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Commentary on Jeremiah 9 verses 1–11
The prophet, being commissioned both to foretel the destruction coming upon Judah and Jerusalem and to point out the sin for which that destruction was brought upon them, here, as elsewhere, speaks of both very feelingly: what he said of both came from the heart, and therefore one would have thought it would reach to the heart.
I. He abandons himself to sorrow in consideration of the calamitous condition of his people, which he sadly laments, a one that preferred Jerusalem before his chief joy and her grievances before his chief sorrows.
1.He laments the slaughter of the persons, the blood shed and the lives lost (Jer 9:1): "O that my head were waters, quite melted and dissolved with grief, that so my eyes might be fountains of tears, weeping abundantly, continually, and without intermission, still sending forth fresh floods of tears as there still occur fresh occasions for them!" The same word in Hebrew signifies both the eye and a fountain, as if in this land of sorrows our eyes were designed rather for weeping than seeing. Jeremiah wept much, and yet wished he could weep more, that he might affect a stupid people and rouse them to a due sense of the hand of God gone out against them. Note, It becomes us, while we are here in this vale of tears, to conform to the temper of the climate and to sow in tears. Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted hereafter; but let them expect that while they are here the clouds will still return after the rain. While we find our hearts such fountains of sin, it is fit that our eyes should be fountains of tears. But Jeremiah's grief here is upon the public account: he would weep day and night, not so much for the death of his own near relations, but for the slain of the daughter of his people, the multitudes of his countrymen that fell by the sword of war. Note, When we hear of the numbers of the slain in great battles and sieges we ought to be much affected with the intelligence, and not to make a light matter of it; yea, though they be not of the daughter of our people, for, whatever people they are of, they are of the same human nature with us, and there are so many precious lives lost, as dear to them as ours to us, and so many precious souls gone into eternity.
2.He laments the desolations of the country. This he brings in (v. 10), for impassioned mourners are not often very methodical in their discourses: "Not only for the towns and cities, but for the mountains, will I take up a weeping and wailing" (not barren mountains, but the fruitful hills with which Judea abounded), and for the habitations of the wilderness, or rather the pastures of the plain, that used to be clothed with flocks or covered over with corn, and a goodly sight it was; but now they are burnt up by the Chaldean army (which, according to the custom of war, destroyed to the custom of war, destroyed the forage and carried off all the cattle), so that no one dares to pass through them, for fear of meeting with some parties of the enemy, no one cares to pass through them, every thing looks so melancholy and frightful, no one has any business to pass through them, for they hear not the voice of the cattle there as usual, the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the oxen, that grateful music to the owners; nay, both the fowl of the heavens and the beasts have fled. either frightened away by the rude noises and terrible fires which the enemies make, or forced away because there is no subsistence for them. Note, God has many ways of turning a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of those that dwell therein; and the havoc war makes in a country cannot but be for a lamentation to all tender spirits, for it is a tragedy which destroys the stage it is acted on.
II. He abandons himself to solitude, in consideration of the scandalous character and conduct of his people. Though he dwells in Judah where God is known, in Salem where his tabernacle is, yet he is ready to cry out, Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech! Psa 120:5. While all his neighbours are fleeing to the defenced cities, and Jerusalem especially, in dread of the enemies' rage (Jer 4:5, Jer 4:6) he is contriving to retire into some desert, in detestation of his people's sin (Jer 9:2): "O that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men, such a lonely cottage to dwell in as they have in the deserts of Arabia, which are uninhabited, for travellers to repose themselves in, that I might leave my people and go from them!" Not only because of the ill usage they gave him (he would rather venture himself among the wild beasts of the desert than among such treacherous barbarous people), but principally because his righteous soul was vexed from day to day, as Lot's was in Sodom, with the wickedness of their conversation, Pe2 2:7, Pe2 2:8. This does not imply any intention or resolution that he had thus to retire. God had cut him out work among them, which he must not quit for his own ease. We must not go out of the world, bad as it is, before our time. If he could not reform them, he could bear a testimony against them; if he could not do good to many, yet he might to some. but it intimates the temptation he was in to leave them, involves a threatening that they should be deprived of his ministry, and especially expresses the holy indignation he had against their abominable wickedness, which continued notwithstanding all the pains he had taken with them to reclaim them. It made him even weary of his life to see them dishonouring God as they did and destroying themselves. Time was when the place which God had chosen to put his name there was the desire and delight of good men. David, in a wilderness, longed to be again in the courts of God's house; but now Jeremiah, in the courts of God's house (for there he was when he said this), wishes himself in a wilderness. Those have made themselves very miserable that have made God's people and ministers weary of them and willing to get from them. Now, to justify his willingness to leave them, he shows,
1.What he himself had observed among them.
