Charles Spurgeon Commentary Jeremiah 8:14-16

"Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities, and let us be silent there; for Jehovah our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Jehovah. We looked for peace, but no good came; [and] for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay! The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan: at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones the whole land trembleth; for they are come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it; the city and those that dwell therein." — Jeremiah 8:14-16 (ASV)

Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defensed cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it, the city, and those that dwell therein.

Dan was the northernmost tribe, bordering on Phoenicia. After Nebuchadnezzar conquered the Phoenicians, he began to march through the territory of Dan. The mighty horses of the Chaldeans are depicted on the slabs brought home by Mr. Layard. They were a very prominent part of the Chaldean force. So, the poet-prophet pictures them as being heard from Dan all the way to Jerusalem, so terrible was their snorting. This, of course, is the imagery of poetry, but there was terrible reality behind it.