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英語原文
The prophet having in God's name reproved the people for their sins, and given them warning of the judgments of God that were coming upon them, in this chapter prosecutes the same intention for their humiliation and awakening. I. He shows them the invalidity of the plea they so much relied on, that they had the temple of God among them and constantly attended the service of it, and endeavours to take them off from their confidence in their external privileges and performances, Jer 7:1-11. II. He reminds them of the desolations of Shiloh, and foretels that such should be the desolations of Jerusalem, Jer 7:12-16. III. He represents to the prophet their abominable idolatries, for which he was thus incensed against them, Jer 7:17-20. IV. He sets before the people that fundamental maxim of religion that "to obey is better than sacrifice" (1Sa 15:22), and that God would not accept the sacrifices of those that obstinately persisted in disobedience, Jer 7:21-28. V. He threatens to lay the land utterly waste for their idolatry and impiety, and to multiply their slain as they had multiplied their sin, Jer 7:29-34.
1-15
A Call of Repentance (606 BC)
繁體中文
悔改的呼召（主前 606 年）
¹ 耶和華的話臨到耶利米，說： ² 你當站在耶和華殿的門口，在那裏宣傳這話，說：你們一切進這些門敬拜耶和華的猶大人，當聽耶和華的話。 ³ 萬軍之耶和華——以色列的神如此說：你們改正行動作為，我就使你們在這地方仍然居住。 ⁴ 你們不要倚靠虛謊的話，說：這些是耶和華的殿，是耶和華的殿，是耶和華的殿。 ⁵ 你們若實在改正行動作為，在人和鄰舍之間誠然施行公平； ⁶ 不欺壓寄居的和孤兒寡婦，在這地方不流無辜人的血，也不隨從別神陷害自己； ⁷ 我就使你們在這地方仍然居住，就是我從前所賜給你們列祖的地，直到永遠。 ⁸ 看哪，你們倚靠虛謊無益的話。 ⁹ 你們偷盜、殺害、行姦淫、起假誓、向巴力燒香，並隨從素不認識的別神； ¹⁰ 又來到這稱為我名下的殿，在我面前敬拜，說：我們自由了，可以行這一切可憎的事嗎？ ¹¹ 這稱為我名下的殿，在你們眼中豈可看為賊窩嗎？看哪，我都看見了。這是耶和華說的。 ¹² 你們且往我所立為我名的居所示羅去，看看我因這百姓以色列的罪惡，向那地所行的如何。 ¹³ 耶和華說：現在你們行了這一切惡事，我早起警戒你們，你們卻不聽從；我呼喚你們，你們卻不答應。 ¹⁴ 所以我必向這稱為我名下、你們所倚靠的殿，並我所賜給你們和你們列祖的地，照我從前向示羅所行的一般行動。 ¹⁵ 我必將你們從我眼前趕出，正如我從前趕出一切弟兄，就是以法蓮的全族。
這幾節開始了另一篇講章，在這一章與隨後兩章中繼續，與前文大致相同，為要以理勸他們悔改。請注意：
一、給先知傳講這篇講章的命令；因為他不僅有一般的使命，對他所傳的每篇信息更有具體的指示與教導。這是「臨到他的」「耶和華的話」（耶 7:1）。我們未被告知這篇講章當在何時傳講；但被告知：1. 當在何處傳講——「在耶和華殿的門口」，他們由此進入外院，即「百姓之院」。在祭司的轄區內傳講這樣的信息，會冒犯祭司，使先知暴露於他們的怒氣之下；但先知不可懼怕人的面貌，他若如此行，便不能對他的神忠心。2. 當向誰傳講——向「猶大人」，就是「進這些門敬拜耶和華」的；大概是在一個節期之中，那時全國一切的男丁都要在神殿的院中朝見神，「不可空手朝見」：那時他有許多人聚在一起可以傳講，而那也是最合宜的時候，可以勸戒他們不可倚靠自己的特權。須知：（一）甚至那些宣稱信仰的人，也需要被傳講，正如那些不信的人一樣。（二）能有機會向許多人一起傳講，乃是可羨慕的。智慧選擇「在熱鬧處喊叫」（箴 1:21），並如耶利米在此「在城門口」——聖殿之門——傳講。（三）當我們要去敬拜神之時，也需要被勸戒「用心靈敬拜」，並「不靠肉體」（腓 3:3）。
二、講章本身的內容與要旨。它是奉「萬軍之耶和華——以色列的神」之名傳講的——祂統管世界，卻與祂的百姓立約。作為受造之物，我們當敬重「萬軍之耶和華」；作為基督徒，當敬重「以色列的神」；祂對他們所說的，也是對我們所說，與施洗約翰對受洗之人所說的大致相同（太 3:8-9）：「要結出果子來，與悔改的心相稱；不要自己心裏說：我們有亞伯拉罕為祖宗。」先知在此告訴他們：
- 神的真實的話是甚麼，是他們可以信靠的。簡而言之，他們可以確信：他們若肯悔改、改革自己的生活，在盡本分的路上歸向神，祂必恢復並堅固他們的平安，必補償他們的虧負，並在施憐憫的路上歸向他們（耶 7:3）：「你們改正行動作為。」這暗示他們的行動作為素來多有不是，有許多過失與錯謬。但神對他們施恩的一個極大實例，便是允許他們改正，向他們指出當在何處、當如何改正，並應許在他們改正之後便悅納他們：「我就使你們……在這地方仍然居住」——安然平穩地居住，那威脅你們被逐的事必被制止。改革是通往安全的惟一途徑，而背道是通往毀滅的確實途徑。他為自己解釋（耶 7:5-7），具體地告訴他們：
（一）他所期望於他們的改正是甚麼。他們當「實在改正」；在「行善」上，他們當「行善自己的行動作為」；他們當決心改革，並且這改革必須是全面的、恆久的、持守的——不是局部的，而是整體的；不是虛偽的，而是真誠的；不是搖擺的，而是恆常的。他們當使樹好，因而使果子好；當改正他們的心思與意念，因而改正他們的行動作為。具體而言：〔一〕他們在一切交往上必須誠實公義。那些手中掌權的人必須「在人和鄰舍之間誠然施行公平」——不偏不倚，照案情所顯的公正而行。他們不可在審判中或在交易上「欺壓寄居的和孤兒寡婦」，也不可袒護或包庇那些欺壓人的人，更不可在他們求公道之時拒絕為他們施行公義。他們「不可流無辜人的血」，以之「玷污這地方」與他們所住的地。〔二〕他們當緊緊持守惟獨敬拜真神：「也不隨從別神」；不可貪戀它們，也不可聽從那些要將你們引入與拜偶像者相交的人；「因為這是，也必是，陷害你們自己的」。當如此對你們的神公義，又如此為你們自己明智，以至於不將你們的敬拜拋棄在那些不能幫助你們的身上，因而激動那能毀滅你們的神。這就是神所堅持的一切。
（二）他告訴他們，在這改正之後，他們可期望於祂的堅立是甚麼（耶 7:7）：「當速速著手這樣的改革之工，徹底作成，並持守不渝；我就使你們在這地方仍然居住——這殿必繼續作你們聚集與避難之所，作你們與神、與彼此舒適相交之處；你們必住在『我從前所賜給你們列祖的地，直到永遠』，你們必永不從神的家或從自己的家中被趕出。」所應許的是他們仍要享受他們公民的與神聖的特權，且要舒適地享受：「我就使你們在這裏居住」；神所賜定居之處的人，便安然居住。他們要憑約享受，憑那賜給他們列祖的應許而享受，不是憑護理，而是憑應許。他們要持續享受，不被驅逐、不被騷擾，「直到永遠」；除了罪之外，沒有甚麼能使他們喪失這一切。一個在屬天迦南中永遠的產業，因此為一切活在敬虔與誠實之中的人所確保。武加大譯本在此讀出一項更進的特權（耶 7:3、7）：Habitabo vobiscum——「我必與你們在這地方同住」；若神不與我們同住，我們必發覺連迦南本身也不是可舒適安居之地。
