Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 17:15

Behold, they say unto me, Where [is] the word of the LORD? let it come now.

15. The scoffs of his enemies suggested to him thoughts of such faithlessness as would never otherwise have occurred to him. For their derision of his predictions cp. Isa 5:19. The v. shews that the time is, at any rate, before the capture of Jerusalem at the end of Jehoiakim’s reign. If that event had occurred, the people would not, as here, challenge the prophet to point out a fulfilment of his prophecies of woe.

now ] not denoting time, but in the sense of we pray thee.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 15. Where is the word of the Lord?] Where is the accomplishment of his threatenings? Thou hast said that the city and the temple should both be destroyed. No such events have yet taken place. But they did take place, and every tittle of the menace was strictly fulfilled.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

They say unto me, Where is the word of the Lord? scoffing at me, as if I had threatened them in thy name without any order or direction from thee, as the scoffers mentioned by Peter, 2Pe 3:4, said, Where is the promise of his coming? This hath been the practice of all wicked men hardened in their sinful courses, and resolved to go on, to put the evil day far from them, and to scoff at all denunciations of Gods judgments, Isa 5:19; Amo 5:18.

Let it come now; daring the vengeance of God, and challenging God to damn them, or to execute the vengeance with which he threateneth them.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

15. Where is the word?(Isa 5:19; Amo 5:18).Where is the fulfilment of the threats which thou didst utter as fromGod? A characteristic of the last stage of apostasy (2Pe3:4).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Behold, they say unto me,…. Or, “they are saying unto me” y, continually; these were their daily flouts and jeers:

Where [is] the word of the Lord? that thou hast so often talked of? thou hast for a long time threatened us with a siege, and famine, pestilence, and the sword, and captivity, but none of these come to pass; where is the accomplishment of them? thou hast pretended to have the word of the Lord for all this; but where is it, or the fulfilment of it? so the Targum,

“where is that which thou hast prophesied in the name of the Lord?”

the judgments, as punishments for sin, he prophesied of. This has been always usual in all ages, that when God’s judgments threatened have not been immediately executed, scoffers and mockers have rose up, suggesting they would never come; see Mal 2:17;

let it come now; immediately, or we shall not believe it ever will; a very impudent, daring, and wicked expression: this is like that in Isa 5:19. The Targum is,

“let it now be confirmed;”

or fulfilled; declaring as their impiety, so their infidelity; not believing it ever would be fulfilled.

y “ecce illi sunt dicentes ad me”, Schmidt.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Here Jeremiah complains of the obstinate contempt of the people; he found them not only uncourteous but even petulant towards God, so that they hesitated not to discredit all prophecies, to despise the promises, and boldly to reject all threatenings. The Prophet had often threatened them; and when God delayed the time, they made a wrong use of his forbearance, as it is commonly the case with the reprobate. Nor did they deem it enough even to add sins to sins, but they openly and petulantly provoked God, “ Where is the word? many years have now elapsed since thou hast continually spoken of war, of famine, and of pestilence; but we still remain quiet, and God spares us; where then is the word of Jehovah, which thou hast announced?”

We now then see how great was the wilfulness of this people, for the teaching of Jeremiah became not only useless but was treated with ridicule. They had however heard much before from the mouth of Isaiah,

“

Alas! when the Lord calls you to ashes and sackcloth, ye say, “Let us eat and drink, to-morrow we shall die.” “As I live, saith the Lord, not forgiven to you shall be this iniquity.” (Isa 22:12.)

God then had sworn by his own glory that their sin would be inexpiable, because they continued obstinately in their vices, and were in no degree terrified by the threatenings of the prophets. We however see that they ever became worse and worse. Isaiah was dead when they thus spoke in contempt and mockery, Where is the word of Jehovah? let it now come, as though they designedly provoked God, like one who despises his enemy, and says, “Oh! thou art indeed to be dreaded, if thou art to be believed; let us now see thy power, shew to us what thou canst do.” Thus contemptibly did they utter their scoffs, when God by his servants made known to them the approaching ruin which they deserved. We see, in short, that the Prophet shews here that they had come to a hopeless state. (182) It follows —

(182) The Targum thus paraphrases the verse, —

Behold they say to me “Where is what thou hast prophesied in the name of the Lord? let it be now confirmed.”

Their language was similar to that of those mentioned in 2Pe 3:4. — Ed.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(15) Behold, they say unto me.The speakers are not named or defined, but they are clearly the mockers who questioned Jeremiahs prophetic character, on the ground (comp. Deu. 18:22) that his threats had received no fulfilment. Presumably, therefore, the words were written before the death of Jehoiakim and the capture of Jerusalem.

Let it come now.The last word is the usual formula of request, and implies a mocking tone in the speakers: Let it come, if you please.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Jer 17:15. Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now The interval of delay between the delivery of the word of prophesy and its accomplishment has afforded frequently to unbelievers a handle for scoffing at and questioning the truth of it. They want, forsooth, more immediate proofs for their conviction. See Isa 5:19. Eze 22:27. Amo 5:18. 2Pe 3:4.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Jer 17:15 Behold, they say unto me, Where [is] the word of the LORD? let it come now.

Ver. 15. Behold, they say unto me. ] Heb., They are saying unto me; it is their daily dicterium, or jeer.

Where is the word of the Lord? ] Whereby thou so oft threatenest us with desolation. a Thus profane persons flear, when they should fear. See 2Pe 3:4 Isa 5:19 Amo 5:18 .

a Ubi est? It is where? i.e., Nusquam est. It is nowhere. – Piscat

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)