John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 9:4

John Gill Commentary

Jeremiah 9:4

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
John Gill
John Gill

John Gill Commentary

Jeremiah 9:4

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders." — Jeremiah 9:4 (ASV)

Take heed everyone of your neighbour
Take care of being imposed upon by them, since they are so given to lying and deceit; be not too credulous, or too easily believe what is said; or keep yourselves from them; have no company or conversation with them, since evil communications corrupt good manners: and trust not in any brother ;
whether by blood or by marriage, or by religion, believe not his words; trust him not, neither with your money, nor with your mind; commit not your secrets to him, place no confidence in him; a people must be very corrupt indeed when this is the case:

or, "trust not in every brother" F18 ; some may be trusted, but not all though the following clause seems to contradict this, for every brother will utterly supplant ;
or, in supplanting supplant F19; play the Jacob, do as he did by his brother, who supplanted him twice; first got the birthright from him, and then the blessing; which was presignified by taking his brother by the heel in the womb, from where he had his name; and the same word is here used, which signifies a secret, clandestine, and insidious way of circumventing another;

and every neighbour will walk with slanders ;
go about spreading lies and calumnies, as worshippers, backbiters, and tale bearers do. The word (lykd) is used for a "merchant"; and because such persons went from place to place with their goods, and made use often times of fraudulent practices to deceive people, it is applied to one that is guilty of slander and calumny; (Song of Solomon 3:8) .


FOOTNOTES:

  • F18: (wxjbt la xa lk lew) "et omni fratri ne fidatis", Paganinus.
  • F19: (bqey bwqe) "supplantanto supplantat", Schmidt.