TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 15:10–14. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Jeremiah has now returned from his public work and retired into his closet; what passed between him and his God there we have an account of in these and the following verses, which he published afterwards, to affect the people with the weight and importance of his messages to them. Here is,
I.The complaint which the prophet makes to God of the many discouragements he met with in his work, Jer 15:10.
1.He met with a great deal of contradiction and opposition. He was a man of strife and contention to the whole land (so it might be read, rather than to the whole earth, for his business lay only in that land); both city and country quarrelled with him, and set themselves against him, and said and did all they could to thwart him. He was a peaceable man, gave no provocation to any, nor was apt to resent the provocations given him, and yet a man of strife, not a man striving, but a man striven with; he was for peace, but, when he spoke, they were for war. And, whatever they pretended, that which was the real cause of their quarrels with him was his faithfulness to God and to their souls. He showed them their sins that were working their ruin, and put them into a way to prevent that ruin, which was the greatest kindness he could do them; and yet this was it for which they were incensed against him and looked upon him as their enemy. Even the prince of peace himself was thus a man of strife, a sign spoken against, continually enduring the contradiction of sinners against himself. And the gospel of peace brings division, even to fire and sword, Mat 10:34, Mat 10:35; Luk 12:49, Luk 12:51. Now this made Jeremiah very uneasy, even to a degree of impatience. He cried out, Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me, as if it were his mother's fault that she bore him, and he had better never have been born than be born to such an uncomfortable life; nay, he is angry that she had borne him a man of strife, as if he had been fatally determined to this by the stars that were in the ascendant at his birth. If he had any meaning of this kind, doubtless it was very much his infirmity; we rather hope it was intended for no more than a pathetic lamentation of his own case. Note,
(1.)Even those who are most quiet and peaceable, if they serve God faithfully, are often made men of strife. We can but follow peace; we have the making only of one side of the bargain, and therefore can but, as much as in us lies, live peaceably.
(2.)It is very uncomfortable to those who are of a peaceable disposition to live among those who are continually picking quarrels with them.
(3.)Yet, if we cannot live so peaceably as we desire with our neighbours, we must not be so disturbed at it as thereby to lose the repose of our own minds and put ourselves upon the fret.
2.He met with a great deal of contempt, contumely, and reproach. They every one of them cursed him; they branded him as a turbulent factious man, as an incendiary and a sower of discord and sedition. They ought to have blessed him, and to have blessed God for him; but they had arrived at such a pitch of enmity against God and his word that for his sake they cursed his messenger, spoke ill of him, wished ill to him, did all they could to make him odious. They all did so; he had scarcely one friend in Judah or Jerusalem that would give him a good word. Note, It is often the lot of the best of men to have the worst of characters ascribed to them. So persecuted they the prophets. But one would be apt to suspect that surely Jeremiah had given them some provocation, else he could not have lost himself thus: no, not the least: I have neither lent money nor borrowed money, have been neither creditor nor debtor; for so general is the signification of the words here. (1.) It is implied here that those who deal much in the business of this world are often involved thereby in strife and contention; meum et tuum - mine and thine are the great make-bates; lenders and borrowers sue and are sued, and great dealers often get a great deal of ill-will. (2.) it was an instance of Jeremiah's great prudence, and it is written for our learning, that, being called to be a prophet, he entangled not himself in the affairs of this life, but kept clear from them, that he might apply the more closely to the business of his profession and might not give the least shadow of suspicion that he aimed at secular advantages in it nor any occasion to his neighbours to contend with him. He put out no money, for he was no usurer, nor indeed had he any money to lend: he took up no money, for he was no purchaser, no merchant, no spendthrift. He was perfectly dead to this world and the things of it: a very little served to keep him, and we find (Jer 16:2) that he had neither wife nor children to keep. And yet, (3.) Though he behaved thus discreetly, and so as one would think should have gained him universal esteem, yet he lay under a general odium, through the iniquity of the times. Blessed be God, bad as things are with us, they are not so bad but that there are those with whom virtue has its praise; yet let not those who behave most prudently think it strange if they have not the respect and esteem they deserve. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
II.The answer which God gave to this complaint.
