Verses 1-15

In Jeremiah 18 the special lesson was the power of God to alter at any moment the destinies of a people. Here, on the other hand, it is taught that the time may come when the only alteration must take the form of a breaking or overthrow.

1-13. Figure of the broken vessel.

1. Ancients] RV 'elders.'

2. Valley of the son of Hinnom] see on Jeremiah 7:31. East gate] Hebrew is obscure. RM 'gate of potsherds,' perhaps because refuse of this sort was thrown there.

3. Kings] the whole dynasty with their accumulated transgressions.

4. Estranged this place] i.e. alienated it from the worship of God.

6. Tophet] see on Jeremiah 7:31.

8. An hissing] see on Jeremiah 18:16.

9. This was fulfilled in the Chaldean siege of Jerusalem: see Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:10.

11. Till there be no place to bury] see on Jeremiah 7:32.

13. The flat roofs were easily used as gathering places: see e.g. Judges 16:27; Nehemiah 8:16; Zephaniah 1:5.

14. This v. as introducing another address should commence a new paragraph ending with Jeremiah 20:6.