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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 9:12–22. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Two things the prophet designs, in these verses, with reference to the approaching destruction of Judah and Jerusalem: - 1. To convince people of the justice of God in it, that they had by sin brought it upon themselves and that therefore they had no reason to quarrel with God, who did them no wrong at all, but a great deal of reason to fall out with their sins, which did them all this mischief. 2. To affect people with the greatness of the desolation that was coming, and the miserable effects of it, that by a terrible prospect of it they might be awakened to repentance and reformation, which was the only way to prevent it, or, at least, mitigate their own share in it. This being designed,
I.He calls for the thinking men, by them to show people the equity of God's proceedings, though they seemed harsh and severe (Jer 9:12):
"Who, where, is the wise man, or the prophet, to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken? You boast of your wisdom, and of the prophets you have among you; produce me any one that has but the free use of human reason or any acquaintance with divine revelation, and he will soon understand this himself, and it will be so clear to him that he will be ready to declare it to others, that there is a just ground of God's controversy with this people." Do these wise men enquire, For what does the land perish? What is the matter, that such a change is made with this land? It used to be a land that God cared for, and he had his eyes upon it for good (Deu 11:12), but it is now a land that he has forsaken and that his face is against. It used to flourish as the garden of the Lord and to be replenished with inhabitants; but now it is burnt up like a wilderness, that none passeth through it, much less cares to settle in it. It was supposed, long ago, that it would be asked, when it came to this, Wherefore has the Lord done thus unto this land? What means the heat of this great anger? (Deu 29:24), to which question God here gives a full answer, before which all flesh must be silent. He produces out of the record,
1.The indictment preferred and proved against them, upon which they had been found guilty, Jer 9:13, Jer 9:14. It is charged upon them, and it cannot be denied,
(1.)That they have revolted from their allegiance to their rightful Sovereign. Therefore. God has forsaken their land, and justly, because they have forsaken his law, which he had so plainly, so fully, so frequently set before them, and had not observed his orders, not obeyed his voice, nor walked in the ways that he had appointed. Here their wickedness began, in the omission of their duty to their God and a contempt of his authority. But it did not end here. It is further charged upon them,
(2.)That they have entered themselves into the service of pretenders and usurpers, have not only withdrawn themselves from their obedience to their prince, but have taken up arms against him. For,
[1.]They have acted according to the dictates of their own lusts, have set up their own will, the wills of the flesh, and the carnal mind, in competition with, and contradiction to the will of God: They have walked after the imagination of their own hearts; they would do as they pleased, whatever God and conscience said to the contrary.
[2.]They have worshipped the creatures of their own fancy, the work of their own hands, according to the tradition received from their fathers: They have walked after Baalim: the word is plural; they had many Baals, Baal-peor and Baal-berith, the Baal of this place and the Baal of the other place; for they had lords many, which their fathers taught them to worship, but which the God of their fathers had again and again forbidden. This was it for which the land perished. The King of kings never makes war thus upon his own subjects but when they treacherously depart from him and rebel against him, and it has become necessary by this means to chastise their rebellion and reduce them to their allegiance; and they themselves shall at length acknowledge that he is just in all that is brought upon them.
2.The judgment given upon this indictment, the sentence upon the convicted rebels, which must now be executed, for it was righteous and nothing could be moved in arrest of it: The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, hath said it (Jer 9:15, Jer 9:16), and who can reverse it?
(1.)That all their comforts at home shall be poisoned and embittered to them: I will feed this people with wormwood (or rather with wolf's-bane, for it signifies a herb that is not wholesome, as wormwood is though it be bitter, but some herb that is both nauseous and noxious), and I will give them water of gall (or juice of hemlock or some other herb that is poisonous) to drink. Every thing about them, till it comes to their very meat and drink, shall be a terror and torment to them. God will curse their blessings, Mal 2:2.
(2.)That their dispersion abroad shall be their destruction (Jer 9:16): I will scatter them among the heathen. They were corrupted and debauched by their intimacy with the heathen, with whom they mingled and learned their works; and now they shall lose themselves, where they lost their virtue, among the heathen. They set up gods which neither they nor their fathers had known, strange gods, new gods (Deu 32:17); and now God will put them among neighbours whom neither they nor their fathers have known, whom they can claim no acquaintance with, and therefore can expect no favour from. And yet, though they are scattered so as that they will not know where to find one another. God will know where to find them all out (Psa 21:8) with that evil which still pursues impenitent sinners: I will send a sword after them, some killing judgment or other, till I have consumed them; for when God judges he will overcome, when he pursues he will overtake. And now we see for what the land perishes; all this desolation is the desert of their deeds and the performance of God's words.
