Verse 3

And say thou to them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; a Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,

(a) He calls the Jews to the consideration of God's mercy, who freely chose them, made a covenant of eternal happiness with them and how he ever performed it on his behalf and how they ever showed themselves rebellious and ingrate toward him, and broke it on their part, and so are subject to the curse of the law, (Deuteronomy 27:26).

Verse 5

That I may perform the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as [it is] this day. Then answered b I, and said, So be it, O LORD.

(b) Thus he speaks in the person of the people, who agreed to the covenant.

Verse 7

For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day [that] I brought them out of the land of Egypt, [even] to this day, c rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

(c) Read (Jeremiah 7:13).

Verse 8

Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their d evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the e words of this covenant, which I commanded [them] to do; but they did [them] not.

(d) According to his own fantasy, and not as my word appointed him.

(e) Meaning, the menaces and curses contained in the law, (Leviticus 26:14) ; (Deuteronomy 28:16).

Verse 9

And the LORD said to me, A f conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

(f) That is, general consent to rebel against me.

Verse 11

Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry to me, g I will not hearken to them.

(g) Because they will not pray with true faith and repentance, but for the pain and grief which they feel, (Proverbs 1:28).

Verse 13

h For [according to] the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and [according to] the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to [that] shameful thing, [even] altars to burn incense to Baal.

(h) Read (Jeremiah 2:28).

Verse 14

Therefore i pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear [them] in the time when they cry to me for their trouble.

(i) Read (Jeremiah 7:16), (Jeremiah 14:11).

Verse 15

What hath my k beloved to do in my house, [seeing] she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh l is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

(k) My people of Israel whom I have greatly loved till now.

(l) Meaning, that they offer not in the temple to God, but on the altars of Baal and the idols and so rejoiced in their wickedness.

Verse 16

The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, [and] of goodly fruit: with the m noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

(m) Of the Babylonians and Chaldeans.

Verse 18

And the LORD hath given me knowledge [of it], and I know [it]: then thou didst show me n their doings.

(n) Who went about secretly to conspire my death.

Verse 19

But I [was] like a lamb [or] an ox [that] is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised plots against me, [saying], Let us o destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

(o) Let us destroy the prophet and his doctrine. Some read "Let us corrupt his meat with wood", meaning poison.

Verse 20

But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy p vengeance on them: for to thee have I revealed my cause.

(p) Thus he spoke not out of hatred, but being moved with the Spirit of God, he desires the advancement of God's glory, and the verifying of his word, which is by the destruction of his enemies.

Verse 21

Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the men of q Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, r Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:

(q) That is, both the priests and the rest of the people: for this town was the priests, and they dwelt in it, (Jeremiah 1:1).

(r) Not that they could not abide to hear God named; (for in this they would show themselves most holy) but because they could not abide to be sharply reproved, and therefore desired to be flattered (Isaiah 30:10), to be maintained in their pleasures (Micah 2:11) and not to hear vice condemned (Amos 7:12).