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Commentary on Jeremiah 10 verses 17–25
In these verses,
I. The prophet threatens, in God's name, the approaching ruin of Judah and Jerusalem, Jer 10:17, Jer 10:18. The Jews that continued in their own land, after some were carried into captivity, were very secure; they thought themselves inhabitants of a fortress; their country was their strong hold, and, in their own conceit, impregnable; but they are here told to think of leaving it: they must prepare to go after their brethren, and pack up their effects in expectation of it: "Gather up thy wares out of the land; contract your affairs, and bring them into as small a compass as you can. Arise, depart, this is not your rest," Mic 2:10. Let not what you have lie scattered, for the Chaldeans will be upon you again, to be the executioners of the sentence God has passed upon you (Jer 10:18): "Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once; they have hitherto dropped out, by a few at a time, but one captivity more shall make a thorough riddance, and they shall be slung out as a stone out of a sling, so easily, so thoroughly shall they be cast out; nothing of them shall remain. they shall be thrown out with violence, and driven to a place at a great distance off, in a little time." See this comparison used to signify an utter destruction, Sa1 25:29. Yet once more God will shake their land, and shake the wicked out of it, Heb 12:26. He adds, And I will distress them, that they may find it so. He will not only throw them out hence (that he may do and yet they may be easy elsewhere); but, whithersoever they go, trouble shall follow them; they shall be continually perplexed and straitened, and at a loss within themselves: and who or what can make those easy whom God will distress, whom he will distress that they may find it so, that they may feel that which they would not believe? They were often told of the weight of God's wrath and their utter inability to make head against it, or bear up under it. They were told that their sin would be their ruin, and they would not regard nor credit what was told them; but now they shall find it so; and therefore God will pursue them with his judgments, that they may find it so, and be forced to acknowledge it. Note, sooner or later sinners will find it just as the word of God has represented things to them, and no better, and that the threatenings were not bugbears.
II. He brings in the people sadly lamenting their calamities (Jer 10:19): Woe is me for my hurt! Some make this the prophet's own lamentation, not for himself, but for the calamities and desolations of his country. He mourned for those that would not be persuaded to mourn for themselves; and, since there were none that had so much sense as to join with them, he weeps in secret, and cries out, Woe is me! In mournful times it becomes us to be of a mournful spirit. But it may be taken as the language of the people, considered as a body, and therefore speaking as a single person. The prophet puts into their mouths the words they should say; whether they would say them or no, they should have cause to say them. Some among them would thus bemoan themselves, and all of them, at last, would be forced to do it. 1. They lament that the affliction is very great, and it is very hard to them to bear it, the more hard because they had not been used to trouble and now did not expect it: "Woe is me for my hurt, not for what I fear, but for what I feel;" for they are not, as some are, worse frightened than hurt. Nor is it a slight hurt, but a wound, a wound that is grievous, very painful, and very threatening. 2. That there is no remedy but patience. They cannot help themselves, but must sit still, and abide it: But I said, when I was about to complain of my wound, To what purpose is it to complain? This is a grief, and I must bear it as well as I can. This is the language rather of a sullen than of a gracious submission, of a patience per force, not a patience by principle. When I am in affliction I should say, "This is an evil, and I will bear it, because it is the will of God that I should, because his wisdom has appointed this for me and his grace will make it work for good to me." This is receiving evil at the hand of God, Job 2:10. But to say, "This is an evil, and I must bear it, because I cannot help it," is but a brutal patience, and argues a want of those good thoughts of God which we should always have, even under our afflictions, saying, not only, God can and will do what he pleases, but, Let him do what he pleases. 