Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 22:8
And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbor, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?
Verse 8. Many nations shall pass] These words seem borrowed from De 29:22, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
According to Gods threatenings, Deu 29:24; 1Ki 9:8. Though the Jews would not understand that there was a cause, yet others would understand it, and inquire into it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. (Deu 29:24;Deu 29:25). The Gentile nations,more intelligent than you, shall understand that which ye do not,namely, that this city is a spectacle of God’s vengeance [CALVIN].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And many nations shall pass by this city,…. After it is burned down and destroyed; that is, people out of many nations travelling that way:
and they shall say every man to his neighbour; as in company together, passing along the ruined walls of the city:
wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city? so fortified and so full of people; the metropolis of the whole nation; the greatest city in the east; yea, the joy of the whole earth; a city peculiarly dear to the Lord; greatly honoured by him with his presence, worship, and ordinances, and yet now in ruins; how comes this to pass? they see and acknowledge the hand of the Lord in it, having a better notion of things than the Jews themselves had.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet shews in these words how blind the Jews were as to their own ruin, in disregarding in so refractory a manner the judgment of God. The words no doubt embrace two contrasts; he compares mortal men with God, and those many nations with him alone. The Jews could not bear God as their judge, and were still refractory and strove by their perverseness to overcome him. Then the Prophet says, that as they would not endure to be judged by God, judges would come who would pronounce on them a free impartial sentence; and who were they to be? the heathens. And then, as the Jews would not obey the one true God, the Prophet sets many nations in contrast with the one true God.
We hence see the full import of these words, Pass shall many nations through this city; (42) that is, God has hitherto adorned this city with many privileges, so that it became like a miracle to foreigners, for so conspicuous was the dignity of this city, that it attracted the notice of all, and its fame was known far and wide. Now, he says, this city shall be deprived of all its ornaments, when God shall depart from it. Pass, then, he says, shall man. nations through this city, and they will inquire, every one of his friend, Why hath Jehovah done thus to this city? Jeremiah, no doubt, indirectly condemns, not only the sloth, but also the insensibility which had so demented the Jews, that they never duly reflected on God’s judgment, nor were ever touched by the curses of the Law. He then shews that there would be more understanding and wisdom in the Gentiles, for on seeing Jerusalem overthrown and wholly demolished, they would know that this had not happened by chance, but was an evidence of vengeance from heaven. We thus see that he upbraided the Jews with their own stupidity, as they did not consider the judgment of God; but he ascribed to the nations wisdom and the spirit of inquiry; for they would ask, “Why has Jehovah done thus to this city?”
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The nations,” he says, “will understand what ye do not comprehend, even that this city will exhibit an example of dreadful vengeance, and this will be the subject of their inquiry; but while God now of his own free will foretell this to you, ye close your ears; surely there would be no need of much inquiry in a matter so clear, were you not deaf and blind, and indeed obstinate, for God of his own accord warns you beforehand. What, then, can this be, that God forewarns you and ye refuse to hear him, except that the devil bewitches you?”
And he says, this great city; for its ruin was more remarkable on account of its greatness. When a small town is destroyed, hardly any account is made of the event; but when a city falls, which was everywhere celebrated for its largeness, and also for the extraordinary benefits conferred on it by God, it excites the wonder of all, as though it had fallen from the clouds.
(42) So the Versions, “through,” and not, “by,” as in our version; it is “nigh” in the Targ. The preposition is על, upon, over, most commonly. It may mean the passing over the city when in ruins. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8, 9) Wherefore hath the Lord done thus . . .The coincidence of thought and language with Deuteronomy (Deu. 29:24-26) again calls for notice.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8, 9. Compare Deu 29:23-26, and 1Ki 9:8.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 22:8 And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?
Ver. 8. And many nations shall pass, &c. ] By a personification of passengers admiring the utter ruin of so famous a city, the prophet setteth forth the cause of their desolations.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Jer 22:8-9
8Many nations will pass by this city; and they will say to one another, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this great city?’ 9Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD their God and bowed down to other gods and served them.’
Jer 22:8-9 Jer 22:8 expressed the theological question connected to YHWH’s judgment of His own covenant people (cf. Jer 16:10; Deu 28:24-26; 1Ki 9:8-9; 2Ch 7:20-22).
Moses’ prayer of intercession for Israel entreated YHWH about this very issue (cf. Exo 32:11-13) and YHWH changed His mind (cf. Exo 32:14). But the covenant people had become so idolatrous (cf. Jer 1:16; Jer 5:19; Jer 8:2; Jer 16:11) and rebellious that only radical surgery could save their corporate life.
Remember, in that day every nation had its own national deity. The more powerful deity won the battles for its people. Some might think that YHWH was weak because
1. the northern kingdom (Israel) was exiled by Assyria
2. the southern kingdom (Judah) was defeated and exiled several times by Babylon (605, 597, 586, 582 B.C.)
The real problem was the sin of the covenant people (cf. Jer 22:9; 2Ch 34:25), not YHWH!
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Wherefore . . . ? Reference to Pentateuch. See note on Jer 16:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Deu 29:23-25, 1Ki 9:8, 1Ki 9:9, 2Ch 7:20-22, Lam 2:15-17, Lam 4:12, Dan 9:7
Reciprocal: Deu 29:24 – General 2Ch 7:21 – Why Jer 5:19 – Wherefore Jer 9:12 – for Jer 16:10 – Wherefore Jer 40:2 – The Lord Lam 1:18 – hear Eze 5:8 – in the Eze 5:15 – an instruction Eze 12:16 – and they Eze 14:23 – that I have not Eze 23:10 – famous Eze 23:30 – thou hast Eze 24:8 – I have set Eze 39:23 – the heathen Amo 3:9 – and behold Heb 8:9 – they continued
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 22:8. The devastation of Jerusalem was to be so evident that the passers-by would notice it and make remarks. The heathen nations did not know the Lord as the people of Judah did, yet they knew that Jerusalem had for centuries been known as a city possessed by a being called the Lord. Their questioning one with another was concerning the reason why the possessor of such a city would suffer it to fall into this state of desolation.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
22:8 {f} And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Why hath the LORD done thus to this great city?
(f) As they who wonder at a thing which they thought would never have come to pass, De 29:24, 1Ki 9:8 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Representatives from other nations would pass by Jerusalem and wonder why her God had destroyed her (cf. Mat 23:38; Luk 13:35).