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The Conspiracy in the Prophet's own Family
v. 1. Righteous art Thou, O Lord, maintaining justice, when I plead with Thee, when he brings his case to the Lord's attention; yet let me talk with Thee of Thy judgments, reasoning with Jehovah concerning a matter which seems incompatible with divine righteousness: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Why is it that they seem to be fortunate in all their dealings? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? How may the fact be explained that the very ones who are guilty of the worst perfidy, who practice the basest knavery, live in peace? The same question occasionally rises in the hearts of most children of God, and it is safe to be always armed with the firm conviction that the ways of the Lord are ever right and good.
v. 2. Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root, apparently secure in their places, safe in their happiness; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit, what they undertake is crowned with rich success. Thou art near in their mouth, they are very active in lip-service, and far from their reins, their hearts are far from Him. Cf Isa_29:13; Mat_15:8.
v. 3. But Thou, O Lord, knowest me, the prophet freely leaving the judgment regarding himself to the Searcher of hearts, secure in the testimony of a good conscience; Thou hast seen me and tried mine heart toward Thee, wherefore he freely invites a scrutiny on the part of the Lord. By the same token he can call upon the Lord to bring punishment upon the evil-doers: Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, with violence, as though torn out by the roots, and prepare them for the day of slaughter, as animals set apart for sacrifice.
v. 4. How long shall the land mourn and the herbs of every field, of the entire cultivated plain, wither? For the wickedness of them that dwell therein the beasts are consumed and the birds, the very irrational brutes being placed under the ban of Jehovah on account of the hypocrisy of their masters, because they said, He shall not see our last end, the wicked Jews trying to persuade themselves that the Lord is blind toward their wickedness, that they may pursue their ungodly ways without interference, safe from the calamity which Jeremiah had threatened. But the Lord answers in such a way as to rebuke the prophet in a gentle manner for the impatience displayed by him, at the same time pointing out that he is due to experience still greater tribulations.
v. 5. If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? If he could not endure the comparatively little trouble which had come upon him till now, he would assuredly never be able to stand the great sufferings which would come to him in the future. And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? literally, "And in a land of peace thou wast secure, how wilt thou do along the wooded banks of Jordan?" The comparison is between an inhabited district, with its comparative security, and a country of primitive forests and undergrowth, where wild animals abounded, the application being the same as in the first part of the verse.
v. 6. For even thy brethren and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee, his very closest relatives practicing perfidy against the prophet; yea, they have called a multitude after thee, pursuing him after the manner of a pack of dogs. Believe them not though they speak fair words unto thee. Thus the Lord warns His servant against hypocrisy and coming tribulation, at the same time intimating that the wickedness of the people had not yet reached its highest stage. But eventually the judgment would strike them.