1Zběhejte ulice Jeruzalémské, pohleďte nyní, a zvězte, a hledejte v ulicích jeho, naleznete-li muže, jest-li kdo, ješto by činil soud, a vyhledával toho, což pravého jest, a odpustím jemu. 2Ale i když říkají: Živť jest Hospodin, takovým způsobem křivě přisahají. 3Ó Hospodine, zdaliž oči tvé nepatří na pravdu? Biješ je, ale necítí bolesti; hubíš je, ale nechtí přijímati kázně. Tvrdší jsou tváře jejich než skála, nechtí se navrátiti. 4I řekl jsem já: Snad tito prostí jsou, nerozumně sobě počínají; nebo nejsou povědomi cesty Hospodinovy, soudu Boha svého. 5Půjdu aspoň k přednějším, a mluviti budu k nim; nebo oni povědomi jsou cesty Hospodinovy, soudu Boha svého. Ale i ti spolu polámali jho, roztrhali svazky. 6Protož je podáví lev z lesa, vlk večerní pohubí je, pardus číhati bude u měst jejich. Kdožkoli vyjde z nich, roztrhán bude; nebo mnohá jsou přestoupení jejich, rozmohly se převrácenosti jejich. 7Kdež jest to, pročež bych měl odpustiti tobě? Synové tvoji opouštějí mne, a přisahají skrze ty, kteříž nejsou bohové. Jakž jsem jen nasytil je, hned cizoloží, a do domu nevěstky houfem se valí. 8Ráno vstávajíce, jsou jako koni vytylí; každý k ženě bližního svého řehce. 9Zdaliž pro takové věci nemám navštíviti? dí Hospodin. A zdali nad národem takovým nemá mstíti duše má? 10Vstupte na zdi jeho, a zkazte je, a nepřestávejte; svrzte štítky zdí jeho, nebo nejsou Hospodinovy. 11Velice zajisté zpronevěřili se mi dům Izraelský a dům Judský, dí Hospodin. 12Sčítali klam na Hospodina, a říkali: Není tak, nikoli nepřijde na nás zlé, a meče ani hladu nepocítíme. 13Ti pak proroci pominou s větrem, a žádného slova není v nich. Takť se stane jim. 14Protož takto praví Hospodin Bůh zástupů: Proto že tak mluvíte, aj, já způsobím, aby slova tvá v ústech tvých byla jako oheň, a lid tento dřívím, kteréž on zžíře. 15Aj, já přivedu na vás národ zdaleka, ó dome Izraelský, dí Hospodin, národ silný, národ starodávní, národ, jehož jazyka nebudeš uměti, ani rozuměti, co mluví. 16Jehož toul jako hrob otevřený, všickni jsou silní. 17A vytráví obilé tvé a chléb tvůj, požerou syny tvé a dcery tvé, pojí bravy tvé i skot tvůj, pojí vinné kmeny tvé i fíkoví tvé, města tvá hrazená, v nichž ty doufáš, znuzí mečem. 18A však ani těch časů, dí Hospodin, neučiním s vámi konce. 19Nebo stane se, když řeknete: Proč nám činí Hospodin Bůh náš všecko toto? že řekneš jim: Jakož jste opustili mne, a sloužili bohům cizozemců v zemi své, tak sloužiti budete cizozemcům v zemi ne své. 20Oznamtež to v domě Jákobově, a rozhlaste v Judstvu, řkouce: 21Slyštež nyní toto, lide bláznivý a nesmyslný, kteříž oči mají a nevidí, kteříž uši mají a neslyší: 22Což se mne nebudete báti? dí Hospodin. Což před oblíčejem mým nebudete se třásti? Kterýž jsem položil písek za cíl moři ustanovením věčným, jehož nepřekračuje. Ačkoli zmítají se, však neodolají, ačkoli zvučí vlnobití jeho, však ho nepřecházejí. 23Ale lid tento má srdce zarputilé a zpurné, odstoupili a odešli. 24Ani neřekli v srdci svém: Bojme se již Hospodina Boha našeho, kterýž dává déšť jarní i podzimní časem svým, téhodnů nařízených ke žni ostříhá nám. 25Nepravostiť vaše překážku činí těm věcem, a hříchové vaši připravují vás o to dobré. 26Nebo nalézají se v lidu mém bezbožníci; střeže jako čižebníci, kteříž lécejí, stavějí osídla, lidi lapají. 27Jako klece plná ptáků, tak domové jejich plní jsou lsti. Protož zrostli a zbohatli, 28Vytylí jsou, lsknou se, nadto umějí se vyhýbati bídám. Pře nesoudí, ani pře sirotka, a však šťastně se jim vede, ačkoli k spravedlnosti chudým nedopomáhají. 29Zdaliž pro takové věci nemám navštíviti jich? dí Hospodin. Zdali nad národem takovým nemá mstíti duše má? 30Věc užasnutí hodná a hrozná děje se v zemi této. 31Proroci prorokují lživě, a kněží panují skrze ně, a lid můj miluje to. Čeho byste pak neučinili naposledy?
