Jeremiah 10:17 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.

Gather up thy wares - thine effects or movable goods (Ezekiel 12:3, "Thou Son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight"). Prepare for migrating as captives to Babylon. The address is to Jerusalem, as representative of the whole people.

Inhabitant of the fortress - rather, inhabitress of the fortress. Though thou now seemest to inhabit an impregnable fortress, thou shalt have to remove. "The land" is the campaign region, opposed to the "fortified cities." The "fortress" being taken, the whole "land" will share the disaster. Henderson translates, 'Gather up thy packages from the ground.' Rosenmuller, because "fortress," translates 'siege,' i:e., the besieged city. The various articles, in this view, are supposed to be lying about in confusion on the ground during the siege.

Jeremiah 10:17

17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitante of the fortress.