- 他們自己心中的虛謊話是甚麼，是他們不可信靠的。他警告他們防備這自欺（耶 7:4）：「你們不要倚靠虛謊的話。你們已被指示，當循何途徑、在何條件之下可得安穩安全與福樂；如今不可自欺，以為你們可在任何別的條件之下、任何別的途徑中如此。」然而他指控他們這出於虛妄的自欺（耶 7:8）：「看哪，你們顯然是倚靠虛謊的話，不顧所傳給你們的；你們倚靠『無益的話』；你們所倚賴的託辭，對你們毫無助益。」那些輕視能有益於他們的真理之言的人，便在不能有益於他們的虛謊之言中尋求庇護。如今這些虛謊的話是：「這些是耶和華的殿，是耶和華的殿，是耶和華的殿。這些建築——外院、聖所、至聖所——就是耶和華的殿，照祂的吩咐而建，為祂的榮耀而造；祂住在其中，在其中受敬拜，我們一年三次來到這裏，在我們的王宮中向祂進貢。」他們以為這已足夠保證他們的安全，可以使神與祂的恩惠不離開他們，使神與祂的審判不侵入他們。當先知告訴他們他們何等有罪、他們將何等悲慘時，他們總是以聖殿為託辭：「我們既有那聖潔蒙福之地在我們中間，怎能如此？」先知重複這話，因為他們在任何場合都重複它。那是當時代的口頭禪；他們在任何場合都把它掛在嘴邊。他們若聽了一篇警醒的講章，若聽見了甚麼驚人的消息，便以這話再哄自己入睡：「我們不可能不好，因為我們有『耶和華的殿在我們中間』。」須知，「敬虔外貌」的特權，往往是那些對敬虔的本質陌生、為敵之人的驕傲與倚靠。那些最遠離神的人，往往最誇耀自己與教會親近，這是常見的。他們「因聖山而狂傲」（番 3:11），彷彿神的憐憫如此被他們拴住，以至於他們可以公然違抗祂的公義。為要使他們確信這託辭何等輕浮、對他們毫無助益：
（一）他指出這話本身是何等荒謬。他們若對「耶和華的殿」或「殿的主耶和華」有任何認識，便當明白：以這話作為得罪神的託辭、或作為攔阻神審判的理由，乃是最荒唐不過的事。〔一〕神是聖潔的神；但這託辭使祂成了罪——成了最壞之罪的——庇護者，連自然之光也定罪的罪（耶 7:9-10）。他說：「你們豈可偷盜、殺害、行姦淫——犯下最卑劣的不道德，是人類共同利益與共同良知所見證反對的？你們豈可起假誓——這是萬國（凡信有神的，都尊崇起誓）一向所恐懼的罪？你們豈可向巴力燒香——那糞堆之神，與偉大的耶和華爭競，而且不以此為足，又隨從別神，就是你們所不認識的？你們以這一切罪公然冒犯神，既冒犯了祂作為『萬軍之耶和華』，又冒犯了祂作為『以色列的神』。你們豈可將一位你們長久經歷其權能與良善的神，換取一些你們對其幫助的能力與意願一無所知的神？當你們如此行了所能行的最壞之事以後，你們豈可厚顏到如此地步，竟來『在這稱為祂名的殿』中——在祂面前站立——這殿是祂名所稱的——如同僕人等候命令、如同乞求者盼望恩惠那樣站立？你們豈可公然背叛祂，卻又混在祂的子民中間——混在最好的子民中間？看來你們以為祂或是不能發現、或是不厭惡你們的惡行；設想二者中任何一樣，都是對祂所能加的最大侮辱。這就如同你們說：『我們自由了，可以行這一切可憎的事。』」他們縱然沒有膽量totidem verbis——「用這許多話」——如此明說，他們的行動卻大聲如此說了。他們不能不承認，神——甚至他們自己的神——曾屢次拯救他們，在他們本當滅亡之時作了隨時的幫助。祂拯救他們，原是要使他們歸向自己，以恩慈領他們悔改；他們卻決意不顧一切地堅持他們的可憎之事。他們一得拯救（如古時士師時代一般），便「再行耶和華眼中看為惡的事」，這實際上就是說：與那些影響他們的護理之真意正相違背——神拯救他們，原是要使他們重新有能力背叛祂，好使他們更豐盛地向偶像獻祭。須知，那些因恩典豐盛、或為使恩典豐盛而繼續在罪中的人，實際上是使基督成了罪的僕役。有人如此理解：「你們帶著祭物與贖罪祭來到神面前，然後說：『我們自由了』，我們已從罪咎中得釋放，如今這對我們無害了；其實這不過是蒙蔽世人、塞住良心的口，好使你們更輕省地對自己、更貌似合理地對別人『行這一切可憎的事』。」〔二〕祂的殿是聖潔之地；但這託辭卻使它成了最不聖潔之人的庇護：「這稱為我名的殿——神的國度與撒但國度的常設記號——在你們眼中豈可看為賊窩嗎？你們以為它是為著聚集——更是為著庇護、窩藏——最卑劣的罪犯而建的嗎？」不；雖然祭壇的角是誤殺人之人的避難所，卻不是故意殺人者的避難所，也不是任意妄為之人的避難所（出 21:14；王上 2:29）。那些以基督徒之名掩飾自己不基督化的行為、因有贖罪祭預備便更加膽大妄為地犯罪的人，實際上是將神的禱告之殿當作賊窩，正如基督時代的祭司所作的（太 21:13）。但他們能否如此欺哄神？不：「看哪，我都看見了。這是耶和華說的」——我已透過那虛假的、假裝的敬虔，看見了真實的不義。須知，人雖可以敬虔的外貌彼此欺哄，卻不能欺哄神。
（二）他指出這託辭在示羅的案子中早已被判為不足恃。〔一〕示羅確實被毀了——雖然其中有神的聖所——因為它以自己的罪惡褻瀆了那聖所（耶 7:12）：「你們且往我所立為我名的居所示羅去。」那曾經繁盛之城的廢墟，大概仍存留著；他們至少可以閱讀它的歷史，這歷史當如他們親眼看見那地方一般影響他們。在那裏神「起初立祂的名」；以色列初得迦南時，帳幕便在那裏立起（書 18:1），眾支派也上那裏去；但那些在帳幕中事奉的人卻敗壞了自己與別人，「以色列民的罪惡」便從他們而起；那泉源被毒化，發出惡性的水流；結果如何呢？神「離棄」了它（詩 78:60），使祂的約櫃被擄，剪除了在那裏主持的以利全家；那城極可能被徹底毀滅，因為我們後來再未讀到它，只見它作為神對聖地的報應的紀念——當聖地容留惡人之時。須知，神對別人的審判——那些雖保持著與神親近的宣稱、卻實在背離了神之人所受的審判——當作為我們的鑑戒，不可「倚靠虛謊的話」。查考先例並加以運用，乃是好的。「要記念羅得的妻子」；要記念示羅與亞西亞的七個教會；當知道約櫃與燈臺乃是可移動之物（啟 2:5；太 21:43）。〔二〕示羅的命運若不因迅速而真誠的悔改而防止，耶路撒冷的厄運也必與之相同，這同樣是確定的。第一，耶路撒冷如今正與示羅當日一樣有罪；這是由神自己無誤的見證所證明的（耶 7:13）：「你們行了這一切惡」，你們不能否認；他們又在罪中固執不改，這是由神屢次的呼召與懇求所證明的——「我早起警戒你們……說話」——如同那焦急的人、如同那迫切的人、如同那不肯失時的人，甚至要在最合宜的時機——清早——對他們說話，那時他們若曾清醒、心思清明，便是此時；卻全歸徒然。神說話，他們「卻不聽從」，他們毫不理會，他們從不留心；祂「呼喚」他們，他們「卻不答應」；他們不肯就祂的呼召而來。須知，神對我們所說過的話，大大加重了我們對祂所犯的罪。第二，耶路撒冷不久必與示羅一樣悲慘：「所以我必向這殿照我從前向示羅所行的一般行動」，使之毀滅荒涼（耶 7:14）。那些蹈前人罪惡之覆轍的人，必期望受同樣的審判而傾覆，因為這一切事「臨在他們身上，作為鑑戒」（林前 10:11）。耶路撒冷的聖殿無論建得多麼堅固，只要其中有罪惡，當神報復之日來到時，便必如在示羅的帳幕一般，不能存立，輕易被攻取。「這殿」（神說）「是『稱為我名下』的，因此你們或許以為我當保護它；它是你們『所倚靠』的殿，你們以為它能保護你們；這地是『我所賜給你們和你們列祖』的『地方』，因此你們對它的持續性滿有把握，以為沒有甚麼能將你們趕出；但示羅的人也曾如此自欺，結果只是自欺。」祂又引用另一個先例（耶 7:15）：十支派國度的傾覆——他們是亞伯拉罕的後裔，有割禮之約，得著神賜給他們與他們列祖之地，偶像崇拜卻將他們趕出，將他們根絕：「你們豈能不以為同樣的惡行對你們也同樣致命呢？」無疑必是如此；因為神在祂司法的作為上是劃一的、前後一致的。這是公義的規則：ut parium par sit ratio——「在相似的案件中當作出同樣的判決」。「你們『像你們的弟兄以法蓮的全族』一樣敗壞了自己，在罪惡上成了他們的弟兄，因此我必『將你們從我眼前趕出，正如我從前趕出他們』。」此處對這審判的解釋，使之成為一個極其可畏的審判；將他們從他們的地趕出，意指神將他們從祂眼前趕出——彷彿祂不再看他們、不再顧念他們。我們無論被趕到何處，只要留在神的愛中，便已足夠；但我們若被趕出祂的恩寵，縱然住在自己的地土，我們的光景也是悲慘的。這個威脅——神要使這殿如示羅一般——我們還要再遇見，並要發現耶利米因此被控告（耶 26:6）。
英語原文
A Call of Repentance (606 BC)
¹ The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
² Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.
³ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.
⁴ Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
⁵ For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;
⁶ If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:
⁷ Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.
⁸ Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
⁹ Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
¹⁰ And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?
¹¹ Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.
¹² But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
¹³ And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
¹⁴ Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
¹⁵ And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.
