Charles Ellicott Commentary Jeremiah 51:5

"For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, of his God, of Jehovah of hosts; though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel." — Jeremiah 51:5 (ASV)

Israel hath not been forsaken. —Better, widowed. The participle is from the word that commonly represents the idea of widowhood.

Judah and Israel, the prophet declares, were not, as people thought, abandoned by their husband Jehovah. He was still their protector.

The prophet has in his thoughts at once the image of apparent widowhood (Isaiah 54:4–6; Lamentations 1:1) and the thought that Jehovah is, after all, the husband ready to forgive (Jeremiah 3:4; Jeremiah 3:14; Jeremiah 3:20; Jeremiah 4:1).

The assurance of this returning love does not rest on any plea in extenuation of the nation’s guilt, which the words that follow admit without reserve. For “his” it would be better to read her or their, to keep up the metaphor.

Against the Holy One of Israel. —On Jeremiah’s use of the name, see Note on Jeremiah 50:29.