Though there was in it a mixture of passion and infirmity, yet God graciously took cognizance of it, because it was for his sake that the prophet suffered reproach. In this answer,
1.God assures him that he should weather the storm and be made easy at last, Jer 15:11. Though his neighbours quarrelled with him for what he did in the discharge of his office, yet God accepted him and promised to stand by him. It is in the original expressed in the form of an oath: "If I take not care of thee, let me never be counted faithful; verily it shall go well with thy remnant, with the remainder of thy life" (for so the word signifies); "the residue of thy days shall be more comfortable to thee than those hitherto have been." Thy end shall be good; so the Chaldee reads it. Note, It is a great and sufficient support to the people of God that, how troublesome soever their way may be, it shall be well with them in their latter end, Psa 37:37. They have still a remnant, a residue, something behind and left in reserve, which will be sufficient to counterbalance all their grievances, and the hope of it may serve to make them easy. It should seem that Jeremiah, besides the vexation that his people gave him, was uneasy at the apprehension he had of sharing largely in the public judgments which he foresaw coming; and, though he mentioned not this, God replied to his thought of it, as to Moses, Exo 4:19. Jeremiah thought, "If my friends are thus abusive to me, what will my enemies be?" And God had thought fit to awaken in him an expectation of this kind, Jer 12:5. But here he quiets his mind with this promise: "Verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil, when all about thee shall be laid waste." Note, God has all men's hearts in his hand, and can turn those to favour his servants whom they were most afraid of. And the prophets of the Lord have often met with fairer and better treatment among open enemies than among those that call themselves his people. When we see trouble coming, and it looks very threatening, let us not despair, but hope in God, because it may prove better than we expect. This promise was accomplished when Nebuchadnezzar, having taken the city, charged the captain of the guard to be kind to Jeremiah, and let him have every thing he had a mind to, Jer 39:11, Jer 39:12. The following words, Shall iron break the northern iron, and the steel, or brass? (Jer 15:12), being compared with the promise of God made to Jeremiah (Jer 1:18), that he would make him an iron pillar and brazen walls, seem intended for his comfort. They were continually clashing with him, and were rough and hard as iron; but Jeremiah, being armed with power and courage from on high, is as northern iron, which is naturally stronger, and as steel, which is hardened by art; and therefore they shall not prevail against him; compare this with Eze 2:6; Eze 3:8, Eze 3:9. He might the better bear their quarrelling with him when he was sure of the victory.
2.God assures him that his enemies and persecutors should be lost in the storm, should be ruined at last, and that therein the word of God in his mouth should be accomplished and he proved a true prophet, Jer 15:13, Jer 15:14. God here turns his speech from the prophet to the people. To them also Jer 15:12 may be applied: Shall iron break the northern iron, and the steel? Shall their courage and strength, and the most hardly and vigorous of their efforts, be able to contest either with the counsel of God or with the army of the Chaldeans, which are as inflexible, as invincible, as the northern iron and steel. Let them therefore hear their doom: Thy substance and thy treasure will I give to the spoil, and that without price; the spoilers shall have it gratis; it shall be to them a cheap and easy prey. Observe, The prophet was poor; he neither lent nor borrowed; he had nothing to lose, neither substance. nor treasure, and therefore the enemy will treat him well, Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator - The traveller that has no property about him will congratulate himself when accosted by a robber. But the people that had great estates in money and land would be slain for what they had, or the enemy, finding they had much, would use them hardly, to make them confess more. And it is their own iniquity that herein corrects them: It is for all thy sins, even in all thy borders. All parts of the country, even those which lay most remote, had contributed to the national guilt, and all shall now be brought to account. Let not one tribe lay the blame upon another, but each take shame to itself: It is for all thy sins in all thy borders. Thus shall they stay at home till they see their estates ruined, and then they shall be carried into captivity, to spend the sad remains of a miserable life in slavery: "I will make thee to pass with thy enemies, who shall lead thee in triumph into a land that thou knowest not, and therefore canst expect to find no comfort in it." All this is the fruit of God's wrath: "It is a fire kindled in my anger, which shall burn upon you, and, if not extinguished in time, will burn eternally."