(1.)He would not think of leaving them because they were poor and in distress, but because they were wicked. [1.] They were filthy: They are all adulterers, that is, the generality of them are, Jer 5:8. They all either practised this sin or connived at those that did. Lewdness and uncleanness constituted that crying sin of Sodom at which righteous Lot was vexed in soul, and it is a sin that renders men loathsome in the eyes of God and all good men; it makes men an abomination. [2.] They were false. This is the sin that is most enlarged upon here. Those that had been unfaithful to their God were so to one another, and it was a part of their punishment as well as their sin, for even those that love to cheat, yet hate to be cheated. First, Go into their solemn meetings for the exercises of religion, for the administration of justice, or for commerce - to church, to court, or to the exchange - and they are an assembly of treacherous men; they are so by consent, they strengthen one another's hands in doing any thing that is perfidious. There they will cheat deliberately and industriously, with design, with a malicious design, for (Jer 9:3) they bend their tongues, like their bow, for lies, with a great deal of craft; their tongues are fitted for lying, as a bow that is bent is for shooting, and are as constantly used for that purpose. Their tongue turns as naturally to a lie as the bow to the strong. But they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth. Their tongues are like a bow strung, with which they might do good service if they would use the art and resolution which they are so much masters of in the cause of truth; but they will not do so. They appear not in defence of the truths of God, which were delivered to them by the prophets; but even those that could not deny them to be truths were content to see them run down. In the administration of justice they have not courage to stand by an honest cause that has truth on its side, if greatness and power be on the other side. Those that will be faithful to the truth must be valiant for it, and not be daunted by the opposition given to it, nor fear the face of man. They are not valiant for the truth in the land, the land which has truth for the glory of it. Truth has fallen in the land, and they dare not lend a hand to help it up, Isa 59:14, Isa 59:15. We must answer, another day, not only for our enmity in opposing truth, but for our cowardice in defending it. Secondly, Go into their families, and you will find they will cheat their own brethren (every brother will utterly supplant); they will trip up one another's heels if they can, for they lie at the catch to seek all advantages against those they hope to make a hand of. Jacob had his name from supplanting; it is the word here used; they followed him in his name, but not in his true character, without guile. So very false are they that you cannot trust in a brother, but must stand as much upon your guard as if you were dealing with a stranger, with a Canaanite that has balances of deceit in his hand. Things have come to an ill pass indeed when a man cannot put confidence in his own brother. Thirdly, Go into company and observe both their commerce and their conversation, and you will find there is nothing of sincerity or common honesty among them. Nec hospes ab hospite tutus - The host and the guest are in danger from each other. The best advice a wise man can give you is to take heed every one of his neighbour, nay, of his friend (so some read it), of him whom he has befriended and who pretends friendship to him. No man thinks himself bound to be either grateful or sincere. Take them in their conversation and every neighbour will walk with slander; they care not what ill they say one of another, though ever so false; that way that the slander goes they will go; they will walk with it. They will walk about from house to house too, carrying slanders along with them, all the ill-natured stories they can pick up or invent to make mischief. Take them in their trading and bargaining, and they will deceive every one his neighbour, will say any thing, though they know it to be false, for their own advantage. Nay, they will lie for lying sake, to keep their tongues in use to it, for they will not speak the truth, but will tell a deliberate lie and laugh at it when they have done.
