Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 5:25
Your iniquities have turned away these [things], and your sins have withheld good [things] from you.
25. these things ] the blessings mentioned. For the thought cp. Amo 4:6 ff.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 25. Your iniquities have turned away these things] When these appointed weeks of harvest do not come, should we not examine and see whether this be not in God’s judgments? Have not our iniquities turned away these good things from us?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Your iniquities have turned away these things: q.d. Do not say your ground is parched up with drought, or your fruits are corrupted and rotted by too much or unseasonable rain; we have nothing now in so due a course as we were wont to have it. Would you know the reason of it? You have inverted the ordinances and order of nature, have put heaven and earth out of their regular courses, by your iniquities.
Your sins have withholden good things from you; that either you have been cut short of these good things, or denied a blessing upon them: by this God would not have profane men think that unusual seasons either for better or worse do come by chance, but as he sees convenient, either for the encouragement of the obedient, or punishing the obstinate.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25. National guilt had causedthe suspension of these national mercies mentioned in Jer5:24 (compare Jer 3:3).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Your iniquities have turned away these things,…. Whereas of late years rain was withheld from them in common, and they had not the former and latter rain in its season, nor the appointed weeks of the harvest, and so their land was barren, and famine ensued. This was to be ascribed, not to the want of goodness and faithfulness in God, but to their own iniquities; these mercies were kept back from them in order to humble them, and bring them to a sense of their sins, and an acknowledgment of them:
and your sins have withholden good things from you; as rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, and had also brought many evil things upon them; for more is understood than is expressed.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Expostulation with Israel. | B. C. 608. |
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. 26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. 27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. 28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. 29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? 30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
Here, I. The prophet shows them what mischief their sins had done them: They have turned away these things (v. 25), the former and the latter rain, which they used to have in due season (v. 24), but which had of late been withheld (ch. iii. 3), by reason of which the appointed weeks of harvest had sometimes disappointed them. “It is your sin that has withholden good from you, when God was ready to bestow it upon you.” Note, It is sin that stops the current of God’s favour to us, and deprives us of the blessings we used to receive. It is that which makes the heavens as brass and the earth as iron.
II. He shows them how great their sins were, how heinous and provoking. When they had forsaken the worship of the true God, even moral honesty was lost among them: Among my people are found wicked men (v. 26), some of the worst of men, and so much the worse they were for being found among God’s people. 1. They were spiteful and malicious. Such are properly wicked men, men that delight in doing mischief. They were found (that is, caught) in the very act of their wickedness. As hunters or fowlers lay snares for their game, so did they lie in wait to catch men, and made a sport of it, and took as much pleasure in it as if they had been entrapping beasts or birds. They contrives ways of doing mischief to good people (whom they hated for their goodness), especially to those that faithfully reproved them (Isa. xxix. 21), or to those that stood in the way of their preferment or whom they supposed to have affronted them or done them a diskindness, or to those whose estates they coveted; so Jezebel ensnared Naboth for his vineyard. Nay, they did mischief for mischief’s sake. 2. They were false and treacherous (v. 27): “As a cage, or coop, is full of birds, and of food for them to fatten them for the table, so are their houses full of deceit, of wealth obtained by fraudulent practices or of arts and methods of defrauding. All the business of their families is done with deceit; whoever deals with them, they will cheat him if they can, which is easily done by those who make no conscience of what they say and do. Herein they overpass the deed of the wicked, v. 28. Those that act by deceit, with a colour of law and justice, do more mischief perhaps than those wicked men (v. 26) that carry all before them by open force and violence; or they are worse than the heathen themselves, yea, the worst of them. And (would you think it?) they prosper in these wicked courses and therefore their hearts are hardened in them. They are greedy of the world, because they find it flows in upon them, and they stick not at any wickedness in pursuit of it, because they find that it is so far from hindering their prosperity that it furthers it: They have become great in the world; they have waxen rich, and thrive upon it. They have wherewithal to make provision for the flesh to fulfill all the lusts of it, to which they are very indulgent, so that they have waxen fat with living at ease and bathing themselves in all the delights of sense. They are sleek and smooth: The shine; they look fair and gay; every body admires them. And they pass by matters of evil (so some read the following words); they escape the evils which one would expect their sins should bring upon them; they are not in trouble as other men, much less as we might expect bad men,” Ps. lxxiii. 