These verses begin another sermon, which is continued in this and the two following chapters, much to the same effect with those before, to reason them to repentance. Observe,
I. The orders given to the prophet to preach this sermon; for he had not only a general commission, but particular directions and instructions for every message he delivered. This was a word that came to him from the Lord, Jer 7:1. We are not told when this sermon was to be preached; but are told, 1. Where it must be preached—in the gate of the Lord's house, through which they entered into the outer court, or the court of the people. It would affront the priests, and expose the prophet to their rage, to have such a message as this delivered within their precincts; but the prophet must not fear the face of man, he cannot be faithful to his God if he do. 2. To whom it must be preached—to the men of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord; probably it was at one of three feasts, when all the males from all parts of the country were to appear before the Lord in the courts of his house, and not to appear empty: then he had many together to preach to, and that was the most seasonable time to admonish them not to trust to their privileges. Note, (1.) Even those that profess religion have need to be preached to as well as those that are without. (2.) It is desirable to have opportunity of preaching to many together. Wisdom chooses to cry in the chief place of concourse, and, as Jeremiah here, in the opening of the gates, the temple-gates. (3.) When we are going to worship God we have need to be admonished to worship him in the spirit, and to have no confidence in the flesh, Php 3:3.
II. The contents and scope of the sermon itself. It is delivered in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, who commands the world, but covenants with his people. As creatures we are bound to regard the Lord of hosts, as Christians the God of Israel; what he said to them he says to us, and it is much the same with that which John Baptist said to those whom he baptized (Mt 3:8,9), Bring forth fruits meet for repentance; and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father. The prophet here tells them,
1. What were the true words of God, which they might trust to. In short, they might depend upon it that if they would repent and reform their lives, and return to God in a way of duty, he would restore and confirm their peace, would redress their grievances, and return to them in a way of mercy (Jer 7:3): Amend your ways and your doings. This implies that there had been much amiss in their ways and doings, many faults and errors. But it is a great instance of the favour of God to them that he gives them liberty to amend, shows them where and how they must amend, and promises to accept them upon their amendment: "I will cause you to dwell quietly and peaceably in this place, and a stop shall be put to that which threatens your expulsion." Reformation is the only way, and a sure way to ruin. He explains himself (Jer 7:5-7), and tells them particularly,
(1.) What the amendment was which he expected from them. They must thoroughly amend; in making good, they must make good their ways and doings; they must reform with resolution, and it must be a universal, constant, preserving reformation—not partial, but entire—not hypocritical, but sincere—not wavering, but constant. They must make the tree good, and so make the fruit good, must amend their hearts and thoughts, and so amend their ways and doings. In particular, [1.] They must be honest and just in all their dealings. Those that had power in their hands must thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour, without partiality, and according as the merits of the cause appeared. They must not either in judgment or in contract oppress the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor countenance or protect those that did oppress, nor refuse to do them justice when they sought for it. They must not shed innocent blood, and with it defile this place and the land wherein they dwelt. [2.] They must keep closely to the worship of the true God only: "Neither walk after other gods; do not hanker after them, nor hearken to those that would draw you into communion with idolaters; for it is, and will be, to your own hurt. Be not only so just to your God, but so wise for yourselves, as not to throw away your adorations upon those who are not able to help you, and thereby provoke him who is able to destroy you." Well, this is all that God insists upon.
(2.) He tells them what the establishment is which, upon this amendment, they may expect from him (Jer 7:7): "Set about such a work of reformation as this with all speed, go through with it, and abide by it; and I will cause you to dwell in this place, this temple; it shall continue your place of resort and refuge, the place of your comfortable meeting with God and one another; and you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers for ever and ever, and it shall never be turned out either from God's house or from your own." It is promised that they shall still enjoy their civil and sacred privileges, that they shall have a comfortable enjoyment of them: I will cause you to dwell here; and those dwell at ease to whom God gives a settlement. They shall enjoy it by covenant, by virtue of the grant made of it to their fathers, not by providence, but by promise. They shall continue in the enjoyment of it without eviction or molestation; they shall not be disturbed, much less dispossessed, for ever and ever; nothing but sin could throw them out. An everlasting inheritance in the heavenly Canaan is hereby secured to all that live in godliness and honesty. And the vulgar Latin reads a further privilege here, Jer 7:3,7. Habitabo vobiscum—I will dwell with you in this place; and we should find Canaan itself but an uncomfortable place to dwell in if God did not dwell with us there.
2. What were the lying words of their own hearts, which they must not trust to. He cautions them against this self-deceit (Jer 7:4): "Trust not in lying words. You are told in what way, and upon what terms, you may be easy safe, and happy; now do not flatter yourselves with an opinion that you may be so on any other terms, or in any other way." Yet he charges them with this self-deceit arising from vanity (Jer 7:8): "Behold, it is plain that you do trust in lying words, notwithstanding what is said to you; you trust in words that cannot profit; you rely upon a plea that will stand you in no stead." Those that slight the words of truth, which would profit them, take shelter in words of falsehood, which cannot profit them. Now these lying words were, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these. These buildings, the courts, the holy place, and the holy of holies, are the temple of the Lord, built by his appointment, to his glory; here he resides, here he is worshipped, here we meet three times a year to pay our homage to him as our King in his palace." This they thought was security enough to them to keep God and his favours from leaving them, God and his judgments from breaking in upon them. When the prophets told them how sinful they were, and how miserable they were likely to be, still they appealed to the temple: "How can we be either so or so, as long as we have that holy happy place among us?" The prophet repeats it because they repeated it upon all occasions. It was the cant of the times; it was in their mouths upon all occasions. If they heard an awakening sermon, if any startling piece of news was brought to them, they lulled themselves asleep again with this, "We cannot but do well, for we have the temple of the Lord among us." Note, The privileges of a form of godliness are often the pride and confidence of those that are strangers and enemies to the power of it. It is common for those that are furthest from God to boast themselves most of their being near to the church. They are haughty because of the holy mountain (Zep 3:11), as if God's mercy were so tied to them that they might defy his justice. Now to convince them what a frivolous plea this was, and what little stead it would stand them in,
(1.) He shows them the gross absurdity of it in itself. If they knew any thing either of the temple of the Lord or of the Lord of the temple, they must think that to plead that, either in excuse of their sin against God or in arrest of God's judgment against them, was the most ridiculous unreasonable thing that could be. [1.] God is a holy God; but this plea made him the patron of sin, of the worst of sins, which even the light of nature condemns, Jer 7:9,10. "What," says he, "will you steal, murder, and commit adultery, be guilty of the vilest immoralities, and which the common interest, as well as the common sense, of mankind witness against? Will you swear falsely, a crime which all nations (who with the belief of a God have had a veneration for an oath) have always had a horror of? Will you burn incense to Baal, a dunghill-deity, that sets up as a rival with the great Jehovah, and, not content with that, will you walk after other gods too, whom you know not, and by all these crimes put a daring affront upon God, both as the Lord of hosts and as the God of Israel? Will you exchange a God of whose power and goodness you have had such a long experience for gods of whose ability and willingness to help you you know nothing? And, when you have thus done the worst you can against God, will you brazen your faces so far as to come and stand before him in this house which is called by his name and in which his name is called upon—stand before him as servants waiting his commands, as supplicants expecting his favour? Will you act in open rebellion against him, and yet herd among his subjects, among the best of them? By this, it should seem, you think that either he does not discover or does not dislike your wicked practices, to imagine either of which is to put the highest indignity possible upon him. It is as if you should say, We are delivered to do all these abominations." If they had not the front to say this, totidem verbis—in so many words, yet their actions spoke it aloud. They could not but own that God, even their own God, had many a time delivered them, and been a present help to them, when otherwise they must have perished. He, in delivering them, designed to reduce them to himself, and by his goodness to lead them to repentance; but they resolved to persist in their abominations notwithstanding. As soon as they were delivered (as of old in the days of the Judges) they did evil again in the sight of the Lord, which was in effect to say, in direct contradiction to the true intent and meaning of the providences which had affected them, that God had delivered them in order to put them again into a capacity of rebelling against him, by sacrificing the more profusely to their idols. Note, Those who continue in sin because grace has abounded, or that grace may abound, do in effect make Christ the minister of sin. Some take it thus: "You present yourselves before God with your sacrifices and sin-offerings, and then say, We are delivered, we are discharged from our guilt, now it shall do us no hurt; when all this is but to blind the world, and stop the mouth of conscience, that you may, the more easily to yourselves and the more plausibly before others, do all these abominations." [2.] His temple was a holy place; but this plea made it a protection to the most unholy persons: "Has this house, which is called by my name and is a standing sign of God's kingdom of sin and Satan—has this become a den of robbers in your eyes? Do you think it was built to be not only a rendezvous of, but a refuge and shelter to, the vilest of malefactors?" No; though the horns of the altar were a sanctuary to him that slew a man unawares, yet they were not so to a wilful murderer, nor to one that did aught presumptuously, Ex 21:14, 1Ki 2:29. Those that think to excuse themselves in unchristian practices with the Christian name, and sin the more boldly and securely because there is a sin-offering provided, do, in effect, make God's house of prayer a den of thieves, as the priests in Christ's time, Mt 21:13. But could they thus impose upon God? No: Behold, I have seen it, saith the Lord, have seen the real iniquity through the counterfeit and dissembled piety. Note, Though men may deceive one another with the appearances of devotion, yet they cannot deceive God.