II.He calls for the mourning women, and engages them, with the arts they practise to affect people and move their passions, to lament these sad calamities that had come or were coming upon them, that the nation might be alarmed to prepare for them: The Lord of hosts himself says, Call for the mourning women, that they may come, Jer 9:17. the scope of this is to show how very woeful and lamentable the condition of this people was likely to be.
1.Here is work for the counterfeit mourners: Send for cunning women, that know how to compose mournful ditties, or at least to sing them in mournful tunes and accents, and therefore are made use of at funerals to supply the want of true mourners. Let these take up a wailing for us, Jer 9:18. The deaths and funerals were so many that people wept for them till they had no power to weep, as those, Sa1 30:4. Let those therefore do it now whose trade it is. Or, rather, it intimates the extreme sottishness and stupidity of the people, that laid not to heart the judgments they were under, nor, even when there was so much blood shed, could find in their hearts to shed a tear. They cry not when God binds them, Job 36:13. God sent his mourning prophets to them, to call them to weeping and mourning, but his word in their mouths did not work upon their faith; rather therefore than they shall go laughing to their ruin, let the mourning women come, and try to work upon their fancy, that their eyes may at length run down with tears, and their eyelids gush out with waters. First or last, sinners must be weepers.
2.Here is work for the real mourners.
(1.)There is that which is a lamentation. The present scene is very tragical (Jer 9:19): A voice of wailing is heard out of Zion. Some make this to be the song of the mourning women: it is rather an echo to it, returned by those whose affections were moved by their wailings. In Zion the voice of joy and praise used to be heard, while the people kept closely to God. But sin has altered the note; it is now the voice of lamentation. It should seem to be the voice of those who fled from all parts of the country to the castle of Zion for protection. Instead of rejoicing that they had got safely thither, they lamented that they were forced to seek for shelter there: "How are we spoiled! How are we stripped of all our possessions! We are greatly confounded, ashamed of ourselves and our poverty;" for that is it that they complain of, that is it that they blush at the thoughts of, rather than of their sin: We are confounded because we have forsaken the land (forced so to do by the enemy), not because we have forsaken the Lord, being drawn aside of our own lust and enticed - because our dwellings have cast us out, not because our God has cast us off. Thus unhumbled hearts lament their calamity, but not their iniquity, the procuring cause of it.
(2.)There is more still to come which shall be for a lamentation. Things are bad, but they are likely to be worse. Those whose land has spued them out (as it did their predecessors the Canaanites, and justly, because they trod in their steps, Lev 18:28) complain that they are driven into the city, but, after a while, those of the city, and they with them, shall be forced thence too: Yet hear the word of the Lord; he has something more to say to you (Jer 9:20); let the women hear it, whose tender spirits are apt to receive the impressions of grief and fear, for the men will not heed it, will not give it a patient hearing. The prophets will be glad to preach to a congregation of women that tremble at God's word. Let your ear receive the word of God's mouth, and bid it welcome, though it be a word of terror. Let the women teach their daughters wailing; this intimates that the trouble shall last long, grief shall be entailed upon the generation to come. Young people are apt to love mirth, and expect mirth, and are disposed to be gay and airy; but let the elder women teach the younger to be serious, tell them what a vale of tears they must expect to find this world, and train them up among the mourners in Zion, Tit 2:4, Tit 2:5. Let every one teach her neighbour lamentation; this intimates that the trouble shall spread far, shall go from house to house. People shall not need to sympathize with their friends; they shall all have cause enough to mourn for themselves. Note, Those that are themselves affected with the terrors of the Lord should endeavour to affect others with them. The judgment here threatened is made to look terrible.
[1.]Multitudes shall be slain, Jer 9:21. Death shall ride in triumph, and there shall be no escaping his arrests when he comes with commission, neither within doors nor without. Not within doors, for let the doors be shut ever so fast, let them be ever so firmly locked and bolted, death comes up into our windows, like a thief in the night; it steals upon us ere we are aware. Nor does it thus boldly attack the cottages only, but it has entered into our palaces, the palaces of our princes and great men, though ever so stately, ever so strongly built and guarded. Note, No palaces can keep out death. Nor are those more safe that are abroad; death cuts off even the children from without and the young men from the streets. The children who might have been spared by the enemy in pity, because they had never been hurtful to them, and the young men who might have been spared in policy, because capable of being serviceable to them, shall fall together by the sword. It is usual now, even in the severest military executions, to put none to the sword. It is usual now, even in the severest military executions, to put none to the sword but those that are found in arms; but then even the boys and girls playing in the streets were sacrificed to the fury of the conqueror.