(2.)That which aggravates the sin on this false and lying generation is, [1.] That they are ingenious to sin: They have taught their tongue to speak lies, implying that through the reluctances of natural conscience they found it difficult to bring themselves to it. Their tongue would have spoken truth, but they taught it to speak lies, and by degrees have made themselves masters of the art of lying, and have got such a habit of it that use has made it a second nature to them. They learnt it when they were young (for the wicked are estranged from the womb, speaking lies, Psa 58:3), and now they have grown dexterous at it. [2.] That they are industrious to sin: They weary themselves to commit iniquity; they put a force upon their consciences to bring themselves to it; they tire out their convictions by offering them continual violence, and they take a great deal of pains, till they have even spent themselves in bringing about their malicious designs. They are wearied with their sinful pursuits and yet not weary of them. The service of sin is a perfect drudgery; men run themselves out of breath in it, and put themselves to a great deal of toil to damn their own souls. [3.] That they grow worse and worse (Jer 9:3): They proceed from evil to evil, from one sin to another, from one degree of sin to another. They began with less sins. Nemo repente fit turpissimus - No one reaches the height of vice at once. They began with equivocating and bantering, but at last came to downright lying. And they are now proceeding to greater sins yet, for they know not me, saith the Lord; and where men have no knowledge of God, or no consideration of what they have known of him, what good can be expected from them? Men's ignorance of God is the cause of all their ill conduct one towards another.
2.The prophet shows what God had informed him of their wickedness, and what he had determined against them.
(1.)God had marked their sin. He could tell the prophet (and he speaks of it with compassion) what sort of people they were that he had to deal with. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, Rev 2:13. So here (Jer 9:6): "Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit, all about thee are addicted to it; therefore stand upon thy guard." If all men are liars, it concerns us to beware of men,. and to be wise as serpents. They are deceitful men; therefore there is little hope of thy doing any good among them; for, make things ever so plain, they have some trick or other wherewith to shuffle off their convictions. This charge is enlarged upon, Jer 9:8. Their tongue was a bow bent (Jer 9:3), plotting and preparing mischief; here it is an arrow shot out, putting in execution what they had projected. It is as a slaying arrow (so some readings of the original have it); their tongue has been to many an instrument of death. They speak peaceably to their neighbours, against whom they are at the same time lying in wait; as Joab kissed Abner when he was about to kill him, and Cain, that he might not be suspected of any ill design, talked with his brother, freely and familiarly. Note, Fair words, when they are not attended with good intentions, are despicable, but, when they are intended as a cloak and cover for wicked intentions they are abominable. While they did all this injury to one another they put a great contempt upon God: "Not only they know not me, but (Jer 9:6) through deceit, through the delusions of the false prophets, they refuse to know me; they are so cheated into a good opinion of their own ways, the ways of their own heart, that they desire not the knowledge of my ways." Or, "They are so wedded to this sinful course which they are in, and so bewitched with that, and its gains, that they will by no means admit the knowledge of God, because that would be a check upon them in their sins." This is the ruin of sinners: they might be taught the good knowledge of the Lord and they will not learn it; and where no knowledge of God is, what good can be expected? Hos 4:1.
(2.)He had marked them for ruin, Jer 9:7, Jer 9:9, Jer 9:11. Those that will not know God as their lawgiver shall be made to know him as their judge. God determines here to bring his judgments upon them, for the refining of some and the ruining of the rest. [1.] Some shall be refined (Jer 9:7): "Because they are thus corrupt, behold I will melt them and try them, will bring them into trouble and see what that will do towards bringing them to repentance, whether the furnace of affliction will purify them from their dross, and whether, when they are melted, they will be new-cast in a better mould." He will make trial of less afflictions before he brings upon them utter destruction; for he desires not the death of sinners. They shall not be rejected as reprobate silver till the founder has melted in vain, Jer 6:29, Jer 6:30. For how shall I do for the daughter of my people? He speaks as one consulting with himself what to do with them that might be for the best, and as one that could not find in his heart to cast them off and give them up to ruin till he had first tried all means likely to bring them to repentance. Or, "How else shall I do for them? They have grown so very corrupt that there is no other way with them but to put them into the furnace; what other course can I take with them? Isa 5:4, Isa 5:5. It is the daughter of my people, and I must do something to vindicate my own honour, which will be reflected upon if I connive at their wickedness. I must do something to reduce and reform them." A parent corrects his own children because they are his own. Note, When God afflicts his people, it is with a gracious design to mollify and reform them; it is but when need is and when he knows it is the best method he can use. [2.] The rest shall be ruined (Jer 9:9): Shall I not visit for these things? Fraud and falsehood are sins which God hates and which he will reckon for. "Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this, that is so universally corrupt, and, by its impudence in sin, even dares and defies divine vengeance? The sentence is passed, the decree has gone forth (Jer 9:11): I will make Jerusalem heaps of rubbish, and lay it in such ruins that it shall be fit for nothing but to be a den of dragons; and the cities of Judah shall be a desolation." God makes them so, for he gives the enemy warrant and power to do it: but why is the holy city made a heap? The answer is ready, Because it has become an unholy one?