(2.) He shows them the insufficiency of this plea adjudged long since in the case of Shiloh. [1.] It is certain that Shiloh was ruined, though it had God's sanctuary in it, when by its wickedness it profaned that sanctuary (Jer 7:12): Go you now to my place which was in Shiloh. It is probable that the ruins of that once flourishing city were yet remaining; they might, at least, read the history of it, which ought to affect them as if they saw the place. There God set his name at the first, there the tabernacle was set up when Israel first took possession of Canaan (Joh 18:1), and thither the tribes went up; but those that attended the service of the tabernacle there corrupted both themselves and others, and from them arose the wickedness of his people Israel; that fountain was poisoned, and sent forth malignant streams; and what came of it? No; God forsook it (Ps 78:60), sent his ark into captivity, cut off the house of Eli that presided there; and it is very probable that the city was quite destroyed, for we never read any more of it but as a monument of divine vengeance upon holy places when they harbour wicked people. Note, God's judgments upon others, who have really revolted from God while they have kept up a profession of nearness to him, should be a warning to us not to trust in lying words. It is good to consult precedents, and make use of them. Remember Lot's wife; remember Shiloh and the seven churches of Asia; and know that the ark and candlestick are moveable things, Re 2:5, Mt 21:43. [2.] It is as certain that Shiloh's fate will be Jerusalem's doom if a speedy and sincere repentance prevent it not. First, Jerusalem was now as sinful as ever Shiloh was; that is proved by the unerring testimony of God himself against them (Jer 7:13): "You have done all these works, you cannot deny it:" and they continued obstinate in their sin; that is proved by the testimony of God's return and repent, rising up early and speaking, as one in care, as one in earnest, as one who would lose no time in dealing with them, nay, who would take the fittest opportunity for speaking to them early in the morning, when, if ever, they were sober, and had their thoughts free and clear; but it was all in vain. God spoke, but they heard not, they heeded not, they never minded; he called them, but they answered not; they would not come at his call. Note, What God has spoken to us greatly aggravates what we have done against him. Secondly, Jerusalem shall shortly be as miserable as ever Shiloh was: Therefore I will do unto this house as I did to Shiloh, ruin it, and lay it waste, Jer 7:14. Those that tread in the steps of the wickedness of those that went before them must expect to fall by the like judgments, for all these things happened to them for ensamples. The temple at Jerusalem, though ever so strongly built, if wickedness was found in it, would be as unable to keep its ground and as easily conquered as even the tabernacle in Shiloh was, when God's day of vengeance had come. "This house" (says God) "is called by my name, and therefore you may think that I should protect it; it is the house in which you trust, and you think that it will protect you; this land is the place, this city the place, which I gave to you and your fathers, and therefore you are secure of the continuance of it, and think that nothing can turn you out of it; but the men of Shiloh thus flattered themselves and did but deceive themselves." He quotes another precedent (Jer 7:15), the ruin of the kingdom of the ten tribes, who were the seed of Abraham, and had the covenant of circumcision, and possessed the land which God gave to them and their fathers, and yet the idolatries threw them out and extirpated them: "And can you think but that the same evil courses will be as fatal to you?" Doubtless they will be so; for God is uniform and of a piece with himself in his judicial proceedings. It is a rule of justice, ut parium par sit ratio—that in similar cases the same judgment should proceed. "You have corrupted yourselves as your brethren the seed of Ephraim did, and have become their brethren in iniquity, and therefore I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast them." The interpretation here given of the judgment makes it a terrible one indeed; the casting of them out of their land signified God's casting them out of his sight, as if he would never look upon them, never look after them, more. Whenever we are cast, it is well enough, if we be kept in the love of God; but, if we are thrown out of his favour, our case is miserable though we dwell in our own land. This threatening, that God would make this house like Shiloh, we shall meet with again, and find Jeremiah indicted for it, Jer 26:6.
16-20
Punishment Predicted (606 BC)
繁體中文
刑罰的預告（主前 606 年）
¹⁶ 所以你不要為這百姓祈求，不要為他們舉求禱告呼求，也不要為他們向我懇求；因我不聽允你。
¹⁷ 你在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷街上，看不見他們所作的事嗎？
¹⁸ 孩子撿柴，父親燒火，婦女摶麵，作天上皇后的餅，又向別神澆奠祭，惹我發怒。
¹⁹ 耶和華說：他們是惹我發怒嗎？不是自己惹自己以致蒙羞嗎？
²⁰ 所以主耶和華如此說：看哪，我的怒氣和我的憤怒必傾倒在這地方，傾倒在人身上、牲畜身上、田野的樹木上、地上的出產上；必燃燒，總不熄滅。
神在前面的經文中已向他們表明：他們所誇口、所信靠的聖殿和其中的事奉，不能阻止所威脅的審判。但還有一樣或許對他們有益、他們卻毫不重視的，就是先知為他們的代求；他的禱告比他們自己的辯解對他們更有益處：如今這個支持也從他們被取去；那些失去神的僕人和百姓代求之益處的人，其處境實在悲慘。
一. 神在此禁止先知為他們禱告（Jer 7:16）：判令已出，他們的滅亡已定，所以你不要為這百姓祈求——意思就是不要為阻止這所威脅的審判而求；他們已犯了至於死的罪，所以不要為他們的肉體生命祈求，卻要為他們靈魂的生命祈求（約一 5:16）。在此請看，1. 神的先知是禱告的人；耶利米預言了猶大和耶路撒冷的毀滅，卻仍為他們的存留禱告，不知道判令是絕對的；我們為耶路撒冷求平安也是神的旨意。即使我們以永刑威嚇罪人時，也當為他們的得救禱告，使他們回轉而存活。耶利米被本國百姓恨惡、逼迫、辱罵，卻仍為他們禱告；因為我們理當以善報惡。2. 神的禱告先知在天上有極大的影響力，無論他們在地上如何渺小。當神定意毀滅這百姓時，祂吩咐先知不要為他們禱告，因為祂不願先知的禱告（先知的禱告極少如此）落空不答。神曾對摩西說：任憑我（出 32:10）。3. 當神限制祂僕人和百姓的靈使他們不為某民禱告，讓他們看見那民的處境如此絕望以至於無心為他們說好話時，對那民是凶兆。4. 那些不肯留意好牧者講道的人，不能期望從他們的禱告中得益。你們若不肯聽我們從神向你們所說的話，神也不聽我們為你們向祂所說的話。
二. 祂給他禁止的理由。禱告之氣息太寶貴，不可浪費在一群在罪中剛硬、被標記為將亡的人身上。
- 他們決心堅持背叛神，先知的講道不能使他們回頭。為此神向先知本人 appeal——向他的觀察和查考（Jer 7:17）：「你在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷街上，看不見他們所作的事嗎？」——如此公開、如此毫無羞恥和懼怕地作的事。這暗示罪惡顯而易見、無可否認，且犯罪者厚顏無恥、不肯悔改；他們甚至在先知眼前、在他的目光之下犯罪；他看見他們所作的，他們卻仍然去作，這是對他職任的冒犯，也是對他所事奉之主的冒犯，向兩者同時挑釁。現在請觀察：
（1.）他們在此被控的是甚麼罪——就是拜偶像（Jer 7:18）。他們拜偶像的敬意獻給天后——就是月亮，或藉著偶像，或拜其本體，或兩者皆是。他們大概以亞斯他錄或其他女神的名號來敬拜它，因喜愛所見月亮運行的明亮光輝，以為自己受惠於它的恩澤或懼怕它的惡劣影響（伯 31:26）。敬拜月亮在外邦列國中十分普遍（Jer 44:17,19）。有人讀作天的構造或天的造物。整個天球連同其一切裝飾和權能是他們敬拜的對象。他們敬拜天上的萬象（徒 7:42）。他們本當獻給君王的敬意，卻獻給了那些點綴祂宮殿門面的雕像；他們敬拜受造之物而不敬拜造物主，敬拜僕役而不敬拜發令的主，敬拜恩賜而不敬賞賜的主。他們在天后之外還敬拜別神——不僅是天上之物的形象，還有地上和地底下水中之物的形象；因為離棄真神的人必無休止地追逐假神。他們向這些自己手所造的神祇獻餅為素祭，又澆奠祭，彷彿他們的飲食從它們而來、有義務向它們感恩：請看他們何等忙碌，每一隻手都按著各自家務的分工投入這些偶像的事奉。孩子被差去撿柴；父親燒火烤爐——他們是窮苦人家，僱不起僕人來作這事，卻寧可自己動手也不肯讓它荒廢；婦女親手摶麵——她們或許雖有僕人，卻以親自動手表明對偶像的熱心為榮。讓我們從這壞榜樣中受教訓，學習事奉我們的神。[一.] 讓我們以我們的財物尊榮祂，因為我們從祂得著養生之需，我們吃喝都為榮耀那賜我們飲食的主。[二.] 讓我們不推辭最艱難的事奉，也不鄙棄最低微的事奉——凡能尊榮神的事奉；因為沒有人在神的祭壇上白白點火。讓我們以在任何為神所作的工中有分為榮。[三.] 讓我們在敬虔的操練中教養兒女；讓他們按著所能的，在維持宗教操練上有所參與。
（2.）這罪的直接趨向：「*他們所作的，是為惹我發怒；他們在其中不能有別的用意。但是」（Jer 7:19）「他們是惹我發怒嗎？是因為我難以取悅、容易發怒嗎？或是要我承當怨憤的責難嗎？不；這是他們自己作的；他們只能怪自己，也只有他們自己要承受。」他們惹神發怒，是害了神嗎？神因此更壞了嗎？這對神有甚麼實質的損害嗎？不；這豈不是害了他們自己，以致蒙羞嗎？這是對神的惡意，卻是無能的惡意；它不能傷害祂：不，它是愚妄的惡意；它必傷害他們自己。他們對神發洩怨恨，卻把怨恨行在自己身上。你還能以為別的嗎？一群如此執意自取滅亡的人，豈不當被棄絕嗎？
- 神決心繼續對他們施行審判，先知的禱告不能使祂轉回（Jer 7:20）：主耶和華如此說——祂所說的祂不收回，全世界也不能反對；所以當聽而戰慄。「看哪，我的怒氣和我的憤怒必傾倒在這地方」——如同洪水淹沒古時的世界，又如硫磺與火降在所多瑪；他們既惹我發怒，就讓他們看看結果如何。他們很快就會發現，（1.）這火的洪水無可逃避，無論是逃避或抵擋；它必傾倒在這地方——縱然是聖地、是耶和華的殿。它必波及人和牲畜，如同埃及的災；又如同其中一些災，必毀壞田野的樹木和地上的出產——就是他們為巴勒所預備和預備之物，也是他們用以作天上皇后的餅之物。（2.）它無可熄滅：必燃燒，總不熄滅；那時禱告和眼淚都無濟於事。當祂的怒氣稍為發作時尚且如此，何況發作到如此程度，更無法熄滅。神的烈怒就是那不滅的火，連永恆也看不見它的盡頭。你們這被咒詛的人，離開我，進入那為魔鬼和牠的使者所預備的永火裏去。
英語原文
Punishment Predicted (606 BC)
¹⁶ Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.
