Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

6:1 Jeremiah's tribe (Benjamin) should flee for safety out of Jerusalem. Disaster comes from the north, yet also from Tekoa, about 9 miles (15 km) south of Jerusalem. Beth-haccherem is of uncertain location, but it probably lies southwest of Jerusalem. Thus, the city is nearly surrounded.

6:2-3 the daughter of Zion. See note on 4:31. Jerusalem takes its life from Mount Zion. If the ESV footnote on 6:2 is followed, it adds detail to the prediction of v. 3: Jerusalem is like a lovely pasture in which shepherds (kings) and their flocks (armies) will pasture (invade).

6:4-5 These armies are ready to attack at noon or even by night. A night attack was rare and done only when victory was certain or when surprise was necessary (see Judg. 7:19-23).

6:6 Judah's own trees were used to make battering rams and a siege mound, a ramp to the city walls. God gives the orders here, so he directly punishes the oppressive city.

6:7 Jerusalem should repent of evil (harmful acts; see 4:14), but she keeps her evil as fresh as well water. violence and destruction. Constant brutality against others. sickness and wounds. This results in both discipline from God (Lev. 26:23; Jer. 31:18) and violence in the land.

6:8 Without repentance from the people, God's own heart will be "out of joint" concerning Jerusalem (I turn from you in disgust, lit., "my soul be disjointed concerning you"; Gen. 32:25), and she will be emptied.

6:9 the remnant. Those who survive, not those who believe. pass your hand again. God orders (v. 6) the armies to make sure every grape (survivor) is picked (taken captive).

6:10 To whom shall I speak? Every segment of society (1:15-19; 5:3-5) has rejected God's warning. Their hearts (4:4) and ears are uncircumcised, rendering them unwilling and incapable of obeying the word of the Lord. They made God's precious word an object of scorn (see note on 36:23-24), leading to God's wrath being poured out (6:11). In any age, those who scoff at God's word and take no pleasure in it can expect eventual judgment from God.

6:11 God orders (vv. 6, 9) Jeremiah to pour out words of wrath, not warning, as before, so that all ages experience judgment.

6:12 houses . . . fields . . . wives. Spoils of war taken by victors.

6:13-15 Greed always leads to seeking unjust gain. prophet . . . priest. These religious leaders are as greedy as the people, so they promise peace (not the punishment of war) because their audiences wish for such reassurances (cf. 5:30-31). They feel no shame over their abomination (i.e., spiritual perversion; Lev. 18:27; 20:13). They must fall when the city falls.

6:16 the ancient paths. The way of faithfulness revealed to Moses and the earlier prophets. the good way. The proper life of faith-driven obedience. walk. A metaphor for patterned living (cf. Ps. 1:1). We will not walk describes strong rebellion against revealed truth.

6:17 watchmen. Moses and the prophets (2 Kings 17:7-18). trumpet. Blown to warn cities of danger (Jer. 4:5, 19, 21; 6:1). Here it refers to God's word of warning.

6:18-19 The nations, congregation, and earth are all called to hear God's testimony against this people (Judah and Israel). The crime is rejecting God's words from true prophets and his law (Hb. torah) given through Moses.

6:20 Ritual without faith-induced obedience is unacceptable to God (Isa. 1:10-19; Amos 5:21-24; Mic. 6:6-8). frankincense. A fragrant white gum resin used to make incense for the temple (Ex. 30:34-38). Sheba. A country in faraway southwest Arabia famous for spices (Ezek. 27:22). sweet cane. Imported from India to make holy oil (Ex. 30:23). burnt offerings . . . sacrifices. Regular animal offerings in the temple.

6:21 stumbling blocks. These were obstacles such as invasion and famine that God sends to hamper all levels of society.

6:22-23 great nation. Babylon. the farthest parts of the earth. Babylon's army had outposts all over the ancient world. This army has no mercy; its horses are so numerous that their thundering hoofs sound like the roaring sea (4:13, 29).

6:24 Panic over the invading army will lead to physical helplessness like that of a woman in labor (Isa. 13:8; Mic. 4:9-10).

6:25 Jerusalemites dare not leave the city for fear of capture (Lam. 4:18-19). terror is on every side. A common phrase in Jeremiah depicting the experience of invasion (Jer. 20:3, 10; 46:5; 49:29; Lam. 2:22).

6:26 daughter. Jerusalem as representative of the whole nation (cf. 4:31). sackcloth . . . ashes. The dress of mourning, representing the pain of life and the fact of death respectively. as for an only son. Reflects mourning for a unique and irreplaceable person (cf. Amos 8:10).

6:27-29 tester of metals. Jeremiah's task is to assess how much dross (i.e., impurity) remains in a people called to be pure. Their rebellion marks them as bronze and iron rather than as pure silver (for the image, see Ezek. 22:18-22; similarly, Ps. 119:119; Isa. 1:22, 25). The ancient refining process used heated lead to draw out ore from silver. Despite Jeremiah's words being like a bellows and like lead used to purify silver, all is in vain, for the dross (the wicked) remains in the metal (the land).

6:30 The nation is impure, rejected silver. God's word through the prophets and the law has not purified the people, so God rejects them.