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Texts -- Jeremiah 9:1-23 (NET)

Context
9:1 I wish that my head were a well full of water and my eyes were a fountain full of tears ! If they were, I could cry day and night for those of my dear people who have been killed . 9:2 I wish I had a lodging place in the desert where I could spend some time like a weary traveler . Then I would desert my people and walk away from them because they are all unfaithful to God, a congregation of people that has been disloyal to him.
The Lord Laments That He Has No Choice But to Judge Them
9:3 The Lord says , “These people are like soldiers who have readied their bows . Their tongues are always ready to shoot out lies . They have become powerful in the land , but they have not done so by honest means. Indeed , they do one evil thing after another and do not pay attention to me. 9:4 Everyone must be on his guard around his friends . He must not even trust any of his relatives . For every one of them will find some way to cheat him. And all of his friends will tell lies about him. 9:5 One friend deceives another and no one tells the truth . These people have trained themselves to tell lies . They do wrong and are unable to repent . 9:6 They do one act of violence after another, and one deceitful thing after another. They refuse to pay attention to me,” says the Lord . 9:7 Therefore the Lord who rules over all says , “I will now purify them in the fires of affliction and test them. The wickedness of my dear people has left me no choice . What else can I do ? 9:8 Their tongues are like deadly arrows . They are always telling lies . Friendly words for their neighbors come from their mouths . But their minds are thinking up ways to trap them. 9:9 I will certainly punish them for doing such things !” says the Lord . “I will certainly bring retribution on such a nation as this !”
The Coming Destruction Calls For Mourning
9:10 I said, “I will weep and mourn for the grasslands on the mountains , I will sing a mournful song for the pastures in the wilderness because they are so scorched no one travels through them. The sound of livestock is no longer heard there. Even the birds in the sky and the wild animals in the fields have fled and are gone .” 9:11 The Lord said, “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins. Jackals will make their home there. I will destroy the towns of Judah so that no one will be able to live in them.” 9:12 I said, “Who is wise enough to understand why this has happened? Who has a word from the Lord that can explain it? Why does the land lie in ruins ? Why is it as scorched as a desert through which no one travels ?” 9:13 The Lord answered , “This has happened because these people have rejected my laws which I gave them. They have not obeyed me or followed those laws. 9:14 Instead they have followed the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts . They have paid allegiance to the gods called Baal , as their fathers taught them to do. 9:15 So then, listen to what I, the Lord God of Israel who rules over all , say . ‘I will make these people eat the bitter food of suffering and drink the poison water of judgment. 9:16 I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known anything about. I will send people chasing after them with swords until I have destroyed them.’” 9:17 The Lord who rules over all told me to say to this people, “Take note of what I say. Call for the women who mourn for the dead! Summon those who are the most skilled at it!” 9:18 I said, “Indeed, let them come quickly and sing a song of mourning for us. Let them wail loudly until tears stream from our own eyes and our eyelids overflow with water . 9:19 For the sound of wailing is soon to be heard in Zion . They will wail, ‘We are utterly ruined ! We are completely disgraced ! For our houses have been torn down and we must leave our land .’” 9:20 I said, “So now , you wailing women , hear what the Lord says . Open your ears to the words from his mouth . Teach your daughters this mournful song , and each of you teach your neighbor this lament . 9:21 ‘Death has climbed in through our windows . It has entered into our fortified houses . It has taken away our children who play in the streets . It has taken away our young men who gather in the city squares .’ 9:22 Tell your daughters and neighbors, ‘The Lord says , “The dead bodies of people will lie scattered everywhere like manure scattered on a field . They will lie scattered on the ground like grain that has been cut down but has not been gathered .”’” 9:23 The Lord says , “Wise people should not boast that they are wise . Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful . Rich people should not boast that they are rich .

Pericope

NET
  • Jer 9:3-9 -- The Lord Laments That He Has No Choice But to Judge Them
  • Jer 9:10-26 -- The Coming Destruction Calls For Mourning

Bible Dictionary

  • WOMAN

    [isbe] WOMAN - woom'-an ('ishshah, "a woman" (feminine of 'ish, "a man"]; gune, "a woman" "wife"): I. IN THE CREATIVE PLAN II. IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES 1. Prominence of Women 2. Social Equality 3. Marriage Laws 4. Inheritance 5. Dome...

  • TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

    [isbe] TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - || I. EARLIEST FORM OF WRITING IN ISRAEL 1. Invention of Alphabet 2. The Cuneiform 3. References to Writing in the Old Testament 4. Inscriptions after Settlement in Canaan 5. Orthography of the Pe...

  • TEARS

    [isbe] TEARS - terz (dim`ah; dakrua): In the instances recorded in Scripture weeping is more frequently associated with mental distress than with physical pain. Eastern peoples show none of the restraint of emotion in lamentation w...

  • Sin

    [nave] SIN. Index of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to, Defining, and Illustrating; Confession of; Consequences of, Entailed Upon Children; Conviction of; Forgiveness of; Fruits of; Kn...

  • Mourn

    [ebd] Frequent references are found in Scripture to, (1.) Mourning for the dead. Abraham mourned for Sarah (Gen. 23:2); Jacob for Joseph (37:34, 35); the Egyptians for Jacob (50:3-10); Israel for Aaron (Num. 20:29), for Moses (Deu...

  • MINSTREL

    [smith] The Hebrew word in (2 Kings 3:15) properly signifies a player upon a stringed instruments like the harp or kinnor [HARP], whatever its precise character may have been, on which David played before Saul, (1 Samuel 16:16;...

  • IMAGINATION

    [isbe] IMAGINATION - i-maj-i-na'-shun (yetser, sheriruth; dianoia): "Imagination" is the translation of yetser, properly "a shaping," hence, "a thought" (Gen 6:5; 8:21; Dt 31:21; 1 Ch 28:9; 29:18). In Isa 26:3 yetser is translated ...

  • Hemlock

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. rosh (Hos. 10:4; rendered "gall" in Deut. 29:18; 32:32; Ps. 69:21; Jer. 9:15; 23:15; "poison," Job 20:16; "venom," Deut. 32:33). "Rosh is the name of some poisonous plant which grows quickly and luxuriantly; of a b...

  • HEAP

    [isbe] HEAP - hep (`aremah, gal, nedh, tel): "Heap" appears (1) in the simple sense of a gathering or pile, as the translation of `aremah, a "heap," in Ruth 3:7 of grain; Neh 4:2 of stones; in 2 Ch 31:6, etc., of the tithes, etc.; ...

  • HANDFUL

    [isbe] HANDFUL - hand'-fool: There are five words in Hebrew used to indicate what may be held in the hand, either closed or open. (1) chophen, chophnayim. The fist or closed hand occurs in the dual in Ex 9:8, where it signifies wha...

  • GROAN

    [isbe] GROAN - gron (na'aq, 'anaq; stenazo, embrimaomai): The English word, noun and verb, is an attempt to imitate the vocal sound which is expressive of severe pain or distress, physical or mental. It is cognate with the Scottish...

  • GLORY

    [isbe] GLORY - glo'-ri (substantive): I. METHOD OF TREATMENT II. GENERAL USE OF THE TERM 1. As Applied to External Things 2. As Applied to Yahweh III. THE USES OF KABHODH 1. Material Wealth 2. Human Dignity and Majesty 3. "My Soul"...

  • GALL

    [ebd] (1) Heb. mererah, meaning "bitterness" (Job 16:13); i.e., the bile secreted in the liver. This word is also used of the poison of asps (20:14), and of the vitals, the seat of life (25). (2.) Heb. rosh. In Deut. 32:33 and Job...
    [isbe] GALL - gol: (1) ro'sh, or rosh (Dt 32:32 only, "grapes of gall"): Some very bitter plant, the bitterness as in (2) being associated with the idea of poison. Dt 29:18 margin "rosh, a poisonpus herb"; Lam 3:5,19; Jer 8:14; 9:1...

  • EYELID

    [isbe] EYELID - i'-lid: Eyes and eyelids in Hebrew are sometimes used synonymously, as in the parallelism of Prov 4:25 (compare 6:4; 30:13): "Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee." (Compare ...

  • DUNG; DUNG GATE

    [isbe] DUNG; DUNG GATE - dung ('ashpoth, domen, peresh; skubalon, etc.): Nine different words occurring in the Hebrew have been translated "dung" in the Old Testament. The word used to designate one of the gates of Jerusalem ('ashp...

