Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 9

Verse 1

To. Hebrew is more expressive. (Calmet) --- "Who will give my head waters, (Haydock) or change it into water, and my eyes into a fountain." (Calmet) --- Protestants, "Oh that my head were waters." (Haydock) --- The miseries of my people are so great, (Calmet) a few tears would not suffice to bewail them. (Worthington)

Verse 2

Men. Why cannot I retire (Menochius) from this scene of misery, or afford some consolation to the captives? Septuagint, "Who will give me the last station in the desert?" (Haydock)

Verse 3

Lies. They are bent on deceit (Calmet) and murder, (Haydock) ver. 8., and Psalm lxiii. 4., and cxix. 2.

Verse 4

Deceitfully. A man must guard against his relations and domestics, Micheas vii. 5., and Matthew viii. 35. (Calmet)

Verse 5

Iniquity. It is become natural to them. (St. Jerome) --- They cannot lay the blame on the violence of passion. They sin on purpose. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "they have not left off, (6.) in order to be converted. Usury upon usury; fraud upon fraud; they," &c. (Haydock)

Verse 7

Try them in the crucible of war, chap. vi. 27. (Calmet)

Verse 10

Owner. Hebrew mikne, "cattle," or (Haydock) "substance." (St. Jerome) --- Departed. Beasts and birds will not continue long after men cease to cultivate the country. (Theodoret) (Chap. iv. 25., and xii. 4., and Sophonias i. 3.)

Verse 11

Sand. The stones were burnt to dust, 2 Esdras iv. 2. (Calmet)

Verse 15

Gall. Hebrew rosh, "poison," &c., Deuteronomy xxix. 18. (Haydock)

Verse 16

Consumed. Chap. xliv. 27. No country shall afford them protection. (Calmet) --- The richer sort were made captives, and most of the people destroyed, but not all, chap. iv. 25. (Worthington)

Verse 17

Wise, in composing or singing the Nænia, or mournful songs, recording the praises of the deceased. (Calmet) --- "This custom still subsists in Judea: women go about with dishevelled hair and naked breasts, with mournful tunes, exciting all to tears." (St. Jerome) --- Music was also used, Matthew ix. 23. Thus feigned tears, at least, would supply the want of real ones.

Verse 21

For. This was the song. (Calmet) --- Streets. Death spares none. The least suspecting fall. (Haydock) --- It enters by the windows, if the doors be shut, Joel ii. 8.

Verse 22

CHAPTER IX.

Speak. Our editions of the Septuagint omit this word, though St. Jerome found it in his copies, (Calmet) and in Theodotion, expressed by "death;" while others rendered it, "speak," as the same letters dbr, may have both meanings, according as people may please to pronounce them. (St. Jerome) --- Grabe supplies, "by death. (22.) These things, says the Lord." (Haydock)

Verse 24

Me. Virtue will save, when riches, &c., will prove useless. (Menochius) --- Phocilides, a pagan, said, (Calmet) "Boast not of wisdom, strength, or riches great. One God is wise, and potent too, and rich." (Haydock)

Verse 26

Egypt. the uncircumcised shall be punished as well as Juda, if they transgress. Only the Jewish nation properly observed the right of circumcision generally, or at first. Others imitated them, but with various ceremonies. (Calmet, Diss.) (Ezechiel xxxi. 18., and Judith xiv. 6.) --- Hyrcan obliged the Idumeans to receive circumcision. (Josephus, Antiquities xiii. 17.) --- Round. The Arabs, &c., Leviticus xix. 27. (Calmet) --- Heart. All then became guilty, Romans ii. 25. (Menochius) --- Neither these nations nor Juda was circumcised in heart, and of course were hypocrites. (Worthington)