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Verse 13, 14) I will give your riches and treasures as plunder, freely (or without payment), for all your sins and in all your territories. And I will bring your enemies (or make your enemies serve you) from a land you do not know: for a fire is kindled in my anger, it shall burn upon you. I will deliver all your substance to your enemies without any payment, because of the sins you have committed in all your territories. Therefore I will bring your enemies, or make them serve you in the land of Chaldea, because my fire, once ignited in my fury, will burn in you and cannot be extinguished. For you have provided the material for your own ardor, so that my fire may consume the wood, hay, and straw that are within you. And so, the cause of the ardor is not in the Lord, but in those who have supplied fuel to the fire.
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Summary
Jeremiah 15:14 delivers a profound prophetic declaration of God's unyielding judgment against Judah, revealing His sovereign resolve to send His people into an unavoidable exile. This verse emphasizes the forced relocation of Judah, alongside their adversaries, to an unfamiliar land, driven by the intense, consuming fire of divine anger. It underscores the inescapable consequences of persistent disobedience and idolatry, serving as a powerful testament to God's holiness, His commitment to justice, and His ultimate sovereignty over the destinies of nations.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 15:14 is situated within a series of lamentations and pronouncements of judgment from the prophet Jeremiah, forming a crucial part of God's definitive statements regarding Judah's fate. The preceding verses (Jeremiah 15:1-9) detail God's firm decision to bring destruction upon Judah, explicitly rejecting any intercession, even from revered figures like Moses or Samuel, signifying the irreversible nature of the judgment. The severity of this impending divine action is highlighted by the fourfold destruction (sword, famine, captivity, death) and the scattering of the people. Jeremiah 15:10-13 then shifts to Jeremiah's personal anguish and lament over his difficult prophetic calling and the rejection he faces, followed by God's reaffirmation of His protective presence with the prophet. Verse 14, therefore, serves as a direct, unmitigated statement of the judgment itself, reinforcing the inevitability of exile previously alluded to in passages like Jeremiah 13:19 and Jeremiah 15:2. It is a definitive declaration of the means and nature of the punishment, leaving no doubt about its certainty.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy of Jeremiah 15:14 was delivered during a turbulent and precarious period in Judah's history, likely in the late 7th century BCE, as the mighty Babylonian Empire was rapidly rising to prominence and threatening regional stability. Judah had a long and tragic history of covenant unfaithfulness, oscillating between fleeting periods of revival and profound idolatry. Despite repeated warnings from prophets like Jeremiah, the nation had largely turned away from Yahweh, adopting foreign gods and engaging in widespread social injustice, particularly against the vulnerable. The "land which thou knowest not" directly refers to Babylon, the formidable foreign power that would soon conquer Judah and deport its inhabitants. Exile was a common and brutal form of punishment and control in the ancient Near East, meticulously designed to break the identity and spirit of conquered peoples by severing their ties to their ancestral land, their sacred temple, and their cultural heritage. For ancient Israel, the land was intrinsically linked to their covenant identity and their relationship with God, making exile the ultimate curse for covenant disobedience, as vividly forewarned in Deuteronomy 28:36.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Jeremiah and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Judgment and Retribution, demonstrating with stark clarity that God's patience has limits and that persistent, unrepentant sin inevitably leads to severe consequences. The "fire" of His anger signifies the intensity, consuming nature, and purifying power of His righteous wrath. Secondly, the verse highlights Exile and Dispossession, a central and tragic theme in Jeremiah, as the primary form of God's judgment against Judah. This forced removal from the promised land represents a profound reversal of the covenant blessings and a devastating loss of national identity and security. Thirdly, it reinforces God's Sovereignty and Unwavering Purpose. Despite Judah's stubborn resistance and Jeremiah's personal suffering, God's decree remains firm and unalterable ("I will make thee to pass"), revealing His absolute control over historical events and His unwavering commitment to upholding His justice, even through devastating means. This divine resolve is a testament to His holy character, as seen in passages like Amos 3:2.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb (H5674) signifies a forceful transition, a crossing over, or being carried away. In this context, it emphasizes the divine agency ("I will make thee to pass"), indicating that Judah's exile is not a random misfortune or a mere political outcome, but a divinely ordained and unavoidable movement. It conveys the idea of being swept across or transported, highlighting the complete lack of control the people will have over their destiny once God's judgment is enacted.
