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英文原文
It should seem that the Jer 3:29-37,4:1-2 of this chapter might better have been joined to the close of the foregoing chapter, for they are directed to Israel, the ten tribes, by way of reply to their compliance with God's call, directing and encouraging them to hold their resolution, Jer 4:1,2. The rest of the chapter concerns Judah and Jerusalem. I. They are called to repent and reform, Jer 4:3,4. II. They are warned of the advance of Nebuchadnezzar and his forces against them, and are told that it is for their sins, from which they are again exhorted to wash themselves, Jer 4:5-18. III. To affect them the more with the greatness of the desolation that was coming, the prophet does himself bitterly lament it, and sympathize with his people in the calamities it brought upon them, and the plunge it brought them to, representing it as a reduction of the world to its first chaos, Jer 4:19-31.
1-2
Exhortation to Repentance (620 BC)
劝人悔改（主前620年）
¹ 耶和华说：以色列啊，你若回来归向我，就当回转；你若从我眼前除掉你可憎的偶像，你就不致被挪移。 ² 你必凭诚实、公平、公义指着自己的名起誓说：『耶和华是活着的』；列国必因他自称为有福，也必因他夸耀。
当神呼唤背道的以色列归回时（耶3:22），他们立刻回答说：「主啊，我们回来了」；神在此留意到他们的回答，并以回复的方式：
一、指示他们当怎样实行他们美好的决心。你说「我要归回」吗？1. 那么你当「归向我」——这事要做得彻底。不可只是转离你的偶像，更要归向以色列神所设立的敬拜。或者说，你当速速归回，不可耽延（如赛21:12所言：「你们若要查问，就可以查问」）；「你若要归向我，就当归回」——不要空谈，要去行。2. 你当完全抛弃一切罪，不可存留任何偶像的残余：「从我眼前除掉你可憎的偶像」，即从一切地方除掉（因为凡有血气的都在神眼目之下），尤其要从圣殿中除掉——那殿是他特别留意、要它保持洁净之处。这暗示他们的偶像崇拜不但明目张胆，更惹神的眼目厌恶；它们是他所不能容忍看见的可憎之物，所以必须「从眼前除掉」，因为它们触犯了他荣耀那纯洁的眼目。罪必须从心中除掉，否则就不是从神眼前除掉，因为人心和其中一切都在他眼前敞露无遗。3. 他们不可再回到罪中；有人如此理解「你就不致被挪移」一句，读作「你不可」或「必不可再游荡」——「你若除掉你可憎的偶像，并不再像从前那样追随它们游荡，一切就都好了。」4. 他们当将神名所当得的荣耀归给他（耶4:2）：「『你当指着永生的耶和华起誓。』他的存在对你当成为最神圣的事实，没有比这更确实的；他的审判当成为你所上诉的最高法庭，没有比这更可畏的。」起誓是一种宗教敬拜的行为，在其中我们当从三方面尊崇神：（1）我们当只指着真神起誓，不可指着受造之物或任何假神——指着活着的神起誓，不指着又聋又哑又死的偶像起誓——只指着神，不可「指着耶和华，又指着玛勒堪」（亚1:5）。（2）我们所起的誓只当是真的，「凭诚实、凭公义」，不敢断言任何虚假的事，也不敢断言自己不知道是否真实的事，不敢把可疑的当作确定，不敢承诺自己无意履行的，也不敢违背已经立下的承诺。说不真实的话，或行不义的事，都是恶的；但若再以起誓来支撑，就更为恶劣。（3）我们当庄严地行，要「在判断中」起誓，即在法律所要求之时，而非在日常交谈中随意起誓。轻率起誓对神的名是何等大的亵渎，正如庄严起誓对神的名是何等的尊崇。参申10:20；太5:34、37。
二、他鼓励他们持守这美意，坚守他们的决心。分散的以色列人若这样归向神，1. 他们自己必蒙福；因为这话头几句也可这样领会：「『你若归向我』，就『必归回』」，即你必从被掳之地归回本地，正如古时所应许的（申4:29-30；30:2）；或者说，那时你「必在我里面得安息」，必以我为你安息之所而归回，即便你仍在被掳之地。2. 他们也要成为别人的祝福；因为他们再次归向神，必成为那些素不认识他的人归向他的途径。你若承认这位永生的主，就必借你的影响，使你所居之处的列国在他里面自称为有福，将幸福系于他的恩惠，并以得蒙敬畏他为有福。参赛65:16。他们必「凭真实的神」自己称福，不凭虚假的神；必自取尊荣，自得满足，将自己与他联合；那时「他们必因他夸耀」——他们必以神为他们的荣耀，并以自己所改换的蒙福光景为荣，甚至引以为傲。那些为归向神而抛弃自己罪的人，无论起初如何犹豫这交易是否上算，「他们去的时候，就必夸耀」（诗）。
英文原文
Exhortation to Repentance (620 BC)
¹ If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.
