61 Strengthen yourselves, sons of Benjamin, From the midst of Jerusalem, And in Tekoa blow ye a trumpet, And over Beth-Haccerem lift ye up a flame, For evil hath been seen from the north, And great destruction. 2 The comely and the delicate one I have cut off, The daughter of Zion. 3 Unto her come do shepherds and their droves, They have stricken tents by her round about, They have fed each 'in' his own station. 4 Sanctify ye against her the battle, Rise, and we go up at noon. Wo to us, for turned hath the day, For stretched out are the shades of evening, 5 'Rise, and we go up by night, And we destroy her palaces.' 6 For thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Cut down her wood, And pour out against Jerusalem a mount, She 'is' the city to be inspected, Wholly—she is oppression in her midst. 7 As the digging of a well, is 'for' its waters, So she hath digged 'for' her wickedness, Violence and spoil is heard in her, Before My face continually 'are' sickness and smiting. 8 Be instructed, O Jerusalem, Lest My soul be alienated from thee, Lest I make thee a desolation, a land not inhabited.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 6:1-8
Commentary on Jeremiah 6:1-8
(Read Jeremiah 6:1-8)
Whatever methods are used, it is vain to contend with God's judgments. The more we indulge in the pleasures of this life, the more we unfit ourselves for the troubles of this life. The Chaldean army shall break in upon the land of Judah, and in a little time devour all. The day is coming, when those careless and secure in sinful ways will be visited. It is folly to trifle when we have eternal salvation to work out, and the enemies of that salvation to fight against. But they were thus eager, not that they might fulfil God's counsels, but that they might fill their own treasures; yet God thereby served his own purposes. The corrupt heart of man, in its natural state, casts out evil thoughts, just as a fountain casts out her waters. It is always flowing, yet always full. The God of mercy is loth to depart even from a provoking people, and is earnest with them, that by repentance and reformation, they may prevent things from coming to extremity.