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE CAUSE OF THE JUDGMENTS TO BE INFLICTED IS THE UNIVERSAL CORRUPTION OF THE PEOPLE. (Jer. 5:1-31)
a man--As the pious Josiah, Baruch, and Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem at that time, Jeremiah must here mean the mass of the people, the king, his counsellors, the false prophets, and the priests, as distinguished from the faithful few, whom God had openly separated from the reprobate people; among the latter not even one just person was to be found (
Isa 9:16) [CALVIN]; the godly, moreover, were forbidden to intercede for them (
Jer 7:16; compare
Gen 18:23, &c.;
Ps 12:1;
Ezek 22:30).
see . . . know--look . . . ascertain.
judgment--justice, righteousness.
pardon it--rather, her.
2 (
Titus 1:16).
swear falsely--not a judicial oath; but their profession of the worship of Jehovah is insincere (
Jer 5:7;
Jer 4:2). The reformation under Josiah was merely superficial in the case of the majority.
3 eyes upon the truth-- (
Deut 32:4;
2Chr 16:9). "Truth" is in contrast with "swear falsely" (
Jer 5:2). The false-professing Jews could expect nothing but judgments from the God of truth.
stricken . . . not grieved-- (
Jer 2:30;
Isa 1:5;
Isa 9:13).
refused . . . correction-- (
Jer 7:28;
Zeph 3:2).
4 poor--rather, "the poor." He supposes for the moment that this utter depravity is confined to the uninstructed poor, and that he would find a different state of things in the higher ranks: but there he finds unbridled profligacy.
5 they have known--rather, "they must know." The prophet supposes it as probable, considering their position.
but these--I found the very reverse to be the case.
burst . . . bonds--set God's law at defiance (
Ps 2:3).
6 lion . . . wolf . . . leopard--the strongest, the most ravenous, and the swiftest, respectively, of beasts: illustrating the formidable character of the Babylonians.
of the evenings--Others not so well translate, of the deserts. The plural means that it goes forth every evening to seek its prey (
Ps 104:20;
Hab 1:8;
Zeph 3:3).
leopard . . . watch . . . cities-- (
Hos 13:7). It shall lie in wait about their cities.
7 It would not be consistent with God's holiness to let such wickedness pass unpunished.
sworn by-- (
Jer 5:2;
Jer 4:2); that is, worshipped.
no gods-- (
Deut 32:21).
fed . . . to the full--so the Keri (Hebrew Margin) reads, God's bountifulness is contrasted with their apostasy (
Deut 32:15). Prosperity, the gift of God, designed to lead men to Him, often produces the opposite effect. The Hebrew Chetib (text), reads: "I bound them (to Me) by oath," namely, in the marriage covenant, sealed at Sinai between God and Israel; in contrast to which stands their "adultery"; the antithesis favors this.
adultery . . . harlots' houses--spiritually: idolatry in temples of idols; but literal prostitution is also included, being frequently part of idol-worship: for example, in the worship of the Babylonian Mylitta.
8 in the morning-- (
Isa 5:11). "Rising early in the morning" is a phrase for unceasing eagerness in any pursuit; such was the Jews' avidity after idol-worship. MAURER translates from a different Hebrew root, "continually wander to and fro," inflamed with lust (
Jer 2:23). But English Version is simpler (compare
Jer 13:27;
Ezek 22:11).
9 (
Jer 5:29;
Jer 9:9;
Jer 44:22).
10 Abrupt apostrophe to the Babylonians, to take Jerusalem, but not to destroy the nation utterly (see on
Jer 4:27).
battlements--rather, tendrils [MAURER]: the state being compared to a vine (
Jer 12:10), the stem of which was to be spared, while the tendrils (the chief men) were to be removed.
11 (
Jer 3:20).
12 belied--denied.
It is not he--rather, "(Jehovah) is not HE," that is, the true and only God (
Jer 14:22;
Deut 32:39;
Isa 43:10,
Isa 43:13). By their idolatry they virtually denied Him. Or, referring to what follows, and to
Jer 5:9, "(Jehovah) is not," namely, about to be the punisher of our sins (
Jer 14:13;
Isa 28:15).