5, c. 3. When they had grown great, and had got power in their hands, they did not do that good with it which they ought to have done: They judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, and the right of the needy. The fatherless are often needy, always need assistance and advice, and advantage is taken of their helpless condition to do them an injury. Who should succour them then but the great and rich? What have men wealth for but to do good with it? But these would take no cognizance of any such distressed cases: they had not so much sense of justice, or compassion for the injured or, if they did concern themselves in the cause, it was not to do right, but to protect those that did wrong. And yet they prosper still; God layeth not folly to them. Certainly then the things of this world are not the best things, for often-times the worst men have the most of them; yet we are not to think that, because they prosper, God allows of their practices. No; though sentence against their evil works be not executed speedily, it will be executed. 4. There was a general corruption of all orders and degrees of men among them (Jer 5:30; Jer 5:31); A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land. The degeneracy of such a people, so privileged and advanced, was a wonderful thing, and to be viewed with amazement. How could they ever break through so many obligations? It was a horrible thing, a thing to be detested and the consequences of it dreaded. To frighten ourselves from sin, let us call it a horrible thing. What was the matter? In short, this: (1.) The leaders misled the people: The prophets prophesy falsely, counterfeit a commission from heaven when they are factors for hell. Religion is never more dangerously attacked than under colour and pretence of divine revelation. But why did not the priests, who had power in their hands for that purpose, restrain these false prophets? Alas! instead of doing that they made use of them as the tools of their ambition and tyranny: The priests bear rule by their means; they supported themselves in their grandeur and wealth, their laziness and luxury, their impositions and oppressions, by the help of the false prophets and their interest in the people. Thus they were in a combination against every thing that was good, and strengthened one another’s hands in evil. (2.) The people were well enough pleased to be so misled: “They are my people,” says God, “and should have stood up for me, and borne their testimony against the wickedness of their priests and prophets; but they love to have it so.” If the priests and prophets will let them alone in their sins, they will give them no disturbance in theirs. They love to be ridden with a loose rein, and like those rulers very well that will not restrain their lusts and those teachers that will not reprove them.
III. He shows them how fatal the consequences of this would certainly be. Let them consider,
1. What the reckoning would be for their wickedness (v. 29): Shall not I visit for these things? as before, v. 9. Sometimes mercy rejoices against judgment: How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? Here, judgment is reasoning against mercy: Shall I not visit? We are sure that Infinite Wisdom knows how to accommodate the matter between them. The manner of expression is very emphatic, and denotes, (1.) The certainty and necessity of God’s judgments: Shall not my soul be avenged? Yes, without doubt, vengeance will come, it must come, if the sinner repent not. (2.) The justice and equity of God’s judgments; he appeals to the sinner’s own conscience, Do not those deserve to be punished that have been guilty of such abominations? Shall he not be avenged on such a nation, such a wicked provoking nation as this?
2. What the direct tendency of their wickedness was: What will you do in the end thereof? That is, (1.) “What a pitch of wickedness will you come to at last! What will you do? What will you not do that is base and wicked. What will this grow to? You will certainly grow worse and worse, till you have filled up the measure of your iniquity.” (2.) “What a pit of destruction will you come to at last! When things are brought to such a pass as this, nothing can be expected from you but a deluge of sin, so nothing can be expected from God but a deluge of wrath; and what will you do when that shall come?” Note, Those that walk in bad ways would do well to consider the tendency of them both to greater sin and utter ruin. An end will come; the end of a wicked life will come, when it will be all called over again, and without doubt will be bitterness in the latter end.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Inasmuch as hypocrites, according to what has been said before, often reply to God, and bring this and that objection, the Prophet here checks what they might have alleged; for he says that God’s beneficence had been restrained by them, and that it was indeed their fault that it did not flow to them. For they might have thus objected, “Thou indeed preachest well respecting God’s paternal bounty, because he supplies us with food; but the heat at one time burns our corn, the unseasonable rains at another time destroy our provisions: in a word, there is nothing certain, but all things are in a state of disorder.” That he might therefore obviate this objection, he says, that it was on account of their wickedness and depravity, that God did not so regulate every part of the year as to allow them to see with their eyes his continued bounty.
This passage is worthy of special notice: for God’s paternal favor does not so continually shine forth in our daily sustenance, but that many clouds intercept our view. Hence it is, that ungodly men think that the years are now barren and then fruitful through mere chance. We indeed see nothing so regulated in every respect in the world, that the goodness of God can be seen without clouds and obstructions: but we do not consider whence this confusion proceeds, even because we obstruct God’s access to us, so that his beneficence does not reach us. We throw heaven and earth into confusion by our sins. For were we in right order as to our obedience to God, doubtless all the elements would be conformable, and we should thus observe in the world an angelic harmony. But as our lusts tumultuate against God; nay, as we stir up war daily, and provoke him by our pride, perverseness, and obstinacy, it must needs be, that all things, above and below, should be in disorder, that the heavens should at one time appear cloudy, and that continuous rains should at another time destroy the produce of the earth, and that nothing should be unmixed and unstained in the world. This confusion then, in all the elements, is to be ascribed to our sins: and this is what is meant by the Prophet. Though indeed the reproof was then addressed to the Jews, we may yet gather hence a lesson of general instruction.
