Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 8
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 8
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 8
"At that time, saith Jehovah, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;" — Jeremiah 8:1 (ASV)
Not the living only but the dead will be exposed to the ruthless violence of the enemy, who will ransack the graves of the wealthier classes.
"and they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried, they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth." — Jeremiah 8:2 (ASV)
Loved ... served ... walked ... sought ... worshipped - There is great force in the piled-up verbs by which their worship of the heavenly bodies is described. The prophet beginning with the heart’s “love” describes that worship in the various stages of its development, and then contrasts its fullness with the miserable reward which ensues.
"And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith Jehovah of hosts." — Jeremiah 8:3 (ASV)
This evil family - The whole Jewish people.
Which remain - The words are omitted by the Septuagint and Syriac versions.
"Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Shall men fall, and not rise up again? Shall one turn away, and not return?" — Jeremiah 8:4 (ASV)
The prophet here resumes from (Jeremiah 7:28) the main subject of his prophecy. He again invites the Jews to repentance.
Shall they fall? – The argument is that when men fall, they do not lie upon the ground, but endeavor to get up again; and when a man loses his way, he does not persist in going on, but turns round, and retraces his steps. Israel then will be only following the dictates of common sense in desisting from that which she now knows to be her ruin.
"Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return." — Jeremiah 8:5 (ASV)
When people act as described in Jeremiah 8:4, why are God’s own people alone an exception?
Slidden back ... backsliding – These are the same words as “turn” and “return” in Jeremiah 8:4. They should be rendered, “Why does this people of Jerusalem turn away with a perpetual turning?”
Deceit – that is, idolatry; because in it, people worship what is false, and it proves false to its worshippers.
Refuse – From a feeling of dislike.
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