[2.]Those that are slain shall be left unburied (Jer 9:22): Speak, Thus saith the Lord (for the confirmation and aggravation of what was before said), Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung, neglected, and left to be offensive to the smell, as dung is. Common humanity obliges the survivors to bury the dead, even for their own sake; but here such numbers shall be slain, and those so dispersed all the country over, that it shall be an endless thing to bury them all, nor shall there be hands enough to do it, nor shall the conquerors permit it, and those that should do it shall be overwhelmed with grief, so that they shall have no heart to do it. The dead bodies even of the fairest and strongest, when they have lain awhile, become dung, such vile bodies have we. And here such multitudes shall fall that their bodies shall lie as thick as heaps of dung in the furrows of the field, and no more notice shall be taken of them than of the handfuls which the harvestman drops for the gleaners, for none shall gather them, but they shall remain in sight, monuments of divine vengeance, that the eye of the impenitent survivors may affect their heart. Slay them not, bury them not, lest my people forget, Psa 59:11.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
(Verses 15, 16.) Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood (or distress), and give them water of gall to drink. I will scatter them among the nations, which neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send a sword after them until they are consumed. It can also be prophesied about the near future, when they were taken captive by the Chaldeans, and specifically about this time, when they were dispersed among the nations, which they and their fathers had not known, and were divided throughout the entire world, and were fed with wormwood, or with hardships and distress. And they drank a drink of water mixed with gall, which signifies either the magnitude of their evils, or the eternal yoke of captivity: or certainly, because of their ignorance of God's law, they are about to receive Antichrist in place of Christ. But a sword is sent after them, to consume them even to their destruction. Or certainly, a sword that divides them and does not allow them to have agreement in evil, so that they may perish in what is evil.
I was then about sixteen years of age. I did not know the true God. I was taken as a captive to Ireland with many thousands of people, and deservedly so, because we had turned away from God and did not keep his commandments and did not obey our priests, who used to remind us of our salvation. The Lord brought over us the wrath of his anger and scattered us among many nations, even unto the utmost part of the earth, where now my insignificance is placed among strangers.
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Summary
Jeremiah 9:16 delivers a severe prophetic declaration from the Lord concerning the impending judgment upon Judah, foretelling a widespread dispersion of the people among foreign nations previously unknown to them and their ancestors. This divine pronouncement is coupled with the relentless pursuit of God's judgment in the form of a "sword," signifying war and destruction, which will continue until the full measure of His wrath and disciplinary purpose is accomplished. The verse powerfully underscores the dire consequences of Judah's persistent idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness, revealing God's unwavering commitment to both justice and the fulfillment of His warnings.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 9:16 is strategically placed within a larger prophetic lament and judgment oracle (Jeremiah 9:1-26) that addresses Judah's pervasive spiritual and moral corruption. The preceding verses (Jeremiah 9:1-15) vividly portray Jeremiah's profound sorrow and God's lament over the people's deep-seated deceit, idolatry, and stubborn refusal to heed divine instruction. This specific verse functions as a direct and unyielding declaration of the inevitable divine punishment that will follow their unrepentant sin. It transitions from the emotional outpouring of grief over Judah's spiritual brokenness to the explicit detailing of the catastrophic consequences—namely, forced exile and ongoing destruction—serving as a stark and unavoidable warning within the unfolding narrative of God's covenant lawsuit against His rebellious people.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophet Jeremiah ministered during the tumultuous late 7th and early 6th centuries BC, a period marked by profound political upheaval and spiritual apostasy in the kingdom of Judah. This era witnessed the decline of the Neo-Assyrian Empire and the ascendance of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which would ultimately conquer Judah and initiate the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah's prophecies were delivered against a backdrop of widespread syncretism, social injustice, and a superficial, ritualistic adherence to religious practices that lacked true heart-repentance. The "heathen" mentioned in the verse primarily refer to the Babylonians and other foreign nations into which the Judeans would be scattered, fulfilling the ancient covenant curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28:64 for disobedience. The "sword" represents the military might of these foreign invaders, divinely appointed as instruments of God's righteous judgment.