The term (H639) literally refers to the nose or nostrils, and by extension, to the rapid breathing or snorting associated with intense fury and indignation. This vivid anthropomorphism portrays God's deep, passionate displeasure and righteous indignation. It is not a fleeting emotion but a profound, settled wrath against the persistent rebellion and idolatry of His people, indicating a just and holy response to their egregious sin.
This primitive root (H6919) means to inflame or to kindle. Here, it describes the active initiation of God's wrath, likening it to a fire that has been deliberately ignited. The use of "kindled" emphasizes that God's anger is not a spontaneous outburst but a deliberate and righteous response that has reached its boiling point due to Judah's prolonged unfaithfulness, leading to an inevitable conflagration of judgment.
Verse Breakdown
"And I will make [thee] to pass with thine enemies into a land [which] thou knowest not:"
This clause declares the specific nature of the impending judgment: a forced and humiliating exile. The divine "I will make" highlights God's active, sovereign role and unyielding decree in orchestrating this event, demonstrating His absolute control over history. The phrase "with thine enemies" indicates that Judah will be subjected to the humiliation, oppression, and possibly even enslavement by their adversaries, sharing their fate in a foreign land. The "land which thou knowest not" emphasizes the profound disorientation, loss of identity, and deep insecurity that accompanies being uprooted from one's ancestral home, familiar cultural context, and the promised land, a stark contrast to the security of the covenant.
"for a fire is kindled in mine anger,"
This clause provides the divine rationale and the intense nature of the judgment. The "fire" is a powerful and terrifying metaphor for God's intense, righteous, and consuming wrath, which has been "kindled" or ignited by Judah's persistent and unrepentant sin. This imagery conveys the destructive, purifying, and all-consuming nature of divine judgment, indicating that God's response is not arbitrary but a just and holy outpouring of His character against unrepentant rebellion.
"[which] shall burn upon you."
This final clause specifies the direct target and inescapable effect of God's fiery anger: it "shall burn upon you," meaning the people of Judah. This emphasizes the personal, direct, and inescapable nature of the judgment. The fire is not merely an abstract concept but a tangible, devastating force that will directly impact and consume them, bringing about the prophesied destruction, suffering, and the ultimate reality of exile.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 15:14 is exceptionally rich in Imagery, particularly the vivid and potent portrayal of God's anger as a fire. This central Metaphor (Hebrew: esh) is a common biblical motif, often representing God's holiness, purifying presence, or, as powerfully depicted here, His consuming wrath. The fire is not just a symbol; it conveys the intensity, destructive power, and all-encompassing nature of divine judgment. The phrase "I will make thee to pass" demonstrates profound Divine Agency and Sovereignty, emphasizing that the impending exile is not an accident of history or a mere consequence of geopolitical shifts, but a direct, intentional, and predetermined act of God. The mention of an "unknown land" creates a powerful sense of Foreshadowing and Pathos, evoking the deep fear, disorientation, and profound loss associated with forced displacement. The entire verse functions as a potent Prophetic Oracle, a direct and unyielding declaration from God through His prophet, leaving no doubt about the certainty and severity of the coming judgment. The use of Anthropomorphism ("mine anger") makes God's emotional response relatable and underscores the personal offense caused by Judah's sin.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 15:14 profoundly illustrates the biblical truth of God's unwavering justice and the severe, unavoidable consequences of covenant infidelity. It reveals that while God is infinitely merciful and long-suffering, His holiness demands a righteous response to persistent sin. The "fire" of His anger is not capricious or irrational but a just and holy outpouring against a people who have repeatedly rejected His commands, pursued idolatry, and engaged in systemic injustice. This judgment, though devastating in its historical manifestation, serves ultimately to uphold God's character and His covenant promises, even if it means severe discipline and purification for His people. It highlights the profound principle that genuine repentance is necessary to avert divine wrath, and without it, even the most cherished blessings, such as the promised land and national security, can be irrevocably forfeited.