These two things are then both true, — that God is not without a testimony as to his beneficence, for he gives rain, he gives suitable seasons, he renders the earth fruitful, so as to supply us with food, — and also, that heaven and earth are often in great disorder, that many things happen unseasonably, as though God had no care for us, because we provoke him by our sins, and thus confound and subvert the order of nature. These two things then ought to be viewed as connected together: for in the ordinary course of nature we may see the inconceivable bounty of God towards mankind; but as to accidental evils, the cause ought to be considered, even this — because we do not allow God to govern the world in a regular and consistent order, but as far as we can we disturb and confound his providence. We hence see how suitably the Prophet has added this truth — that the iniquities of the people had turned away the beneficence of God. (153) It afterwards follows —
(153) There is a correspondence between the terms here used, and those in the last verse. Their iniquities had turned aside, or diverted from their right course, the appointed seasons; and their sins had restrained the good, the seasonable rain which had been given them. As it is commonly the case in the prophets, the last thing mentioned in the previous verse, is the first thing referred to here, and then what is antecedently mentioned. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
5. Social injustice (Jer. 5:25-29)
TRANSLATION
(25) Your iniquities have turned away these things and your sins have withheld good from you. (26) For wicked men are found among My people. They watch, with the crouching of fowlers; they set the traps; they catch men. (27) As a cage full of birds so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they become great and they become rich. (28) They have become fat, they are sleek, they have surpassed the deeds of the wicked. They do not plead the case, the case of the orphan that they might prosper and the cause of the poor they do not judge. (29) On account of these things shall I not punish (oracle of the LORD)? Shall not My soul take vengeance on a nation which is like this?
COMMENTS
The iniquities of the people of Judah have deprived them of continued divine blessing (Jer. 5:25). The judgment envisioned by Jeremiah was not wholly in the future. A foretaste of that judgment was already being given in the form of disciplinary disasters designed to shake the people up and bring them to repentance (cf. Amos 4). These judgments are necessary because there are wicked men among the people of God, men who will stop at nothing to enrich themselves. Like the fowler (cf. Mic. 7:2) they crouch and wait until an innocent and helpless victim is ensnared in their trap. By wicked and diabolical schemes they are attempting to catch men (Jer. 5:26). As the home of the successful fowler is full of caged birds, so the homes of these wicked schemers give evidence of their prowess. Their homes are full of deceit, i.e., objects obtained through deceit, ill-gotten gain (Jer. 5:27). These wicked men grow fat and sleek as their riches increase. Their wickedness grows ever more bold and reprehensible. They exceed or go beyond the deeds of the most wicked men. No crime is out of the question if it serves to enhance their wealth and power. They were totally inconsiderate of the rights of helpless minorities, the poor and the fatherless. Never would one of these powerful men intervene to help the less fortunate get justice in the courts (Jer. 5:28). Repeating the rhetorical question of Jer. 5:9 the Lord asks, Shall I not take vengeance on such a nation as this? Acts of injustice are offences against God and He must avenge them. The intervention of God on behalf of the helpless and in judgment upon those who oppress them is one of the major themes of prophetic literature.
6. Intentional deception (Jer. 5:30-31)
TRANSLATION
(30) An astonishing and horrible thing has come to pass in the land. (31) The prophets have prophesied falsehoods and the priests rule at their side and My people love it so! And what shall you do at its end?
COMMENTS
That which is commonplace among men often is shocking in the eyes of God. As the Lord evaluated the religious situation in Judah He regarded what was taking place as astonishing and horrible (Jer. 5:30). Not only the political rulers (Jer. 5:28) but the spiritual rulers as well were utterly corrupt. Jeremiah was both prophet and priest and he criticized those who held both offices. The prophets were prophesying falsehoods, promising the people that God was on their side and no ill would befall their nation. They peddled a false security based on empty forms and rituals. It was a superficial religion, a religion which did not get in the way of ones everyday life. The priests rule at their side, i.e., at the beck and call of the prophets. But the people were as guilty as their religious leaders for they encouraged and supported them. Falsehood is generally far more pleasant to the ear than truth and the men of Judah were quite anxious to hear the assurances of peace and prosperity. But what will all of these men do at the end when they ultimately face the God of judgment and truth? The word end might refer to the death of the individual apostates or to the end of the national existence when Judah would as a nation stand face to face with God.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(25) These things.i.e., the rain and the harvest which, from the prophets point of view, had been withheld in consequence of the sins of the people.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
The complaint in those verses ends with the same solemn and just enquiry, as we had before. I have often thought, and I see no reason to alter the sentiment, that never was there a scripture more suited to the present times than this; and never was there any period of the Church more parallel than the days of Jeremiah to the opening of the nineteenth century. in numberless events going on, we may hear a voice of grace, accompanying seasons of exercise, the Lord making as it were this enquiry. Another Prophet is found addressing the Church much in the same way. Hos 11:7-9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these [things], and your sins have withholden good [things] from you.
