Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 4:17
As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD.
17. As keepers of a field ] If the MT. stands, the point of comparison will lie in the improvised shelters put up by guardians of cattle in the open country and those put up now by the besiegers round the city. Cp. Job 27:18 ; 2Sa 11:11. But by an inconsiderable change we can translate, they (the enemy) are lying in wait on the fields round about. So Co.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Jeremiah compares the tents of the besiegers on guard round Jerusalem to the booths erected by shepherds or farmers for the protection of their flocks or produce.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. As keepers of a field] In the eastern countries grain is often sown in the open country; and, when nearly ripe, guards are placed at different distances round about it to preserve it from being plundered. Jerusalem was watched, like one of these fields, by guards all round about it; so that none could enter to give assistance, and none who wished to escape were permitted to go out.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They will strictly besiege her, as keepers of a field will be careful who go in and who go out, Zec 12:2; they will watch that none go in to relieve them, and also that none get out to escape: see 2Ch 16:1.
Because she hath been rebellious: God doth not threaten his judgments only, but he labours to convince them that there is a sufficient reason for it, both here and in the next verse.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. keepers of a fieldmetaphorfrom those who watch a field, to frighten away the wild beasts.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
As keepers of a field, are they against her round about,…. As those that are set to watch a field, in which are fruit and corn of any sort, that thieves and robbers, and wild beasts, may not enter to waste and destroy, and are placed on all sides for that purpose; so the Chaldeans were round about Jerusalem, that none could make their escape out of it; see 2Ki 25:4:
because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the Lord; it was not without reason that the Lord suffered the Chaldeans to come against Jerusalem, besiege, and take it; the inhabitants of it had rebelled against him, their King and their God; and therefore he delivers them up into the hands of another lord, and a cruel one; they had provoked him to anger with their sins, and caused him to stir up his wrath against them in this way: rebellion against a prince, or against a parent, is a provoking sin; see 1Sa 15:23.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He intimates here that there would be no escape to the Jews when God brought the Chaldeans, for every egress, all the ways, would be closed up, so that they could not migrate to another land. It is the same as though he had said, that such a calamity was nigh them that they could not escape it by exile, it is indeed a sad thing when men flee away naked as from the fire, and seek a place among strangers, and live there in misery and want; but the Prophet declares here, that so grievous was the punishment prepared for the Jews, that it would not indeed be possible for them to save themselves by expatriation and flight, for God would close up every avenue, and would as it were set guards to prevent any to depart.
He afterwards assigns a reason for this, Because they have made me angry (114) The Prophet again shews that God dealt not cruelly with the Jews, nor that they were visited by chance with so many and so grievous calamities, but that they suffered justly, for they had provoked the wrath of God. It would indeed have availed the Jews but little that they dreaded an approaching evil, except they acknowledged that God was punishing them for their perverseness. Hence the reason is stated: it was mentioned, that the Jews might know that these calamities were brought on them by God’s hand. And for the same purpose is what follows —
(114) Calvin has followed the Vulgate and the Syriac. The Septuagint and Arabic have, “thou hast neglected me,“ which is very wide from the original. “Rebel” is the rendering of the Targum, which is the Hebrew, and there is no other reading. Literally it is,
For against me hath she rebelled, saith Jehovah.
And this is the rendering of Blayney. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) Field.With the meaning, as in all early English, of open, not enclosed, country (Lev. 14:7; Lev. 17:5). The image is that of a nomadic tribe encamped in the open country, or of men watching their flocks (Luk. 2:8) or crops (Job. 27:18). So shall be the tents of the invaders round Jerusalemkeeping, or (as in 2Sa. 11:16) observing, i.e., blockading the city.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Keepers of a field As fields in Palestine were not enclosed, they had to be watched. The huts, or lodges, of these “keepers” might be seen in every direction commanding views of the entire country. Hence the comparison of this verse.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 4:17. As keepers of a field Mr. Harmer cites from Sir John Chardin’s manuscript the following remark on this place: “As in the East, pulse, roots, &c. grow in open and uninclosed fields, when they begin to be fit to gather, they place guards, if near a great road more, if distant fewer, who place themselves in a round about these grounds, as is practised in Arabia.” Ch. 5: obs. 15.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 4:17 As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD.
Ver. 17. As keepers of a field, are they against her. ] They have straitly besieged her, so that there is no escaping their hands.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
keepers: Jer 6:2, Jer 6:3, 2Ki 25:1-4, Isa 1:8, Luk 19:43, Luk 19:44, Luk 21:20-24
because: Jer 5:23, Neh 9:26, Neh 9:30, Isa 1:20-23, Isa 30:9, Lam 1:8, Lam 1:18, Eze 2:3-7, Dan 9:7-19
Reciprocal: Deu 28:33 – thou shalt be Isa 30:1 – the rebellious Jer 4:16 – watchers Jer 8:19 – the voice Jer 44:3 – of their Eze 12:2 – thou
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 4:17. A man set to keep guard over a field will watch that nothing therein shall escape. Likewise the Babylonian army was predicted to besiege Jerusalem to see that the people might not flee from it. The Lord was to suiter this calamity to come upon the city because she hath been rebellious.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
4:17 As keepers of a {p} field, they are against her on all sides; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD.
(p) Who keep the fruits so straitly, that nothing can come in or out so would the Babylonians compass Judah.,
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This enemy would surround the capital and observe the city carefully, as a watchman stood guard over his field to detect any possible irregularities. This invasion would come on Jerusalem because the people had rebelled against Yahweh.