  • Bow

    [ebd] The bow was in use in early times both in war and in the chase (Gen. 21:20; 27:3; 48:22). The tribe of Benjamin were famous for the use of the bow (1 Chr. 8:40; 12:2; 2 Chr. 14:8; 17:17); so also were the Elamites (Isa. 22:6...

  • Bitter

    [ebd] Bitterness is symbolical of affliction, misery, and servitude (Ex. 1:14; Ruth 1:20; Jer. 9:15). The Chaldeans are called the "bitter and hasty nation" (Hab. 1:6). The "gall of bitterness" expresses a state of great wickednes...

  • BURIAL

    [isbe] BURIAL - ber'-i-al (qebhurah; compare New Testament to entaphidsai): I. IMMEDIATE BURIAL CONSIDERED URGENT 1. Reasons for This 2. The Burial of Jesus 3. The Usual Time 4. Duties of Next of Kin II. PREPARATIONS FOR BURIAL 1. ...

  • Agriculture

    [ebd] Tilling the ground (Gen. 2:15; 4:2, 3, 12) and rearing cattle were the chief employments in ancient times. The Egyptians excelled in agriculture. And after the Israelites entered into the possession of the Promised Land, the...

  • AFFLICTION

    [isbe] AFFLICTION - a-flik'-shun: Represents no fewer than 11 Hebrew words in the Old Testament, and 3 Greek words in the New Testament, of which the most common are (oni), (thlipsis). It is used (1) actively = that which causes or...

Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • [Jer 9:7] O Beautiful For Spacious Skies
  • [Jer 9:23] Let Not The Wise His Wisdom Boast