Ver. 25. Your iniquities have turned. ] See on Isa 59:2 ; Isa 1:2 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
iniquities. Hebrew. ‘avah. App-44.
sins. Hebrew. chata’. App-44.
good = the good (singular)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jer 5:25-29
5. Social injustice (Jer 5:25-29)
The iniquities of the people of Judah have deprived them of continued divine blessing (Jer 5:25). The judgment envisioned by Jeremiah was not wholly in the future. A foretaste of that judgment was already being given in the form of disciplinary disasters designed to shake the people up and bring them to repentance (cf. Amos 4). These judgments are necessary because there are wicked men among the people of God, men who will stop at nothing to enrich themselves. Like the fowler (cf. Mic 7:2) they crouch and wait until an innocent and helpless victim is ensnared in their trap. By wicked and diabolical schemes they are attempting to catch men (Jer 5:26). As the home of the successful fowler is full of caged birds, so the homes of these wicked schemers give evidence of their prowess. Their homes are full of deceit, i.e., objects obtained through deceit, ill-gotten gain (Jer 5:27). These wicked men grow fat and sleek as their riches increase. Their wickedness grows ever more bold and reprehensible. They exceed or go beyond the deeds of the most wicked men. No crime is out of the question if it serves to enhance their wealth and power. They were totally inconsiderate of the rights of helpless minorities, the poor and the fatherless. Never would one of these powerful men intervene to help the less fortunate get justice in the courts (Jer 5:28). Repeating the rhetorical question of Jer 5:9 the Lord asks, Shall I not take vengeance on such a nation as this? Acts of injustice are offences against God and He must avenge them. The intervention of God on behalf of the helpless and in judgment upon those who oppress them is one of the major themes of prophetic literature.
Jer 5:26-29
“For among my people are found wicked men: they watch as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxed rich. They are waxed fat, they shine; yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they plead not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”
In this paragraph goes a step beyond the religious failure of the nation and cites the social oppression and injustice that inevitably follow unfaithfulness in the worship of God.
“Waxed rich … waxed fat …” (Jer 5:27-28). The intransitive verb “wax” is now obsolete; but it is an Old English word that means, “to grow, to increase” or “to become.” It contrasts with its opposite, “to wane,” which means “to decrease” or “to diminish.”
“Shall I not visit for these things …” (Jer 5:19)? By such statements as this, Jehovah strives to convince the rebellious nation of the justice of the judgment and punishment about to fail upon them.
The whole paragraph pertains, “To three classes of people: the rich who oppress the poor, the false prophets who deceive, and the priests who also misbehave.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Jer 2:17-19, Jer 3:3, Deu 28:23, Deu 28:24, Psa 107:17, Psa 107:34, Isa 59:2, Lam 3:39, Lam 4:22
Reciprocal: 2Sa 21:10 – until water 2Ch 24:20 – because Isa 59:12 – our transgressions Jer 30:15 – for the Eze 33:29 – because Eze 39:24 – General Hos 13:9 – thou Amo 4:7 – I have Mic 1:5 – the transgression of Jacob
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 5:25. The leaders had such a power over the people that most of the good things of life were appropriated to themselves and the common people were defrauded.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 5:25-29. Your iniquities have turned away these things See note on Jer 3:3. For among my people are found wicked men I need not search for such among the heathen nations, for they are easily found among them that are called by my name. They lay wait, &c. They use all the arts of fraud and cunning, that they may overreach others, and make a prey of them and their substance. They set a trap, they catch men Such a trap did Jezebel lay for Naboth, 1Ki 21:9-10. Such a one was that conspiracy of more than forty men against Paul, Act 23:13-15. As a cage is full of birds, &c. As in the foregoing words they were compared to a hunter, or a fowler, who takes beasts or birds in snares; so here, carrying on the same similitude, he describes their houses as cages full of birds, that is, of goods gotten by robbery and fraudful arts. They are waxen fat, they shine Or, so fat that they shine. By living at ease, and bathing themselves in all the delights of sense, they look so fair and gay that every body admires them. Yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked They exceed the common instances of injustice and oppression, and make no conscience of enriching themselves with the spoils of the fatherless, and those who have most need of their charity and kindness. Lowth. Waterland renders the clause, Yea, they have exceeded all expression of wickedness; or, have been wicked beyond expression. Shall I not visit, &c. See note on Jer 5:9.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5:25 Your {s} iniquities have turned away these [things], and your sins have withheld good [things] from you.
(s) If there is any stay, that we receive not God’s blessings in abundance, we must consider that it is for our own iniquities, Isa 59:1-2 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The people’s sins had resulted in God withholding the blessings of nature from them, as well as other good things. The reasons for their blindness were mainly moral rather than intellectual.