Key Themes
Jeremiah 9:16 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Judgment, emphasizing God's active and sovereign role in executing righteous punishment against His rebellious people. This is not arbitrary wrath but a just and necessary response to persistent covenant infidelity and idolatry, as vividly illustrated in Jeremiah 7 where God exposes their false security. Secondly, it underscores the theme of Exile and Dispersion, portraying the traumatic uprooting of a people from their ancestral land, their established traditions, and the central presence of the Temple, forcing them into unfamiliar and often hostile foreign environments. This scattering among nations "whom neither they nor their fathers have known" signifies a profound loss of national and religious identity, as well as security. Lastly, the verse speaks to the Persistent Consequences of sin, implying that the "sword" would follow them even into exile, signifying ongoing suffering, warfare, and destruction until God's disciplinary purposes were fully accomplished, a theme powerfully echoed in the lamentations of Lamentations 1:3.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (H6327) is a primitive root meaning "to dash in pieces," "to disperse," or "to spread abroad." In this context, it emphasizes a forceful, widespread disintegration of the community, a violent breaking apart and scattering of the people across foreign lands. It implies a loss of national cohesion, identity, and the security of their homeland, signifying a deliberate and severe act of divine judgment.
This term (H1471), often translated as "nation" or "people," specifically refers to foreign, non-Israelite nations or Gentiles. Its use here underscores the alien and often hostile environments into which Judah would be cast, highlighting their forced assimilation or subjugation to cultures that did not know or worship Yahweh. It emphasizes their profound spiritual and cultural disorientation in lands where their covenant God was not acknowledged and their sacred traditions were not understood.
This word (H2719) denotes a cutting instrument, like a knife or sword, often used figuratively to represent its destructive effect. In prophetic literature, the "sword" is a potent and recurring symbol of war, violence, and divine retribution, frequently appearing alongside famine and pestilence as instruments of God's judgment. Its continued presence "after them" signifies relentless pursuit and ongoing affliction, indicating that the consequences of their sin would follow them even into exile.
Verse Breakdown
"I will scatter them also among the heathen"
This opening clause declares God's direct and sovereign agency in the dispersion of His people. The verb "scatter" (H6327, pûwts') conveys a forceful, widespread dispersal, indicating that Judah's exile would not be a localized event but a broad scattering among various foreign nations (H1471, gôwy'). This is a deliberate divine act of judgment, fulfilling ancient covenant warnings against disobedience.
"whom neither they nor their fathers have known"
This phrase emphasizes the profound unfamiliarity, alienation, and disorientation that the Judeans would experience in the foreign lands and cultures into which they would be driven. It highlights the severe disruption of their cultural, religious, and social norms, forcing them into environments where their God was not acknowledged and their traditions were not understood, leading to immense spiritual and existential trauma. The knowledge (H3045, yâdaʻ) here is experiential, signifying a complete lack of prior relationship or understanding.
"and I will send a sword after them"
This signifies the relentless and ongoing nature of God's judgment, even beyond the initial act of scattering. The "sword" (H2719, chereb) symbolizes war, violence, and destruction. "Sending" (H7971, shâlach) implies divine orchestration, meaning that even after the initial scattering, the people would not find peace but would continue to suffer from conflict and violence, indicating that God's punitive hand would follow (H310, ʼachar) them into their exile.