(Verse 8, 9.) The arrow that wounds their tongue speaks deceit: in their mouth they speak peace with their friend but hide traps for them secretly. Will I not visit them for these things, says the Lord, or will not my soul take revenge on a nation such as this? Every heretic who wounds the hearts of those who hear and do not understand the scripture possesses an arrow that wounds, and speaks in deceit. And when he promises peace to his neighbor with his mouth, he secretly sets traps. But in the following verses, in which he says: 'Will I not visit these things? says the Lord: or will not my soul be avenged on a nation like this?' he frequently abuses this as a Prophet, so that when he enumerates the individual works of evil, he may infer that he does what he does justly.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 9:9 serves as a potent divine declaration from Yahweh, expressing His unyielding resolve to execute righteous judgment upon a nation steeped in pervasive sin and rebellion. Through the prophet Jeremiah, the LORD emphatically states His certainty that He will not overlook the deep-seated treachery, deceit, and unfaithfulness of His people, Judah. This verse underscores the profound truth that divine accountability is an inevitable consequence when a society persistently rejects God's truth, justice, and covenant, signaling a coming reckoning for their profound moral and spiritual corruption.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 9:9 is strategically positioned within a profound lamentation and a series of stern prophetic warnings concerning the moral and spiritual decay of Judah. The verses immediately preceding it, specifically Jeremiah 9:2-8, paint a grim and detailed picture of widespread corruption, portraying the people as utterly consumed by deceit and treachery. Jeremiah laments that "everyone deceives his neighbor" and "they have taught their tongue to speak lies" (Jeremiah 9:5). The prophet describes a society where trust is nonexistent, and even family members cannot be relied upon, likening their gatherings to a "den of thieves" (Jeremiah 9:2). God's declaration in verse 9 is a direct, rhetorical response to this detailed indictment of their systemic unrighteousness and their refusal to "know the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:6), thereby setting the stage for the inevitable divine intervention and judgment that unfolds in the subsequent chapters of the book.
Historical & Cultural Context: Jeremiah prophesied during a tumultuous and pivotal period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of the last five kings before the devastating Babylonian exile (approximately 627-586 BC). This era was characterized by profound political instability, with Judah caught between the shifting imperial powers of Assyria, Egypt, and the rising Babylon. Spiritually, it was a time of severe decline within Judah, despite earlier attempts at reform under King Josiah. The people quickly reverted to pervasive idolatry, social injustice, and flagrant covenant breaking. Culturally, outward religious observance often served as a thin veneer over deep-seated moral depravity, and the prophetic warnings of impending judgment were largely ignored or dismissed. The concept of God "visiting" or "avenging" was deeply understood within the covenant framework established at Sinai, where blessings followed obedience and curses followed disobedience, as meticulously outlined in texts like Deuteronomy 28. The nation's persistent and unrepentant sin, despite repeated divine warnings, necessitated a decisive divine response to uphold God's justice and the integrity of His covenant.
Key Themes: Jeremiah 9:9 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes that permeate the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Foremost among these is the theme of Divine Justice and Judgment, emphatically asserting that God, who is inherently holy and righteous, will not indefinitely tolerate persistent sin and rebellion. His "visitation" is not a casual inspection but a decisive act of reckoning, highlighting the seriousness of His character and His unwavering commitment to moral order in His creation. This verse also underscores the severe Consequences of Covenant Disobedience, demonstrating that the breaking of the sacred covenant relationship with Yahweh inevitably leads to punitive outcomes. The rhetorical questions embedded within the verse highlight the Inevitability of God's Action; there is no escaping the consequences of a life or a nation lived in defiance of His commands. Furthermore, the phrase "shall not my soul be avenged" reveals God's Personal Indignation at the nation's actions, signifying not petty revenge but a righteous recompense for the systemic injustice and unfaithfulness that violated His holy character and His unique relationship with His chosen people. This aligns perfectly with the prophetic call for genuine repentance found throughout the book, such as in Jeremiah 7:3-7.