Jeremiah 9 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

A lodging place — Some retiring place, though it were but some mean hut in the wilderness.

Weary — They use industry, and contrivance in it, they spare no labour.

Try them — By melting them, I will bring upon them, the fire of the Chaldean war, that shall purge away those deceits in which they trust, that the remnant may be purified. For how — I have tried all other means.

Wailing — The prophet having taken up a lamentation for the slaughter of the people, now re — assumes it for the desolation of the whole land. The mountains shall not be able to secure them, nor the valleys to feed them.

Who is — Is there not a wise man among you, that will search into the cause of all these threatened judgments.

A sword — But I will follow them with the sword, 'till they be destroyed, such of them as were appointed for destruction; for otherwise, they were not all consumed, a full end was not to be made.

Women — Who were hired to tear their hair, and beat their breasts, with other mourning postures, a foolish custom which has obtained in most ages and countries. Cunning — Such as are most skilful in it.

Every one — It denotes how large and universal the mourning shall be.

Death — The unavoidableness of the ruin is expressed metaphorically, alluding to the storming of a city, wherein there is no respect had to sex, youth, or age.

As the handful — They shall be no more regarded than a few scattered ears that drop out of the reapers hand, which either lie on the ground and are eaten by birds, or trod to dirt by beasts. None — None shall have so much respect to them, as to afford burial.

Knoweth — Whether we make any curious distinction between understanding God, as if that be more speculative, whereby we rightly apprehend his nature; and knowing God, as if that be more practical, as directing the conversation, we need not here enquire; yet certainly both center in this, that we so know and understand God as to trust in him, and depend on him alone in all conditions. Exercise — Kindness, as it relates to his own people; judgment, in punishing the wicked; righteousness, as he deals justly and uprightly with both.