¹⁷ Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
¹⁸ The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
¹⁹ Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?
²⁰ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
God had shown them, in the foregoing verses, that the temple and the service of it, of which they boasted and in which they trusted, should not avail to prevent the judgment threatened. But there was another thing which might stand them in some stead, and which yet they had no value for, and that was the prophet's intercession for them; his prayers would do them more good than their own pleas: now here that support is taken from them; and their case is said indeed who have lost their interest in the prayers of God's ministers and people.
I. God here forbids the prophet to pray for them (Jer 7:16): "The decree has gone forth, their ruin is resolved on, therefore pray not thou for this people, that is, pray not for the preventing of this judgment threatened; they have sinned unto death, and therefore pray not for their life, but for the life of their souls," 1Jo 5:16. See here, 1. That God's prophets are praying men; Jeremiah foretold the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem, and yet prayed for their preservation, not knowing that the decree was absolute; and it is the will of God that we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Even when we threaten sinners with damnation we must pray for their salvation, that they may turn and live. Jeremiah was hated, and persecuted, and reproached, by the children of his people, and yet he prayed for them; for it becomes us to render good for evil. 2. That God's praying prophets have a great interest in heaven, how little soever they have on earth. When God has determined to destroy this people, he bespeaks the prophet not to pray for them, because he would not have his prayers to lie (as prophets' prayers seldom did) unanswered. God said to Moses, Let me alone, Ex 22:10. 3. It is an ill omen to a people when God restrains the spirits of his ministers and people from praying for them, and gives them to see their case so desperate that they have no heart to speak a good word for them. 4. Those that will not regard good ministers' preaching cannot expect any benefit by their praying. If you will not hear us when we speak from God to you, God will not hear us when we speak to him for you.
II. He gives him a reason for this prohibition. Praying breath is too precious a thing to be lost and thrown away upon a people hardened in sin and marked for ruin.
1. They are resolved to persist in their rebellion against God, and will not be turned back by the prophet's preaching. For this he appeals to the prophet himself, and his own inspection and observation (Jer 7:17): Seest thou not what they do openly and publicly, without either shame or fear, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? This intimates both that the sin was evident and could not be denied and that the sinners were impudent and would not be reclaimed; they committed their wickedness even in the prophet's presence and under his eye; he saw what they did, and yet they did it, which was an affront to his office, and to him whose officer he was, and bade defiance to both. Now observe,
(1.) What the sin is with which they are here charged—it is idolatry, Jer 7:18. Their idolatrous respects are paid to the queen of heaven, the moon, either in an image or in the original, or both. They worshipped it probably under the name of Ashtaroth, or some other of their goddesses, being in love with the brightness in which they saw the moon walk, and thinking themselves indebted to her for her benign influences or fearing her malignant ones, Job 31:26. The worshipping of the moon was much in use among the heathen nations, Jer 44:17,19. Some read it the frame or workmanship of heaven. The whole celestial globe with all its ornaments and powers was the object of their adoration. They worshipped the host of heaven, Ac 7:42. The homage they should have paid to their Prince they paid to the statues that beautified the frontispiece of his palace; they worshipped the creatures instead of him that made them, the servants instead of him that commands them, and the gifts instead of him that gave them. With the queen of heaven they worshipped other gods, images of things not only in heaven above, but in earth beneath, and in the waters under the earth; for those that forsake the true God wander endlessly after false ones. To these deities of their own making they offer cakes for meat-offerings, and pour out drink-offerings, as if they had their meat and drink from them and were obliged to make to them their acknowledgments: and see how busy they are, and how every hand is employed in the service of these idols, according as they used to be employed in their domestic services. The children were sent to gather wood; the fathers kindled the fire to heat the oven, being of the poorer sort that could not afford to keep servants to do it, yet they would rather do it themselves than it should be undone; the women kneaded the dough with their own hands, for perhaps, though they had servants to do it, they took a pride in showing their zeal for their idols by doing it themselves. Let us be instructed, even by this bad example, in the service of our God. [1.] Let us honour him with our substance, as those that have our subsistence from him, and eat and drink to the glory of him from whom we have our meat and drink. [2.] Let us not decline the hardest services, nor disdain to stoop to the meanest, by which God may be honoured; for none shall kindle a fire on God's altar for nought. Let us think it an honour to be employed in any work for God. [3.] Let us bring up our children in the acts of devotion; let them, as they are capable, be employed in doing something towards the keeping up of religious exercises.
(2.) What is the direct tendency of this sin: "It is that they may provoke me to anger; they cannot design any thing else in it. But (Jer 7:19) do they provoke me to anger? Is it because I am hard to be pleased, or easily provoked? Or am I to bear the blame of the resentment? No; it is their own doing; they may thank themselves, and they alone shall bear it." Is it against God that they provoke him to wrath? Is he the worse for it? Does it do him any real damage? No; is it not against themselves, to the confusion of their own faces? It is malice against God, but it is impotent malice; it cannot hurt him: nay, it is foolish malice; it will hurt themselves. They show their spite against God, but they do the spite to themselves. Canst thou think any other than that a people, thus desperately set upon their own ruin, should be abandoned?
2. God is resolved to proceed in his judgments against them, and will not be turned back by the prophet's prayers (Jer 7:20): Thus saith the Lord God, and what he saith he will not unsay, nor can all the world gainsay it; hear it therefore, and tremble. "Behold, my anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, as the flood of waters was upon the old world or the shower of fire and brimstone upon Sodom; since they will anger me, let them see what will come of it." They shall soon find, (1.) That there is no escaping this deluge of fire, either by flying from it or fencing against it; it shall be poured out on this place, though it be a holy place, the Lord's house. It shall reach both man and beast, like the plagues of Egypt, and, like some of them, shall destroy the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground, which they had designed and prepared for Baal, and of which they had made cakes to the queen of heaven. (2.) There is no extinguishing it: It shall burn and shall not be quenched; prayers and tears shall then avail nothing. When his wrath is kindled but a little, much more when it is kindled to such a degree, there shall be no quenching it. God's wrath is that fire unquenchable which eternity itself will not see the period of. Depart, you cursed, into everlasting fire.