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • "The Babylon oracle revealed that world history, even in its most threatening and climactic forms, is so organized that the people of God are cared for. The Philistia oracle confirmed this by insisting that the Davidic promis...
  • The composition and structure of Jeremiah, discussed below, have led many scholars to conclude that an editor or editors (redactors) probably put the book in its final form. Many conservatives, however, believe that Jeremiah ...
  • Jeremiah's purpose was to call his hearers to repentance in view of God's judgment on Judah, which would come soon from an army from the north (chs. 2-45). Judgment was coming because God's people had forsaken Yahweh and had ...
  • I. Introduction ch. 1A. The introduction of Jeremiah 1:1-3B. The call of Jeremiah 1:4-191. The promise of divine enablement 1:4-102. Two confirming visions 1:11-19II. Prophecies about Judah chs. 2-45A. Warnings of judgment on...
  • 1:4 The prophet now began speaking to his readers and telling them what the Lord had said to him. Throughout this book, an indication that the Lord had told Jeremiah something is often the sign of a new pericope, as here (cf....
  • Chapters 2-25 contain warnings and appeals to the Judahites in view of their sins and the consequences of those sins.
  • 8:18 The prospect of this catastrophic invasion overwhelmed Jeremiah with sorrow. It made him weak, and he could not get over his anguish.8:19 He could hear his people in captivity bitterly crying out. They longed for Jerusal...
  • 9:2 Jeremiah longed for a place of retreat in the wilderness where he could go to get away from his fellow countrymen.196Their spiritual adultery and treachery repulsed him.9:3 The Lord added that they assassinated people wit...
  • 9:10 The Lord took up a lamentation on behalf of the land that suffered because of His people's sin. The coming invasion would leave the land deserted even by beasts and birds. The rest of this message indicates that the inva...
  • What follows is a brilliant prophetic elegy. It contains two pronouncements from the Lord (vv. 17-21 and 22).9:17 The Lord called Jeremiah to summon the professional mourners (Heb. meqonenoth) to come forward."In the Middle E...
  • This reflection on the nature of true wisdom contrasts strongly with the preceding dirge. In such crucial days, Judah's only hope lay in her relationship with God. The thematic connection with the context is judgment.9:23 The...
  • Most scholars believe this lament dates from the time when Jehoiakim revolted against Babylon after three years of submission (about 602 B.C.; cf. 2 Kings 24:1-2).225"The second part of God's reply is remarkable, saying in ef...
  • Invasion and war had already overtaken Jerusalem when Jeremiah wrote this lament, but more destruction was to come (v. 9).15:5 The Lord said that no one would have pity on Jerusalem when she had experienced His judgment (cf. ...
  • This section of the book contains some of Jeremiah's messages concerning Judah's kings (21:1-23:8) and false prophets (23:9-40) that he delivered closer to the time of Jerusalem's invasion than the previous chapters.300Beginn...
  • Having given a true prophecy about the future, Jeremiah proceeded to announce God's judgment on the false prophets who were misleading His people with false prophecies (cf. v. 1). This section consists of six different messag...
  • 25:30 Jeremiah was also to announce that God would prepare to judge all the inhabitants of the earth (v. 29). As a lion announces its intent to attack with a roar, so Yahweh would one day announce His attack on earth dwellers...
  • These chapters contrast the true prophet of Yahweh with the false prophets. Distinguishing between them was difficult for Jeremiah's contemporaries, but their essential difference is clear. The true prophets proclaimed the Lo...
  • This section consists of four parts: a summary of Jeremiah's Temple Sermon (vv. 2-6), the prophet's arrest and trial (vv. 7-16), the elders' plea for his life (vv. 17-19, 24), and the incident involving Uriah and his executio...
  • The Book of Consolation contained messages of future hope for Judah (chs. 30-33). Now Jeremiah returned to document her present judgment. Chapters 34-45 continue the theme of judgment on Judah and Jerusalem from chapters 2-29...
  • This chapter belongs after chapter 36 chronologically, either after 36:8 or 36:32. It serves as an appendix to the historical incidents recorded there. Perhaps the writer or final editor placed it here to show that Yahweh exe...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. London: Collier Macmillan Publishers; and New York: Macmillan Publishers Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The Archaeology of Palestine. Revis...
  • This book does not identify its writer. The common view that Jeremiah wrote it rests on a preface in the Greek Septuagint, which the Latin Vulgate adopted and elaborated on. The Septuagint version of Lamentations begins, "And...
  • The following section of the lament falls into two parts marked by Jeremiah's use of the plural (vv. 41-47) and singular personal pronouns (vv. 48-66). In the first part he called on the Judahites to confess their sins to God...
  • 22:17-20 The Lord also compared the present Judahites to the base metals that separate from silver in the refining process. He planned to gather them in Jerusalem, His crucible, and subject them to a trial by fire, as refiner...
  • 32:1 This is the first of two messages that Ezekiel received from the Lord concerning Egypt in 585 B.C. Less than two months had passed since the exiles had learned of Jerusalem's fall, which had occurred several months earli...
  • 13:4 Yahweh had been Israel's God since the Israelites had lived in Egypt.83He had commanded the Israelites not to acknowledge any gods beside Himself because He was the only God who could save them (cf. Deut. 11:28; 32:17; J...
  • 5:1 This message begins as the previous two did, with a call to hear the Lord's word. However here Amos announced that what follows is a dirge (Heb. qinah) against the house of Israel. A dirge was a lament that was sung at th...
  • 12:1 "The burden . . . concerning Israel"introduces chapters 12-14 as "The burden . . . against the land of Hadrach"(9:1) did chapters 9-11. By describing Yahweh as the creator of the heavens, earth, and man, Zechariah remind...
  • This is one of the sections of Mark's Gospel that has a chiastic structure (cf. 3:22-30; 6:14-29; 11:15-19).A The appeal of Jairus for his daughter 5:21-24B The healing of the woman with the hemorrhage 5:25-34A' The raising o...
  • Paul turned from the content of the gospel to the Corinthian believers to strengthen his argument that the gospel he preached contradicted human expectations. God had chosen "nobodies"rather than the "beautiful people"of Cori...
  • Paul proceeded to deal with a significant group of antagonists that the Philippians faced.3:2 Jesus and other prophets used the term "dogs"to refer to opponents of God's truth (Matt. 7:6; cf. Deut. 23:18; 1 Sam. 17:43; 24:14;...
  • Next a great star (meteor or comet?) fell from heaven on the fresh water sources on earth.316It too was on fire (vv. 7, 8). The ancients sometimes used "torch"(this Greek word, lampas) to describe a meteor shooting through th...
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