3. That the country was quite ruined and wasted (Jer 10:20): My tabernacle is spoiled. Jerusalem, though a strong city, now proves as weak and moveable as a tabernacle or tent, when it is taken down, and all its cords, that should keep it together, are broken. Or by the tabernacle here may be meant the temple, the sanctuary, which at first was but a tabernacle, and is now called so, as then it was sometimes called a temple. Their church is ruined, and all the supports of it fail. It was a general destruction of church and state, city and country, and there were none to repair these desolations. "My children have gone forth of me; some have fled, others are slain, others carried into captivity, so that as to me, they are not; I am likely to be an outcast, and to perish for want of shelter; for there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, none of my children that used to do it for me, none to set up my curtains, none to do me any service." Jerusalem has none to guide her of all her sons, Isa 51:18. 4. That the rulers took no care, nor any proper measures, for the redress of their grievances and the re-establishing of heir ruined state (Jer 10:21): The pastors have become brutish. When the tents, the shepherds' tents, were spoiled (Jer 10:20), it concerned the shepherds to look after them; but they were foolish shepherds. Their kings and princes had no regard at all for the public welfare, seemed to have no sense of the desolations of the land, but were quite besotted and infatuated. The priests, the pastors of God's tabernacle, did a great deal towards the ruin of religion, but nothing towards the repair of it. They are brutish indeed, for they have not sought the Lord; they have neither made their peace with him nor their prayer to him; they had no eye to him and his providence, in their management of affairs; they neither acknowledged the judgment, nor expected the deliverance, to come from his hand. Note, Those are brutish people that do not seek the Lord, that live without prayer, and live without God in the world. Every man is either a saint or a brute. But it is sad indeed with a people when their pastors, that should feed them with knowledge and understanding, are themselves thus brutish. And what comes of it? Therefore they shall not prosper; none of their attempts for the public safety shall succeed. Note, Those cannot expect to prosper who do not by faith and prayer take God along with them in all their ways. And, when the pastors are brutish, what else can be expected but that all their flocks should be scattered? For, if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch. The ruin of a people is often owing to the brutishness of their pastors. 5. That the report of the enemy's approach was very dreadful (Jer 10:22): The noise of the bruit has come, of the report which at first was but whispered and bruited abroad, as wanting confirmation. It now proves too true: A great commotion arises out of the north country, which threatens to make all the cities of Judah desolate and a den of dragons; for they must all expect to be sacrificed to the avarice and fury of the Chaldean army. And what else can that place expect but to be made a den of dragons which has by sin made itself a den of thieves?
III. He turns to God, and addresses himself to him, finding it to little purpose to speak to the people. It is some comfort to poor ministers that, if men will not hear them, God will; and to him they have liberty of access at all times. Let them close their preaching with prayer, as the prophet, and then they shall have no reason to say that they have laboured in vain.
1.The prophet here acknowledges the sovereignty and dominion of the divine Providence, that by it, and not by their own will and wisdom, the affairs both of nations and particular persons are directed and determined, Jer 10:23. This is an article of our faith which it is very proper for us to make confession of at the throne of grace when we are complaining of an affliction or suing for a mercy: "O Lord, I know, and believe, that the way of man is not in himself; Nebuchadnezzar did not come of himself against our land, but by the direction of a divine Providence." We cannot of ourselves do any thing for our own relief, unless God work with us and command deliverance for us; for it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps, though he seem in his walking to be perfectly at liberty and to choose his own way. Those that had promised themselves a long enjoyment of their estates and possessions were made to know, by sad experience, when they were thrown out by the Chaldeans, that the way of man is not in himself; he designs which men lay deep, and think well-formed, are dashed to pieces in a moment. We must all apply this to ourselves, and mix faith with it, that we are not at our own disposal, but under a divine direction; the event is often overruled so as to be quite contrary to our intention and expectation. We are not masters of our own way, nor can we think that every thing should be according to our mind; we must therefore refer ourselves to God and acquiesce in his will. Some think that the prophet here mentions this with a design to make this comfortable use of it, that, the way of the Chaldean army being not in themselves, they can do no more than God permits them; he can set bounds to thee proud waves, and say, Hitherto they shall come, and no further. And a quieting consideration it is that the most formidable enemies have no power against us but what is given them from above.