"till I have consumed them"
This final clause indicates the thoroughness, duration, and ultimate purpose of God's judgment. The word "consumed" (H3615, kâlâh) means to end, finish, or bring to completion, often implying destruction or perishing. It does not necessarily mean total annihilation of the people but rather the complete fulfillment of God's disciplinary purpose through suffering, until the nation's pride is broken, their idolatry purged, and a remnant is prepared for future restoration and a genuine return to Him.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 9:16 employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and unyielding message of divine judgment. Divine Fiat is central, as the verse opens with the emphatic first-person declarations, "I will scatter" and "I will send," showcasing God's absolute sovereignty and direct agency in orchestrating the impending catastrophe. This emphasizes that the coming judgment is not random misfortune but a deliberate and righteous act of divine will. Symbolism is also profoundly employed, with the "sword" serving as a powerful and ubiquitous symbol of war, violence, and divine retribution. It represents the relentless instrument of God's wrath, pursuing the disobedient. The act of "scattering" itself is symbolic of the breaking apart of the nation, the loss of unity, and the profound disruption of their covenant relationship with God. Furthermore, the phrase "whom neither they nor their fathers have known" uses Pathos to evoke a deep sense of alienation, disorientation, and cultural shock, highlighting the emotional and spiritual trauma of being exiled to utterly unfamiliar lands.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 9:16 is a profound theological statement on the severe consequences of covenant unfaithfulness and the unwavering nature of divine justice. It reveals that God, in His absolute holiness and righteousness, cannot tolerate persistent rebellion, idolatry, and spiritual apathy. The scattering and the pursuing "sword" are not arbitrary acts of wrath but a just and necessary response to a people who have repeatedly broken their covenant vows, rejected His warnings, and scorned His grace. This judgment, though undeniably severe, serves a dual purpose: to purify a remnant from the dross of their sin and to unequivocally demonstrate God's unwavering commitment to His own character and the sanctity of His covenant. It underscores the biblical principle that while God is infinitely merciful and patient, He is also perfectly just, and His warnings are to be taken with utmost seriousness. The suffering described is a direct, bitter harvest of their choices, a consequence designed to bring them to a place of profound repentance and a renewed recognition of His ultimate sovereignty.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 9:16 serves as a powerful and sobering reminder that persistent disobedience to God's commands carries profound and far-reaching consequences, not only for individuals but for entire communities and nations. It challenges us to deeply examine our own lives and societies for areas of spiritual compromise, idolatry (anything that takes God's rightful place), or a casual neglect of God's revealed truth. The "scattering" and the "sword" represent the disruptive and destructive outcomes that inevitably follow when we turn away from the Lord – whether it be the breakdown of relationships, the loss of inner peace, the erosion of moral foundations in society, or the experience of divine discipline. This verse calls us to a deep and genuine repentance, urging us to heed God's warnings with seriousness and to return to Him with our whole heart, acknowledging His rightful place as Lord. It also reminds us of God's unwavering sovereignty, even in judgment, assuring us that His purposes are always just and ultimately redemptive, even when they involve severe and painful discipline designed to bring about true transformation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "scatter them also among the heathen" mean for the people of Judah?
This phrase refers to the forced dispersion and exile of the Jewish people from their homeland, Judah, into foreign nations. Historically, this primarily points to the Babylonian exile, where the Judeans were taken captive and settled in unfamiliar territories among non-Israelite peoples who did not share their faith or culture. It signified a profound loss of national identity, religious practice (especially temple worship), and security, fulfilling ancient covenant warnings found in passages like Deuteronomy 28:64 and Leviticus 26:33.
Does "till I have consumed them" imply the total annihilation of the Jewish people?
No, "till I have consumed them" (H3615, kâlâh) does not mean total annihilation in this context. Rather, it signifies the thoroughness and completion of God's disciplinary judgment. It implies that the suffering, exile, and destruction would continue until God's specific purposes for their discipline were fully accomplished. This often included the breaking of their pride, the purging of idolatry, and the preservation of a righteous remnant who would eventually return and be restored, as promised in other prophecies like Jeremiah 29:10. The judgment was severe and comprehensive, but it was ultimately aimed at purification and restoration, not eradication, demonstrating God's covenant faithfulness even in discipline.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 9:16, with its stark portrayal of divine judgment, the scattering of a rebellious people, and the relentless "sword" of consequences for sin, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Humanity, like ancient Judah, was spiritually scattered by sin, alienated from God, and stood under the just condemnation of His righteous "sword" (Romans 3:23 and the wages of sin in Romans 6:23). However, in Christ, the ultimate divine judgment was absorbed. He became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, bearing the full weight of God's wrath on the cross, thereby "consuming" the power of sin and death for all who believe (Isaiah 53:5 where by His wounds we are healed). Through His atoning sacrifice, the "sword" of judgment that pursued humanity was satisfied in Him, allowing for reconciliation and peace with God (Colossians 1:20). Furthermore, the scattering of Judah foreshadows the spiritual scattering and alienation of humanity from God, and Christ's mission is to gather a new people, His Church, from every nation, tribe, and tongue, bringing them into a new covenant relationship where they are no longer alienated but are brought near by His precious blood (Ephesians 2:13-16). Thus, what was a terrifying prophecy of judgment for Judah becomes, in Christ, the very means of salvation, spiritual re-gathering, and eternal restoration for all who trust in Him.