Jeremiah 5:10-13 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Go ye up upon her walls, &c. Ye Babylonians, go, execute my vengeance on them; and destroy I commission you not only to take the city, but to make havoc of its inhabitants. But make not a full end Leave a remnant. Thus he sets bounds to the destroying sword, beyond which it must not go. Take away her battlements Lay her fortifications level with the ground. For they are not the Lord's I disown them, and take away my protection from them. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah The two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, as well as the ten; have dealt very treacherously Have acted perfidiously beyond measure. They have belied the Lord Given the lie to his threatenings in the mouth of his prophets: or have disbelieved and denied his providence, justice, and power, and his government of human affairs, ascribing his judgments to chance or fortune, or mere second causes. And have said, It is not he Hebrew, לא הוא, “not he:” that is, he hath not spoken, or he wilt not do as the prophets have threatened in his name; or, he hath no hand in these affairs. Thus the wicked are represented as speaking, Psalms 94:7, “The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.” Neither shall we see sword or famine The dreadful judgments which the prophet speaks of shall not befall us. And the prophets shall become wind A proverbial expression, implying that the prophecies of the prophets were vain, and to no purpose; and that all their threats should come to nothing. And the word is not in them That is, the word of true prophecy; the prophets' words are not from God. Thus shall it be done unto them Nay, the very evils which they denounce upon others shall happen to themselves. So said the infidels.