13 Continuation of the unbelieving language of the Jews.
the prophets--who prophesy punishment coming on us.
the word--the Holy Spirit, who speaks through true prophets, is not in them [MAURER]. Or else, "There is no word (divine communication) in them" (
Hos 1:2) [ROSENMULLER].
thus, &c.--Their ill-omened prophecies shall fall on themselves.
14 ye . . . thy . . . this people--He turns away from addressing the people to the prophet; implying that He puts them to a distance from Him, and only communicates with them through His prophet (
Jer 5:19).
fire . . . wood--Thy denunciations of judgments shall be fulfilled and shall consume them as fire does wood. In
Jer 23:29 it is the penetrating energy of fire which is the point of comparison.
15 (
Jer 1:15;
Jer 6:22). Alluding to
Deut 28:49, &c.
Israel--that is, Judah.
mighty--from an Arabic root, "enduring." The fourfold repetition of "nation" heightens the force.
ancient--The Chaldeans came originally from the Carduchian and Armenian mountains north of Mesopotamia, whence they immigrated into Babylonia; like all mountaineers, they were brave and hardy (see on
Isa 23:13).
language . . . knowest not--
Isa 36:11 shows that Aramaic was not understood by the "multitude," but only by the educated classes [MAURER]. HENDERSON refers it to the original language of the Babylonians, which, he thinks, they brought with them from their native hills, akin to the Persic, not to the Aramaic, or any other Semitic tongue, the parent of the modern Kurd.
16 open sepulchre--(Compare
Ps 5:9). Their quiver is all-devouring, as the grave opened to receive the dead: as many as are the arrows, so many are the deaths.
17 (
Lev 26:16).
18 Not even in those days of judgments, will God utterly exterminate His people.
I will not make a full end with you-- (
Jer 5:10;
Jer 4:27).
19 Retribution in kind. As ye have forsaken Me (
Jer 2:13), so shall ye be forsaken by Me. As ye have served strange (foreign) gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers (foreigners) in a land not yours. Compare the similar retribution in
Deut 28:47-
Deut 28:48.
21 eyes . . . ears, and--Translate, "and yet" (compare
Deut 29:4;
Isa 6:9). Having powers of perception, they did not use them: still they were responsible for the exercise of them.
22 sand--Though made up of particles easily shifting about, I render it sufficient to curb the violence of the sea. Such is your monstrous perversity, that the raging, senseless sea sooner obeys Me, than ye do who profess to be intelligent [CALVIN], (
Job 26:10;
Job 38:10-
Job 38:11;
Pro 8:29;
Rev 15:4).
23 (
Jer 6:28).
24 rain . . . former . . . latter--The "former" falls from the middle of October to the beginning of December. The "latter," or spring rain in Palestine, falls before harvest in March and April, and is essential for ripening the crops (
Deut 11:14;
Joel 2:23).
weeks of . . . harvest--the seven weeks between passover and pentecost, beginning on the sixteenth of Nisan (
Deut 16:9). By God's special providence no rain fell in Palestine during the harvest weeks, so that harvest work went on without interruption (see
Gen 8:22).
25 National guilt had caused the suspension of these national mercies mentioned in
Jer 5:24 (compare
Jer 3:3).
26 (
Pro 1:11,
Pro 1:17-
Pro 1:18;
Hab 1:15).
as he that setteth snares--rather, "as fowlers crouch" [MAURER].
trap--literally, "destruction": the instrument of destruction.
catch men--not as Peter, to save (
Luke 5:10), but to destroy men.
27 full of deceit--full of treasures got by deceit.
rich-- (
Ps 73:12,
Ps 73:18-
Ps 73:20).
28 shine--the effect of fatness on the skin (
Deut 32:15). They live a life of self-indulgence.
overpass . . . the wicked--exceed even the Gentiles in wickedness (
Jer 2:33;
Ezek 5:6-
Ezek 5:7).
judge not . . . fatherless-- (
Isa 1:23).
yet . . . prosper-- (
Jer 12:1).
29 (
Jer 5:9;
Mal 3:5).
30 (
Jer 23:14;
Hos 6:10).
31 bear rule by their means--literally, "according to their hands," that is, under their guidance (
1Chr 25:3). As a sample of the priests lending themselves to the deceits of the false prophets, to gain influence over the people, see
Jer 29:24-
Jer 29:32.
love to have it so-- (
Mic 2:11).
end thereof--the fatal issue of this sinful course when divine judgments shall come.