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 9:9 is rich in Rhetorical Questions, a prominent literary device employed to emphasize the certainty and inevitability of God's impending judgment. By posing "Shall I not visit them...?" and "shall not my soul be avenged...?", the text compels the audience to acknowledge the undeniable truth that God will act, leaving no room for doubt, negotiation, or evasion. This technique serves to heighten the dramatic tension and underscore the divine resolve. Furthermore, the phrase "my soul be avenged" employs profound Anthropomorphism, attributing human characteristics (having a "soul" that seeks "vengeance" or vindication) to God. This device helps humanize the divine experience of righteous indignation, making God's deep personal offense at sin more relatable and impactful to the human audience, while still maintaining His transcendent and holy nature. The verse also exhibits a clear form of Parallelism, where the two rhetorical questions mirror each other in structure and reinforce the central, unwavering message of divine retribution.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 9:9 powerfully articulates the foundational theological truth of God's unwavering justice and His absolute commitment to holding humanity accountable for sin. It decisively dispels any notion of a passive, indifferent, or permissive deity, revealing instead a God who is intimately involved in the moral fabric of His creation and who will not indefinitely tolerate persistent rebellion against His righteous standards. This verse emphasizes that divine judgment is not arbitrary or capricious but a necessary and just consequence of unfaithfulness, flowing directly from God's holy character and His covenant integrity. It serves as a solemn reminder that while God is abundant in mercy and slow to anger, His justice is equally profound and unyielding, ensuring that sin does not go unaddressed, and that His moral order will ultimately be upheld. The "visitation" and "avenging" are profound expressions of His zeal for righteousness and His personal offense at the pervasive corruption that dishonors His name and breaks His covenant.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 9:9 stands as a timeless and sobering warning, not only for ancient Judah but for all generations and societies. It compels us to confront the stark reality that sin, especially persistent and pervasive societal unrighteousness, carries inevitable divine consequences. This verse challenges us to critically examine our own lives and the collective moral landscape of our communities, prompting us to ask whether we are truly living in alignment with God's truth or if we, like Judah, are steeped in deceit, injustice, and spiritual apathy. It serves as a powerful reminder of God's absolute holiness and His unwavering commitment to justice, urging us to take sin seriously and to recognize that His character demands a righteous response to unrighteousness. Ultimately, this passage is a profound call to introspection, heartfelt confession, and genuine repentance, prompting us to turn away from self-deception and toward the living God, seeking His boundless mercy and forgiveness before His righteous visitation arrives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is God's "vengeance" in this verse compatible with His love and mercy?
Answer: Yes, God's "vengeance" (or "avenging") in Jeremiah 9:9 is fundamentally compatible with His love and mercy when understood within a comprehensive biblical framework. This is not petty, malicious, or uncontrolled revenge, but rather a righteous act of upholding divine justice and holiness. God's love is not sentimental; it is a holy love that demands righteousness and cannot tolerate persistent evil that harms His creation and dishonors His name. His "visitation" is a just response to covenant breaking and profound moral corruption, intended to restore order and demonstrate that He is indeed the sovereign Lord who judges righteously. While judgment is severe, its ultimate purpose is often redemptive, aiming to bring about repentance and a return to Him, as seen in passages like Lamentations 3:31-33. His mercy is profoundly evident in His long-suffering and repeated warnings before judgment is executed, consistently offering opportunities for repentance and a turning back to Him (e.g., Jonah 3:10).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jeremiah 9:9 speaks powerfully of God's righteous judgment upon a rebellious nation, its ultimate fulfillment and deepest theological meaning are profoundly illuminated and resolved through the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "visitation" and "avenging" of God's righteous soul find their most dramatic and complete expression in the cross, where the full weight of divine judgment for humanity's sin was poured out not upon a nation, but upon the innocent Lamb of God. Jesus, as the sinless Son of God, perfectly bore the "vengeance" that humanity deserved, becoming the propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:25). He is the one who perfectly upheld God's justice by fully satisfying its demands, and simultaneously revealed God's boundless love by offering Himself as the ultimate, substitutionary sacrifice. For all who believe in Him, the "visitation" of judgment is miraculously transformed into a "visitation" of grace, mercy, and salvation, as Christ has already endured the righteous wrath of God on their behalf (1 Peter 2:24). Yet, for those who persistently reject Him, Christ will also return as the righteous and final Judge, executing the ultimate "visitation" and "avenging" of God's justice upon all unrighteousness, as vividly described in passages like Revelation 19:11-16). Thus, Jesus stands as both the one who bore the judgment and the one who will ultimately administer it, perfectly embodying the full spectrum of God's justice and His profound mercy.