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 15:14 serves as a sobering and urgent reminder that God is not to be trifled with; His holiness and justice are as fundamental to His character as His boundless love and mercy. For us today, this verse calls for a deep and honest introspection into our own lives, our families, and our communities. Are we truly taking God's commands seriously, or are we, like ancient Judah, drifting into complacency, embracing subtle forms of idolatry, or compromising moral integrity for convenience? The "fire" of God's anger, while terrifying in its implications, is ultimately a testament to His absolute purity and His unwavering demand for righteousness from His covenant people. It compels us to consider the profound gravity of sin and the ultimate, inevitable consequences of unrepentant rebellion against a holy God. This passage should cultivate within us a healthy, reverential fear of the Lord—not a paralyzing dread, but a profound awe that inspires deep obedience, sincere humility, and a fervent desire to live in alignment with His revealed will. It urges us to heed the warnings embedded within Scripture and to actively pursue repentance, reconciliation, and faithful living, recognizing that while His judgments are severe, they are always just and ultimately serve His overarching redemptive purposes for His people and His creation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was Judah's exile truly unavoidable, or could they have repented and averted this judgment?
While God's judgment is often conditional on human response throughout the prophetic literature, by the time of Jeremiah 15:14, the cumulative sin of Judah had reached a critical threshold where the national judgment, specifically the exile, was declared unavoidable. God explicitly states in Jeremiah 15:1 that even if Moses and Samuel, two of Israel's greatest intercessors, stood before Him, His heart would not turn toward the people to avert the disaster. This indicates that the nation's persistent idolatry, covenant breaking, and unrepentance had crossed a point of no return, making the prophesied exile a settled divine decree. While individual repentance was still possible and could bring personal favor or preservation, the national judgment of exile was set. The "unknown land" of Babylon was a direct, inevitable consequence of generations of turning away from God, fulfilling the dire warnings of the covenant found extensively in Deuteronomy 28.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 15:14, with its stark declaration of divine judgment and consuming fire, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound transformation in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "fire... kindled in mine anger" that was destined to "burn upon" unrepentant Judah points forward to the ultimate outpouring of God's righteous wrath against sin. Yet, in the New Covenant, this wrath was not poured out on humanity, but upon God's own Son. On the cross, Jesus became the perfect substitute, bearing the full, unmitigated weight of the divine anger that our sins justly deserved. The "fire" of God's judgment, which threatened to consume humanity in its rebellion, instead consumed Christ, as powerfully foreshadowed in passages like Isaiah 53:5 and Galatians 3:13. Furthermore, the "passing into a land which thou knowest not" due to enmity with God is spiritually overcome in Christ. Humanity, alienated from God by sin, was in a spiritual "unknown land" of separation, death, and hopelessness. However, through Christ's atoning sacrifice, we are reconciled to God, brought into a new covenant relationship, and given access to the "heavenly country" (as described in Hebrews 11:16 and [Philippians 3:20](/ philippians/3-20 "Our Citizenship in Heaven")). The "enemies" that accompanied Judah into exile—sin, death, and the powers of darkness—are decisively defeated by Christ, who triumphed over principalities and powers on the cross (Colossians 2:15). Thus, the terrifying judgment of Jeremiah 15:14, while a historical reality for Judah, ultimately foreshadows the perfect and complete redemption offered in Christ, where the righteous judgment of God is fully satisfied, and all who believe are delivered from the consuming fire of wrath into the eternal embrace of His glorious love and grace (Romans 5:9).