Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 5
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 5
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 5
"Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justly, that seeketh truth; and I will pardon her." — Jeremiah 5:1 (ASV)
The broad places - The open spaces next to the gates, and other places of gathering.
A man - Or, anyone.
He who executes - “That” practices.
Truth - uprightness, probity .
"And though they say, As Jehovah liveth; surely they swear falsely." — Jeremiah 5:2 (ASV)
Though they take the most binding form of oath, they do so only as a means of deceiving others.
"O Jehovah, do not thine eyes look upon truth? thou hast stricken them, but they were not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return." — Jeremiah 5:3 (ASV)
Upon the truth - God looks to the “faith,” the upright purpose of the heart, and without it the nominal allegiance of an oath is an abomination.
"Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the law of their God:" — Jeremiah 5:4 (ASV)
Therefore - More simply “and.”
They are foolish - Or, they act foolishly , not having that knowledge which would enable them to guide their ways with discretion.
"I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of Jehovah, and the law of their God. But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds." — Jeremiah 5:5 (ASV)
They have known ... - Men of education, who read the Scriptures, and learn from them the nature of God’s judgments.
But these - literally, surely they .
The yoke - The Mosaic law.
And burst ... - They have torn off, torn themselves loose from.
The bonds - The fastenings by which the yoke was fixed upon the necks of the oxen.
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