21-28
Obedience Better than Sacrifice (606 BC)
繁體中文
順服勝於獻祭（606 BC）
²¹ 萬軍之耶和華—以色列的神如此說：你們將燔祭加在平安祭上，吃肉吧！
²² 因為我將你們列祖從埃及地領出來的那日，燔祭平安祭的事我並沒有提說，也沒有吩咐他們。
²³ 我只吩咐他們這一件說：你們當聽從我的話，我就作你們的神，你們也作我的子民。你們行我所吩咐的一切道，就可以得福。
²⁴ 他們卻不聽從，不側耳而聽，竟隨從自己的計謀和頑梗的惡心，向後不向前。
²⁵ 自從你們列祖出埃及地的那日，直到今日，我差遣我的僕人眾先知到你們那裏去，每日從早起來差遣他們。
²⁶ 你們卻不聽從，不側耳而聽，竟硬著頸項行惡，比你們列祖更甚。
²⁷ 你要將這一切的話告訴他們，他們卻不聽從；呼喚他們，他們卻不答應。
²⁸ 你要對他們說：這就是不聽從耶和華—他們神的話、不受教訓的國民；誠實從他們口中滅絕盡了。
神既已向百姓表明，他們在罪惡中玷污聖殿，聖殿就不能保護他們，如今又向他們指出：只要他們繼續悖逆，他們的祭物既不能贖罪，也不蒙悅納。請看他在此以何等輕蔑的口吻論到他們的禮儀敬拜（Jer 7:21）。「將你們的燔祭加在你們的祭物上；你們儘管繼續下去，隨你們喜歡，一種祭再加上另一種祭；把你們的燔祭」（本當完全燒在壇上歸榮耀與神）「變為平安祭」（獻祭者自己也能分得相當的份），「好叫你們吃肉，因為這就是你們能從你們的祭物中得到的全部益處——一兩頓美餐而已；但你們既活得如此放蕩，就不要指望從中得著任何其他好處。」「把你們的祭物留給自己吧」（有人如此理解）；「讓它們擺在你們自己的席上，因為它們在神的祭壇前毫不可悅納。」為說明這一點，
I. 他指出，順服才是他向百姓唯一要求的。他訴諸最初立的約——就是他們被領出埃及、初次成為一個民族時所立的。神使他們成為歸他自己的「祭司國度」，並非要靠他們的祭物得著享受，如同外邦人所敬拜的鬼魔那樣——那些鬼魔被描述為以祭物的脂油為美味、以奠祭的酒為樂（De 32:38）。不：「神豈吃公牛的肉呢？」（Ps 50:13）。「我將你們列祖領出來的那日，論到燔祭和平安祭，我並沒有對他們說」——起初並不是論到這些。道德律的誡命是在禮儀條例之前頒賜的；而禮儀條例隨後才來，作為他們順服的試驗，也是幫助他們悔改與信心的憑藉。利未記如此開篇：「你們中間若有人獻供物給耶和華」（Le 1:2, 2:1），似乎更著意於規範獻祭，而非要求獻祭。然而神所吩咐的、他以至高權柄所約束他們的、他堅持作為聖約條件的，乃是：「你們當聽從我的話」；見Ex 15:26，這正是神用以試驗他們的律例典章：「你若留意聽耶和華—你神的話。」他們作神選民的身份，其條件正是如此（Ex 19:5）：「你們若實在聽從我的話。」「當盡上自然宗教的本分，從順服的原則遵行成文的條例，這樣我就作你們的神，你們也作我的子民」——這是世人所能得著的最大尊榮、幸福與滿足。「你們的行事為人當端正，凡事力求順應神的旨意與言語；你們當在我所定的界限內、在我所吩咐的一切道上行走，這樣你們就可以確知必得福祉。」此處的要求極其合理——我們既由無限的智慧所引導歸向正路，那造我們的主理當有權吩咐我們，賜我們生命並供養我們的主理當為我們立法；而應許也十分激勵人心：讓神的旨意作你的準則，他的喜悅便作你的福樂。
II. 他指出，悖逆才是他與他們爭執的唯一緣由。「他不是因祭物責備他們」——不是因他們疏於獻祭；祭物「常在他面前」（Ps 50:8）；他們本想藉此賄賂神，買得繼續犯罪的許可證。因此，神一直控告他們的，乃是他們在日常為人中違背誡命，雖然在敬拜的某些方面仍守禮儀（Jer 7:24,25等）。1. 他們把自己的意志置於與神的旨意相爭的地位：「他們不聽從」神和他的律法；他們對此毫不在意，彷彿律法從未頒賜、毫無效力；他們「不側耳而聽」以留心，更不用說傾心順從了。他們偏要隨己意而行，要照自己所選擇的去作，不照所吩咐的去作。「他們自己的計謀」成了他們的嚮導，而非屬天智慧的指引；他們眼中看為合法、看為好的便是如此，哪怕神的言語明明說了相反的話。「他們惡心所發出的私慾」竟成了他們的律法，他們定意行在其中，行自己眼中所看為正的事。2. 他們縱然起頭好，也不能持守，很快就退後了。他們「向後」退去——當他們嚷著要立一個首領、回埃及去，不肯在神的引導下「向前」邁進。他們曾許下美言：「凡耶和華所說的，我們必要行」；倘若他們一直存這樣的心思，一切便都安好；然而他們非但沒有在盡責的路上持續前行，反而退回到罪惡的道路中，比從前更糟。3. 當神差遣先知以口傳之言提醒他們那寫下的律法（這正是先知的職責）時，情形仍然一樣；他們依舊悖逆。自從他們出埃及直到如今，神在每一個世代都有僕人在他們中間，或這人或那人，指責他們的過犯、提醒他們的本分；神「從早起來差遣他們」（如前所述，Jer 7:13），如同主人清早起來呼喚僕人作工；然而他們對先知也如對律法一樣耳聾（Jer 7:26）：「他們卻不聽從，不側耳而聽。」這一直是他們的作風和習慣；他們與前人同樣頑梗悖逆；這一直是這個民族的性情，而且是惡性情，不斷地纏擾他們，直到最終將他們毀滅。4. 他們的行徑和品性依然如故，甚至更糟，不是更好，「比他們的列祖更甚」。（1）耶利米能親自見證他們的悖逆，他也必快要看見確是如此（Jer 7:27）：「你要將這一切的話告訴他們」，要特別指控他們的悖逆與頑梗。但即便如此也不能使他們回轉：「他們必不聽從你，也不留意你。你要去，以最直白、最懇切的態度呼喚他們，他們卻不回答你」；他們要麼完全不予回應，要麼不作順從的回應；他們不肯聽你的呼召。（2）因此，他必須承認他們確實配得悖逆之民的名號，配受滅亡，並要到他們面前當面告訴他們（Jer 7:28）：「你要對他們說：這就是不聽從耶和華—他們神之話的國民。他們以頑梗著稱；他們向耶和華獻祭，奉他為神，卻不肯讓他作神來管轄他們；他們既不受他言語的教訓，也不受他杖的責打；不肯因二者歸正。「誠實已從他們中間滅絕了」；他們不能領受真理，不肯順服真理，不受真理治理。他們不肯說誠實話；他們所說的一句也不能信，因為誠實「從他們口中滅絕盡了」，謊言便乘虛而入。他們對神對人都失信。」
英語原文
Obedience Better than Sacrifice (606 BC)
²¹ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
²² For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:
²³ But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
²⁴ But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
²⁵ Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
²⁶ Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
²⁷ Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
²⁸ But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
God, having shown the people that the temple would not protect them while they polluted it with their wickedness, here shows them that their sacrifices would not atone for them, nor be accepted, while they went on in disobedience. See with what contempt he here speaks of their ceremonial service (Jer 7:21). "Put your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices; go on in them as long as you please; add one sort of sacrifice to another; turn your burnt-offerings (which were to be wholly burnt to the honour of God) into peace-offerings" (which the offerer himself had a considerable share of), "that you may eat flesh, for that is all the good you are likely to have from your sacrifices, a good meal's meat or two; but expect not any other benefit by them while you live at this loose rate. Keep your sacrifices to yourselves" (so some understand it); "let them be served up at your own table, for they are no way acceptable at God's altars." For the opening of this,
I. He shows them that obedience was the only thing he required of them, Jer 7:22,23. He appeals to the original contract, by which they were first formed into a people, when they were brought out of Egypt. God made them a kingdom of priests to himself, not that he might be regaled with their sacrifices, as the devils, whom the heathen worshipped, which are represented as eating with pleasure the fat of their sacrifices and drinking the wine of their drink-offerings, De 32:38. No: Will God eat the flesh of bulls? Ps 50:13. I spoke not to your fathers concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices, not of them at first. The precepts of the moral law were given before the ceremonial institutions; and those came afterwards, as trials of their obedience and assistances to their repentance and faith. The Levitical law begins thus: If any man of you will bring an offering, he must do so and so (Le 1:2,2:1), as if it were intended rather to regulate sacrifice than to require it. But that which God commanded, which he bound them to by his supreme authority and which he insisted upon as the condition of the covenant, was, Obey my voice; see Ex 15:26, where this was the statute and the ordinance by which God proved them: Hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord thy God. The condition of their being God's peculiar people was this (Ex 19:5), If you will obey my voice indeed. "Make conscience of the duties of natural religion, observe positive institutions from a principle of obedience, and then I will be your God and you shall be my people," which is the greatest honour, happiness, and satisfaction, that any of the children of men are capable of. "Let your conversation be regular, and in every thing study to comply with the will and word of God; walk within the bounds that I have set you, and in all the ways that I have commanded you, and then you may assure yourselves that it shall be well with you." The demand here is very reasonable, that we should be directed by Infinite Wisdom to that which is fit, that he that made us should command us, and that he should give us law who gives us our being and all the supports of it; and the promise is very encouraging: Let God's will be your rule and his favour shall be your felicity.