2.He deprecates the divine wrath, that it might not fall upon God's Israel, Jer 10:24. He speaks not for himself only, but on the behalf of his people: O Lord, correct me, but with judgment (in measure and with moderation, and in wisdom, no more than is necessary for driving out of the foolishness that is bound up in our hearts), not in thy anger (how severe soever the correction be, let it come from thy love, and be designed for our good and made to work for good), not to bring us to nothing, but to bring us home to thyself. Let it not be according to the desert of our sins, but according to the design of thy grace. Note, (1.) We cannot pray in faith that we may never be corrected, while we are conscious to ourselves that we need correction and deserve it, and know that as many as God loves he chastens. (2.) The great thing we should dread in affliction is the wrath of God. Say not, Lord, do not correct me, but, Lord, do not correct me in anger; for that will infuse wormwood and gall into the affliction and misery that will bring us to nothing. We may bear the smart of his rod, but we cannot bear the weight of his wrath.
3.He imprecates the divine wrath against the oppressors and persecutors of Israel (Jer 10:25): Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not. This prayer does not come from a spirit of malice or revenge, nor is it intended to prescribe to God whom he should execute his judgments upon, or in what order; but, (1.) It is an appeal to his justice. As if he had said, "Lord, we are a provoking people; but are there not other nations that are more so? And shall we only be punished? We are thy children, and may expect a fatherly correction; but they are thy enemies, and against them we have reason to think thy indignation should be, not against us." This is God's usual method. The cup put into the hands of God's people is full of mixtures, mixtures of mercy; but the dregs of the cup are reserved for the wicked of the earth, let them wring them out, Psa 75:8. (2.) It is a prediction of God's judgments upon all the impenitent enemies of his church and kingdom. If judgment begin thus at the house of God, what shall be the end of those that obey not his gospel? Pe1 4:17. See how the heathen are described, on whom God's fury shall be poured out. [1.] They are strangers to God, and are content to be so. they know him not, nor desire to know him. They are families that live without prayer, that have nothing of religion among them; they call not on God's name. Those that restrain prayer prove that they know not God; for those that know him will seek to him and entreat his favour. [2.] They are persecutors of the people of God and are resolved to be so. They have eaten up Jacob with as much greediness as those that are hungry eat their necessary food; nay, with more, they have devoured him, and consumed him, and made his habitation desolate, that is, the land in which he lives, or the temple of God, which is his habitation among them. Note, What the heathen, in their rage and malice, do against the people of God, though therein he makes use of them as the instruments of his correction, yet he will, for that, make them the objects of his indignation. This prayer is taken from Psa 79:6, Psa 79:7.
(Vers. 17, 18.) Gather from the land your confusion, you who dwell in siege; for thus says the Lord: Behold, I will cast far away the inhabitants of the earth this time, and I will afflict them that they may be found. LXX: It has gathered from outside its substance, which dwells in the fortified place. For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will overthrow the inhabitants of this land, and I will afflict them, that they may be found. Jerusalem is commanded to gather whatever substance it has outside into the heavily fortified city, and to prepare provisions for a long siege. For never in the past has it been threatened about the future and long time, but now about the imminent captivity, which is soon to come. Gather, he says, both from outside and from the land, that is, from your fields, your possessions or confusion. For whatever you have, it is worthy of confusion: which, although you may prepare these things, learn the words of the Lord about them. Behold, in this case, at this time, I will cast, or rather throw far away the inhabitants of this land like a sling: for which the Seventy translated 'I will supplant' and 'I will make them fall.' For the Hebrew word Colea (), Aquila and Symmachus interpreted it as σφενδονήσω. And the meaning is: I will cast like a sling with all my might, and thus I will besiege them: and I will distress and constrain them, so that all may be found in the city, and they may not be able to escape the disaster.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 10:17 delivers an urgent and direct divine command to the people of Judah, specifically those residing in Jerusalem, to prepare for imminent exile. This verse functions as a stark warning, signaling the complete disruption of their established lives, the loss of their security, and the necessity of gathering their most essential possessions in anticipation of forced displacement from their homeland due to God's impending judgment.