Jeremiah 6:16-21 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Jeremiah 6:16-21. Obedience more than Sacrifice. Yahweh vainly bade the people stand at the parting of the ways (Hebrew, by the ways), and seek the ancient road to prosperity, that they may find repose for themselves. The watchmen-prophets have called in vain. Yahweh's teaching (law, not necessarily written) has been rejected. For these moral faults far-fetched offerings and many sacrifices do not atone; Yahweh will make the people stumble to their ruin.

Jeremiah 6:16. saith should be said. This verse must not be taken in the spiritual sense of Matthew 11:29; the good is material well-being, the rest security, and your souls is no more than a reflexive pronoun here.

Jeremiah 6:18. The latter part of the verse is corrupt and yields no good sense.

Jeremiah 6:20. The Sabæ ans of S. Arabia ( Sheba, cf. 1 Kings 10:1-13 *) exported perfume (Isaiah 60:6); the calamus (mg.) used for incense (Exodus 30:23) may have come from India. frankincense is a resinous gum exuding from certain trees; it became a usual accompaniment of the meal-offering; cf. Jeremiah 17:26; Jeremiah 41:5; Leviticus 2:1.

Related Commentaries of Jeremiah 6:16

Jeremiah 6:16-21

16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.

19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.