II. He shows them that disobedience was the only thing for which he had a quarrel with them. He would not reprove them for their sacrifices, for the omission of them; they had been continually before him (Ps 50:8); with them they hoped to bribe God, and purchase a license to go on in sin. That therefore which God had all along laid to their charge was breaking his commandments in the course of their conversation, while they observed them, in some instances, in the course of their devotion, Jer 7:24,25, etc. 1. They set up their own will in competition with the will of God: They hearkened not to God and to his law; they never heeded that; it was to them as if it had never been given or were of no force; they inclined not their ear to attend to it, much less their hearts to comply with it. But they would have their own way, would do as they chose, and not as they were bidden. Their own counsels were their guide, and not the dictates of divine wisdom; that shall be lawful and good with them which they think so, though the word of God says quite contrary. The imagination of their evil heart, the appetites and passions of it, shall be a law to them, and they will walk in the way of it, and in the sight of their eyes. 2. If they began well, yet they did not proceed, but soon flew off. They went backward, when they talked of making a captain, and returning to Egypt again, and would not go forward under God's conduct. They promised fair: All that the Lord shall say unto us we will do; and, if they would but have kept in that good mind, all would have been well; but, instead of going on in the way of duty, they drew back into the way of sin, and were worse than ever. 3. When God sent to them by word of mouth to put them in mind of the written word, which was the business of the prophets, it was all one; still they were disobedient. God had servants of his among them in every age, since they came out of Egypt unto this day, some or other to tell them of their faults and put them in mind of their duty, whom he rose up early to send (as before, Jer 7:13), as men rise up early to call servants to their work; but they were as deaf to the prophets as they were to the law (Jer 7:26): Yet they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear. This had been their way and manner all along; they were of the same stubborn refractory disposition with those that went before them; it had all along been the genius of the nation, and an evil genius it was, that continually haunted them till it ruined them at last. 4. Their practice and character were still the same. They are worse, and not better, than their fathers. (1.) Jeremiah can himself witness against them that they were disobedient, or he shall soon find it so (Jer 7:27): "Thou shalt speak all these words to them, shalt particularly charge them with disobedience and obstinacy. But even that will not work upon them: They will not hearken to thee, nor heed thee. Thou shalt go, and call to them with all the plainness and earnestness imaginable, but they will not answer thee; they will either give thee no answer at all or not an obedient answer; they will not come at thy call." (2.) He must therefore own that they deserved the character of a disobedient people, that were ripe for destruction, and must go to them and tell them so to their faces (Jer 7:28): "Say unto them, This is a nation that obeys not the voice of the Lord their God. They are notorious for their obstinacy; they sacrifice to the Lord as their God, but they will not be ruled by him as their God; they will not receive either the instruction of his word or the correction of his rod; they will not be reclaimed or reformed by either. Truth has perished among them; they cannot receive it; they will not submit to it nor be governed by it. They will not speak truth; there is no believing a word they say, for it is cut off from their mouth, and lying comes in the room of it. They are false both to God and man."
29-34
The Desolation of Judah (606 BC)
繁體中文
猶大的荒涼（606 BC）
²⁹ 耶路撒冷啊，要剪除你的頭髮，將它丟棄，在光禿的高處舉哀；因為耶和華棄絕並離棄了他怒氣所臨的世代。
³⁰ 耶和華說：猶大人行了我眼中看為惡的事，將他們可憎的偶像設立在稱為我名下的殿中，使它被玷污。
³¹ 他們在欣嫩子谷建造陀斐特的邱壇，用火焚燒自己的兒女；這事我未曾吩咐他們，也未曾在我心中想起。
³² 耶和華說：因此日子將到，這地方不再稱為陀斐特，也不稱為欣嫩子谷，而稱為殺戮谷；因為要在陀斐特葬埋屍首，直到無處可葬。
³³ 這百姓的屍首必成為空中飛鳥和地上走獸的食物，無人驅趕。
³⁴ 那時，我必使猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷街上歡喜和快樂的聲音、新郎和新婦的聲音都止息，因為地必荒涼。
此處有，I. 一個向哭泣哀號發出的響亮呼召。耶路撒冷本是一座歡樂之城，全地的喜樂，如今卻要「在光禿的高處舉哀」（Jer 7:29）——就是他們曾事奉偶像的那些高處；在那裏他們如今必為自己的悲慘哀悼。作為悲哀和奴役的雙重記號，耶路撒冷如今要「剪除頭髮，將它丟棄」；這詞是拿細耳人頭髮的專用詞，是他們獻身於神的記號和憑證，被稱為他們的「冠冕」。耶路撒冷本是一座歸於神為聖的拿細耳人之城，如今卻要「剪除頭髮」，被褻瀆、被降卑、與神隔絕，正如她曾被分別歸他一樣。失去聖潔的人放下喜樂，正是時候。
II. 如此大哀號的正當理由。
1. 耶路撒冷的罪在此顯得極其邪惡，沒有比這更壞、更罪大惡極的了（Jer 7:30）：「猶大人（神的信仰子民，那『從猶大水中出來的』，Isa 48:1）在我眼前行了惡」——在我的眼下，在我的面前；他們當面侮辱我，這大大加重了這侮辱。或者：「他們行了那明知己眼中看為『惡』、且對我極其冒犯的事。」拜偶像是罪中在神眼中比一切其他罪更惡的。此處有兩件事在他們的拜偶像上被控告，極其惹怒神：（1）他們對神極其厚顏無恥，公然與他對抗：「他們將可憎的偶像（他們可憎的偶像和為之建立的壇）設立在稱為我名下的殿中」，在聖殿的院宇中，「使它被玷污」（瑪拿西如此行，2Ki 21:7, 23:12），彷彿他們以為神會默許，或不在乎他多麼不悅，又彷彿他們要使天堂與地獄、神與巴力和好。人心是神所揀選「安置他名」之處；若罪在其中佔有最深的、最高的位置，我們就玷污了主的殿，因此沒有甚麼比「心中樹立偶像」（Eze 14:4）更令他憎惡。（2）他們對自己的兒女極其殘忍（Jer 7:31）。他們特別「建造了陀斐特的邱壇」，那裏設有摩洛的像，「在欣嫩子谷」，毗鄰耶路撒冷；在那裏他們「用火焚燒自己的兒女」——活活燒死他們，殺害他們，並以所能想像的最殘忍方式殺害他們，以尊崇或安撫那些其實是鬼不是神的偶像。這確是有史以來撒但在不順從之子身上能力彰顯的最大例證，也是人性墮落敗壞的最大例證。人們情願希望這樣野蠻的拜偶像不會有太多例子；但竟然有這樣的，已經令人震驚——人能如此完全沒有天然的感情，做出如此不人道的事，焚燒無辜的小孩，而且是自己的兒女；人能如此完全沒有天然的宗教觀念，以為這是合法的，甚至以為這是可悅納的。這必定是出於公義的審判，因為他們將神的榮耀變為獸的形像，神就任憑他們陷入這樣可恥的私慾，使他們變得比獸更壞。神說這是他「未曾吩咐他們，也未曾在我心中想起」的事——這不是指他沒有吩咐他們如此敬拜摩洛（這是他明確「禁止」的），而是指他從未吩咐他的敬拜者要付如此代價，或如此強制他們的天然情感來尊崇他；讓兒女獻給他這種事從未進入他的心，然而他們卻為這樣的神放棄了他的事奉——這些神藉著如此吩咐，證明自己確實是人類的仇敵。
2. 耶路撒冷的毀滅在此顯得極其可怕。僅僅概括性的話已足以說明其悲慘（Jer 7:29）：「耶和華棄絕並離棄了他怒氣所臨的世代。」罪使那些本是神所愛之世代的人成為他怒氣所臨的世代。神將棄絕並完全離棄那些如此使自己成為「預備遭毀滅的器皿」的人。他必不認他們。「我實在告訴你們，我不認識你們。」他將他們交在他們自己罪疚的恐怖之中，任憑他們留在那些手中。（1）死亡必勝過他們（Jer 7:32,33）。罪作王以至於死；因為那是它的工價，是那些事的結局。「陀斐特」，毗鄰耶路撒冷的谷，必稱為「殺戮谷」，因為那裏必有無數人被殺，當他們從城中突圍、企圖逃脫時，落入圍攻者的手中。或者它必稱為「被殺者之谷」，因為被殺者的屍首要被運到那裏埋葬，其他一切墳地都滿了；他們要在那裏埋葬，「直到無處可葬」。這表明死於刀劍、瘟疫和饑荒的人數之眾。死亡必順利前行，帶著可怖的威勢和權能，「勝了又要勝」。「耶和華所殺的必多。」陀斐特這谷本是耶路撒冷居民散步透氣的地方；但如今它將不再作此用途，因為那裏必滿了墳墓，無人可行走，因為觸碰墳墓會招致禮儀上的不潔。正是在那裏，他們曾獻上自己的兒女為祭，將另一些獻給摩洛，也正是在那裏他們將作為神的公義之祭倒下。陀斐特從前曾是埋葬或焚燒圍攻者屍體之處，那時亞述軍隊被天使擊潰；正因如此它「從古時就被立定」（Isa 30:33）。但他們忘記了這憐憫，使之成為他們犯罪的所在，神如今要將它變為被圍攻者的埋葬之地。暗指這谷，地獄在新約中被稱為「欣嫩子谷」（Gehenna——欣嫩子谷），因為入侵的亞述人和背叛的猶太人都葬在那裏；照樣地獄是死後既容納不信者、又容納假冒為善者之處——神教會公開的仇敵和它背信的朋友；它是「死人之會」；它是為「神怒氣所臨的世代」預備的。但那殺戮將如此之大，以至於寬闊的陀斐特谷也不能容納被殺的人；終久連活著埋葬死人的人都不夠，以至於「百姓的屍首必成為」空中飛鳥和地上走獸的食物，如同腐肉一般吞食，無人有關切或勇氣去驅趕他們，如同利斯巴守護掃羅兒子的屍首一樣（2Sa 28:26）：「你的屍首必成為飛鳥走獸的食物，無人驅趕。」律法和先知如此一致，刑罰的執行也與二者相符。體面地埋葬死人是一種人道，記念死人的身體曾經是甚麼——有理性之靈魂的帳棚。不僅如此，它也是一種屬神的行為，期望死人的身體在復活之時將成為甚麼。有時不能如此埋葬是世人對神見證人狂怒的例證（Re 11:9）。在此它被威嚇為神對他仇敵憤怒的例證，並暗示「罪惡追上罪人」甚至在他死後。
（2）喜樂必離開他們（Jer 7:34）：「那時，我必使歡喜和快樂的聲音止息。」神曾藉著先知，並藉著較輕的審判，「呼召」他們哭泣哀號；但他們行事與他相背，不肯聽聞喜樂快樂以外的事（Isa 22:12,13）。結果如何呢？如今神「呼召哀號」（Jer 7:29），並使他的呼召有效——使他們既無喜樂的緣由、也無喜樂的心。不肯哭泣的人必哭泣；那些不肯靠神的恩典治癒虛妄歡愉的人，必被神的公義奪去一切歡愉；因為「神審判之時必將勝過」。此處威嚇說，必沒有可喜樂的事。必沒有婚禮的喜樂；沒有歡樂，因為沒有嫁娶。生活的安舒要被放棄，一切維持人類在世上存續的關懷都要被拋棄；必沒有「新郎和新婦的聲音」，沒有音樂，沒有婚宴之歌。也必不再有收割的喜樂，「因為地必荒涼」，無人耕種、無人改良。「猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷的街上」都必如此淒涼；當他們四處觀望，看不見可喜樂的緣由時，他們退回自己裏面，找不到喜樂的心，也就不足為奇了。當知，神能很快使最快樂的人的歡娛敗壞消散，這正是我們應當常常戰兢著喜樂、明智地歡愉的理由。
英語原文
The Desolation of Judah (606 BC)
²⁹ Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
³⁰ For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.
