John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 5:28

"They are waxed fat, they shine: yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they plead not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge." — Jeremiah 5:28 (ASV)

Here the Prophet reproves those who were high in dignity, station, and wealth, and who wished at the same time to be considered inviolable because they were the rulers of the people. He had spoken generally before, but now he assails the higher orders: the king’s counselors, the priests, the judges, and all endowed with authority.

He says that they were swollen with fatness, that they were shining, though they had exceeded, and so on. We see how he confirms what he had briefly referred to. For, as they protected themselves under the pretense of being rich so that they might not be called to account, he says, by way of concession, “I allow that you are bright and splendid, and indeed that you are all over gold.” But then he asks, from where is this splendor?

From where is this specious appearance, which dazzles the eyes of the simple? You are bright, you are fat, though you have surpassed the words of the impious—that is, their ways, their doings, and their designs. He means, in short, that it was of no avail to the wicked that their appearance terrified people, that they gained great respect by their riches, and made others afraid of them.

The Prophet admits that they had honors, wealth, splendor, reputation, dignity, and similar things; but he says at the same time, You have surpassed all the doings of the wicked. And then he brings this charge against them: that they did not judge judgment.

It therefore appears that the Prophet was not dealing with the common people or with private individuals, but that he openly and avowedly reproved the king’s court and the judges. He says, They judge not judgment; which means that they had no concern for executing justice but allowed thefts and robberies to go unpunished. He further enhances their guilt, saying, They judge not the judgment of the fatherless. Pity towards young orphans is often found even in those who are otherwise cruel, for that age, especially when deprived of all protection, touches our feelings in a peculiar way. Since young orphans were then plundered with impunity and found no defense from the judges, their dishonesty appeared most glaringly.

And he says that they yet prospered. He again repeats, by way of concession, what he had previously intimated—that it was a foolish and vain pretense that they openly boasted of their wealth, honors, and fortunes. “How is this?” he asks. They prosper; but yet they judge not the judgment of the poor, That is, they do not help the poor, but conceal and connive at all the wrongs done to them. We now see then that he exposes the wickedness of the people, so that not even the principal men can hide themselves; for the Lord shows that they had wholly neglected their duties and were even destitute of all humanity.