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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMatthew Poole Commentary - Jeremiah 5:15 - 5:15
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From far, viz. from Chaldea. House of Israel: by these are meant Judah; for Israel, properly so called, viz. the ten tribes, were in captivity before; see on Jer_4:1; called the house of Israel, not only because they descended from Jacob, but because they were the chief of that stock·
It is a mighty nation; it is both potent, or, as the word is, rough and harsh, and of great antiquity, ever since the laying the first foundation of Babylon by Nimrod, about one hundred and seventy years after the flood; and hence it is called the land of Nimrod, Mic_5:6. And this doth much add to their cruelty, that they have had dominion and rule in their hands so long, and whereby they have not only grown more proud and haughty, but having been brought up so long in ways of blood and slaughter, they must needs by this time become skilful to destroy.
Neither understandest what they say; which makes thy case much more desperate. It is a great disadvantage when persons understand not one another. They will neither understand thy entreaties, nor thou their offers, being both unintelligible and inexorable, which will render thy condition much more sad and perplexed; speech being that by which the affection is readily communicated, and is the bond of human society: hence this was part of the judgment threatened, Deu_28:36,49,50, the Jews not well understanding the Syrian tongue, which the Chaldeans spake, having had no converse with them before the captivity. It was this put a stop to all converse at the building of Babel.