³¹ And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.
³² Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.
³³ And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
³⁴ Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.
Here is, I. A loud call to weeping and mourning. Jerusalem, that had been a joyous city, the joy of the whole earth, must now take up a lamentation on high places (Jer 7:29), the high places where they had served their idols; there must they now bemoan their misery. In token both of sorrow and slavery, Jerusalem must now cut off her hair and cast it away; the word is peculiar to the hair of the Nazarites, which was the badge and token of their dedication to God, and it is called their crown. Jerusalem had been a city which was a Nazarite to God, but now must cut off her hair, must be profaned, degraded, and separated from God, as she had been separated to him. It is time for those that have lost their holiness to lay aside their joy.
II. Just cause given for this great lamentation.
1. The sin of Jerusalem appears here very heinous, nowhere worse, or more exceedingly sinful (Jer 7:30): "The children of Judah" (God's profession people, that came forth out of the waters of Judah, Isa 48:1) "have done evil in my sight, under my eye, in my presence; they have affronted me to my face, which very much aggravates the affront:" or, "They have done that which they know to be evil in my sight, and in the highest degree offensive to me." Idolatry was the sin which was above all other sins evil in God's sight. Now here are two things charged upon them in their idolatry, which were very provoking: (1.) That they were very impudent in it towards God and set him at defiance: They have set their abominations (their abominable idols and the altars erected to them) in the house that is called by my name, in the very courts of the temple, to pollute it (Manasseh did so, 2Ki 21:7,23:12), as if they thought God would connive at it, or cared not though he was ever so much displeased with it, or as if they would reconcile heaven and hell, God and Baal. The heart is the place which God has chosen to put his name there; if sin have the innermost and uppermost place there, we pollute the temple of the Lord, and therefore he resents nothing more than setting up idols in the heart, Eze 14:4. (2.) That they were very barbarous in it towards their own children, Jer 7:31. They have particularly built the high places of Tophet, where the image of Moloch was set up, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, adjoining to Jerusalem; and there they burnt their sons and their daughters in the fire, burnt them alive, killed them, and killed them in the most cruel manner imaginable, to honour or appease those idols that were devils and not gods. This was surely the greatest instance that ever was of the power of Satan in the children of disobedience, and of the degeneracy and corruption of the human nature. One would willingly hope that there were not many instances of such a barbarous idolatry; but it is amazing that there should be any, that men could be so perfectly void of natural affection as to do a thing so inhuman as to burn little innocent children, and their own too, that they should be so perfectly void of natural religion as to think it lawful to do this, nay, to think it acceptable. Surely it was in a way of righteous judgment, because they had changed the glory of God into the similitude of a beast, that God gave them up to such vile affections that changed them into worse than beasts. God says of this that it was what he commanded them not, neither came it into his heart, which is not meant of his not commanding them thus to worship Moloch (this he had expressly forbidden them), but he had never commanded that his worshippers should be at such an expense, nor put such a force upon their natural affection, in honouring him; it never came into his heart to have children offered to him, yet they had forsaken his service for the service of such gods as, by commanding this, showed themselves to be indeed enemies to mankind.
2. The destruction of Jerusalem appears here very terrible. That speaks misery enough in general (Jer 7:29), The Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath. Sin makes those the generation of God's wrath that had been the generation of his love. And God will reject and quite forsake those who have thus made themselves vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. He will disown them for his. "Verily, I say unto you, I know you not." And he will give them up to the terrors of their own guilt, and leave them in those hands. (1.) Death shall triumph over them, Jer 7:32,33. Sin reigns unto death; for that is the wages of it, the end of those things. Tophet, the valley adjoining to Jerusalem, shall be called the valley of slaughter, for there multitudes shall be slain, when, in their sallies out of the city and their attempts to escape, they fall into the hands of the besiegers. Or it shall be called the valley of slaughtered ones, because thither the corpses of those that are slain shall be brought to be buried, all other burying places being full; and there they shall bury until there be no more place to make a grave. This intimates the multitude of those that shall die by the sword, pestilence, and famine. Death shall ride on prosperously, with dreadful pomp and power, conquering and to conquer. The slain of the Lord shall be many. This valley of Tophet was a place where the citizens of Jerusalem walked to take the air; but it shall now be spoiled for that use, for it shall be so full of graves that there shall be no walking there, because of the danger of contracting a ceremonial pollution by the touch of a grave. There it was that they sacrificed some of their children, and dedicated others to Moloch, and there they should fall as victims to divine justice. Tophet had formerly been the burying place, or burning place, of the dead bodies of the besiegers, when the Assyrian army was routed by an angel; and for this it was ordained of old, Isa 30:33. But they having forgotten this mercy, and made it the place of their sin, God will now turn it into a burying place for the besieged. In allusion to this valley, hell is in the New Testament called Gehenna—the valley of Hinnom, for there were buried both the invading Assyrians and the revolting Jews; so hell is a receptacle after death both for infidels and hypocrites, the open enemies of God's church and its treacherous friends; it is the congregation of the dead; it is prepared for the generation of God's wrath. But so great shall that slaughter be that even the spacious valley of Tophet shall not be able to contain the slain; and at length there shall not be enough left alive to bury the dead, so that the carcases of the people shall be meat for the birds and beasts of prey, that shall feed upon them like carrion, and none shall have the concern or courage to frighten them away, as Rizpah did from the dead bodies of Saul's sons, 2Sa 28:26, Thy carcase shall be meat to the fowls and beasts, and no man shall drive them away. Thus do the law and the prophets agree, and the execution with both. The decent burying of the dead is a piece of humanity, in remembrance of what the dead body has been—the tabernacle of a reasonable soul. Nay, it is a piece of divinity, in expectation of what the dead body shall be at the resurrection. The want of it has sometimes been an instance of the rage of men against God's witnesses, Re 11:9. Here it is threatened as an instance of the wrath of God against his enemies, and is an intimation that evil pursues sinners even after death. (2.) Joy shall depart from them (Jer 7:34): Then will I cause to cease the voice of mirth. God had called by his prophets, and by less judgments, to weeping and mourning; but they walked contrary to him, and would hear of nothing but joy and gladness, Isa 22:12,13. And what came of it? Now God called to lamentation (Jer 7:29), and he made his call effectual, leaving them neither cause nor heart for joy and gladness. Those that will not weep shall weep; those that will not by the grace of God be cured of their vain mirth shall by the justice of God be deprived of all mirth; for when God judges he will overcome. It is threatened here that there shall be nothing to rejoice in. There shall be none of the joy of weddings; no mirth, for there shall be no marriages. The comforts of life shall be abandoned, and all care to keep up mankind upon earth cast off; there shall be none of the voice of the bridegroom and the bride, no music, no nuptial songs. Nor shall there be any more of the joy of the harvest, for the land shall be desolate, uncultivated and unimproved. Both the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem shall look thus melancholy; and when they thus look about them, and see no cause to rejoice, no marvel if they retire into themselves and find no heart to rejoice. Note, God can soon mar the mirth of the most jovial, and make it to cease, which is a reason why we should always rejoice with trembling, be merry and wise.
先知既已奉神的名責備百姓的罪，又警戒他們將要臨到的神的審判，在本章中便繼續朝着使他們自卑、使他們甦醒的同一目標前進。一、他向他們指明，他們所極力依賴的理由——即他們當中有神的殿、並且常常按時參與其中的事奉——其實毫無功效，並努力使他們不再信靠外在的特權與宗教儀式（耶 7:1-11）。二、他提醒他們示羅的荒涼，並預告耶路撒冷也將如此荒涼（耶 7:12-16）。三、他向先知表明他們可憎的偶像崇拜，正因如此神才向他們發烈怒（耶 7:17-20）。四、他將宗教的根本要旨擺在百姓面前，即「聽命勝於獻祭」（撒上 15:22），並且神必不悅納那些頑梗悖逆之人的祭物（耶 7:21-28）。五、他威嚇說，因着他們的拜偶像與不敬虔，他必使這地全然荒涼，並要使他們的被殺之人增多，正如他們使自己的罪增多一樣（耶 7:29-34）。