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 10:17 employs several potent literary devices to convey its urgent message. The primary device is Imperative Mood, as the verse begins with a direct command ("Gather up"), creating a sense of immediate urgency and undeniable divine authority. This command is not a suggestion but an unavoidable directive. Symbolism is also central, with "wares" symbolizing not just material possessions but the entire fabric of their settled lives, their security, and their identity tied to the land. The act of gathering them signifies the dismantling of their world. Similarly, "fortress" is a powerful symbol for Jerusalem, representing its perceived impregnability and the false sense of security held by its inhabitants. The address to the "inhabitant of the fortress" uses Metonymy, where the part (inhabitant) stands for the whole (the people of Jerusalem), and the attribute (fortress) represents the city itself and its perceived strength. This choice of address serves to directly confront their misplaced confidence. The overall tone is one of Irony, as the "inhabitant of the fortress" is commanded to abandon their secure dwelling, highlighting the futility of human strength against divine judgment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 10:17 serves as a stark reminder of God's justice and the inevitable consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. It illustrates that divine judgment, though often delayed, is certain for those who persist in rebellion and idolatry. The command to "gather up thy wares" underscores the transient nature of earthly possessions and security when compared to the eternal reality of God's sovereignty and His covenant demands. This verse highlights that true security is found not in physical strongholds or material wealth, but in a right and obedient relationship with the Lord. It foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment of the covenant curses outlined in the Torah, demonstrating that God remains faithful to His word, both in blessing and in judgment.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 10:17, while rooted in a specific historical context of impending judgment for Judah's idolatry, carries profound and timeless implications for believers today. It calls us to sober reflection on where we place our ultimate trust and security. Just as the inhabitants of Jerusalem were forced to confront the transience of their physical strongholds and material possessions, we are reminded that true security is never found in earthly accumulations, worldly power, or even the most robust human systems. Instead, our ultimate refuge and hope must be anchored in the unchanging character and sovereign power of God. This verse challenges us to examine our own lives: are we clinging to "wares" – be they wealth, status, comfort, or perceived control – that might ultimately be stripped away? Are we relying on our own "fortresses" – our intellect, our plans, our self-sufficiency – rather than yielding to God's will and trusting in His provision? It compels us to cultivate a posture of spiritual readiness, prioritizing our relationship with God above all else, recognizing that only in Him do we find lasting peace and an unshakable dwelling place.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Judah commanded to "gather up thy wares"?
Answer: The command to "gather up thy wares" is a prophetic instruction for the people of Judah to prepare for imminent exile and displacement. It signifies that their settled life in the land is coming to an end, and they will be forced to leave their homes, possessions, and livelihoods behind. This is a direct consequence of their persistent idolatry and unfaithfulness to God's covenant, as detailed throughout the book of Jeremiah. It's a stark warning that divine judgment is at hand, and they must prepare for a hurried, forced departure, taking only what they can carry into an uncertain future.
What does "O inhabitant of the fortress" signify, and why is it significant?
Answer: "O inhabitant of the fortress" specifically refers to the people of Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah. Jerusalem was renowned for its strong fortifications and was often considered an impregnable stronghold, giving its inhabitants a false sense of security. The significance lies in the shattering of this illusion. Despite their physical defenses, the command to prepare for exile demonstrates that no human-made "fortress" can withstand the righteous judgment of God. It underscores the theme that true security comes only from a right relationship with the Lord, not from physical strength or material defenses, a lesson echoed in passages like Psalm 20:7.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 10:17, with its stark warning of judgment and forced displacement for Judah's sin, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. While Judah's "wares" and "fortress" proved futile against divine judgment, Christ Himself became the ultimate "fortress" and the true "possession" for all who believe. The judgment that fell upon Judah for their idolatry and unfaithfulness foreshadows the greater judgment for sin that humanity justly deserved. However, in Christ, that judgment was fully borne on the cross (e.g., 2 Corinthians 5:21). He gathered up the full weight of humanity's sin and was "taken away" (a nuance of H622, ʼâçaph) from the land, not in exile, but in death, so that those who believe in Him might never face eternal separation. Through His sacrifice, believers are no longer "inhabitants of the fortress" of a fallen world, vulnerable to judgment, but are given a new, eternal dwelling place in Him, a secure and unshakable kingdom (e.g., Hebrews 12:28). The transient "wares" of this world are replaced by the eternal inheritance and abundant life found in Christ (e.g., Matthew 6:19-21), who is our true security and everlasting dwelling.