acquisition עוֹף (ʻôwph, H5775) — a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine גַּל (gal, H1530) — something rolled, i.e. a heap of stone or dung (plural ruins), by analogy, a spring of… מָעוֹן (mâʻôwn, H4583) — an abode, of God (the Tabernacle or the Temple), men (their home) or animals (their… תַּנִּין (tannîyn, H8577) — a marine or land monster, i.e. sea-serpent or jackal עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… שְׁמָמָה (shᵉmâmâh, H8077) — devastation; figuratively, astonishment יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to…
Open source ↗חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) — wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful) אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… בִּין (bîyn, H995) — to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understand פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a… נָגַד (nâgad, H5046) — properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) אָבַד (ʼâbad, H6) — properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy) יָצַת (yâtsath, H3341) — to burn or set on fire; figuratively, to desolate מִדְבָּר (midbâr, H4057) — a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also… עָבַר (ʻâbar, H5674) — to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive,…
Open source ↗יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) עָזַב (ʻâzab, H5800) — to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc. תּוֹרָה (tôwrâh, H8451) — a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… קוֹל (qôwl, H6963) — a voice or sound הָלַךְ (hâlak, H1980) — to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
Open source ↗יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) אַחַר (ʼachar, H310) — properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various… שְׁרִירוּת (shᵉrîyrûwth, H8307) — obstinacy לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… בַּעַל (Baʻal, H1168) — Baal, a Phoenician deity אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application לָמַד (lâmad, H3925) — properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive)
Open source ↗Cross-references
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But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
Therefore I said, “Turn away from me, let me weep bitterly! Do not try to console me over the destruction of the daughter of my people.”
My eyes fail from weeping; I am churning within. My heart is poured out in grief over the destruction of the daughter of my people, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city.
O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.
My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
So I weep with Jazer for the vines of Sibmah; I drench Heshbon and Elealeh with my tears. Triumphant shouts have fallen silent over your summer fruit and your harvest.
You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow, a severely grievous wound.
My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.
My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the pain in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I cannot be silent. For I have heard the sound of the horn, the alarm of battle.