² And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
When God called to backsliding Israel to return (Jer 3:22) they immediately answered, Lord, we return; now God here takes notice of their answer, and, by way of reply to it,
I. He directs them how to pursue their good resolutions: "Dost thou say, I will return?" 1. "Then thou must return unto me; make a thorough work of it. Do not only turn from thy idolatries, but return to the instituted worship of the God of Israel." Or, "Thou must return speedily and not delay (as Isa 21:12, If you will enquire, enquire you); if you will return unto me, return you: do not talk of it, but do it." 2. "Thou must utterly abandon all sin, and not retain any of the relics of idolatry: Put away thy abominations out of my sight," that is, out of all places (for every place is under the eye of God), especially out of the temple, the house which he had in a particular manner his eye upon, to see that it was kept clean. It intimates that their idolatries were not only obvious, but offensive, to the eye of God. They were abominations which he could not endure the sight of; therefore they must be put away out of his sight, because they were a provocation to the pure eyes of God's glory. Sin must be put away out of the heart, else it is not put away out of God's sight, for the heart and all that is in it lie open before his eye. 3. They must not return to sin again; so some understand that, Thou shalt not remove, reading it, Thou shalt not, or must not, wander. "If thou wilt put away thy abominations, and wilt not wander after them again, as thou hast done, all shall be well." 4. They must give unto God the glory due unto his name (Jer 4:2): "Thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth. His existence shall be with thee the most sacred fact, than which nothing can be more sure, and his judgment the supreme court to which thou shalt appeal, than which nothing can be more awful." Swearing is an act of religious worship, in which we are to give honour to God three ways:—(1.) We must swear by the true God only, and not by creatures, or any false gods,—by the God that liveth, not by the gods that are deaf and dumb and dead,—by him only, and not by the Lord and by Malcham, as Zec 1:5. (2.) We must swear that only which is true, in truth and in righteousness, not daring to assert that which is false, or which we do not know to be true, nor to assert that as certain which is doubtful, nor to promise that which we mean not to perform, nor to violate the promise we have made. To say that which is untrue, or to do that which is unrighteous, is bad, but to back either with an oath is much worse. (3.) We must do it solemnly, swear in judgment, that is, when judicially called to it, and not in common conversation. Rash swearing is as great a profanation of God's name as solemn swearing is an honour to it. See De 10:20, Mt 5:34,37.
II. He encourages them to keep in this good mind and adhere to their resolutions. If the scattered Israelites will thus return to God, 1. They shall be blessed themselves; for to that sense the first words may be read: "If thou wilt return to me, then thou shalt return, that is, thou shalt be brought back out of thy captivity into thy own land again, as was of old promised," De 4:29,30:2. Or, "Then thou shalt rest in me, shalt return to me as thy rest, even while thou art in the land of thy captivity." 2. They shall be blessings to others; for their returning to God again will be a means of others turning to him who never new him. If thou wilt own the living Lord, thou wilt thereby influence the nations among whom thou art to bless themselves in him, to place their happiness in his favour and to think themselves happy in being brought to the fear of him. See Isa 65:16. They shall bless themselves in the God of truth, and not in false gods, shall do themselves the honour, and give themselves the satisfaction, to join themselves to him; and then in him shall they glory; they shall make him their glory, and shall please, nay, shall pride, themselves in the blessed change they have made. Those that part with their sins to return to God, however they scrupled at the bargain at first, when they go away, then they boast.
3-4
Punishment Predicted (620 BC)
预言刑罚 (620 BC)
³ 耶和华对犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民如此说：要开垦你们的荒地，不要撒种在荆棘中。 ⁴ 你们犹大人、耶路撒冷的居民哪，当向耶和华自行割礼，将心里的污秽除掉；免得我的烈怒如火发出，燃烧无人能熄，因你们所行邪恶。
先知在此奉神的名转向他所住之地的人。我们已经听见他「面向北方」所宣告的话（耶3:12），为着那些如今在被掳中、在神手下自卑之人的安慰；现在让我们看他向那些仍在兴盛中的「犹大人和耶路撒冷居民」说什么，为要使他们知罪觉醒。这两节经文中他劝他们悔改改革，作为他们阻止即将爆发的荒凉审判的惟一出路。请观察，
一、他们所当尽的本分，是他们所关切当行的。
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他们当待自己的心如同他们指望从中得益的地土一般；他们要犁开它（耶4:3）：『要开垦你们的荒地』——「为自己犁一片耕地」（或「犁开你们可耕之地」），好叫你们「不撒种在荆棘中」，好叫你们不为自己的安全和福祉徒劳——如那些把好种撒在荆棘中之人一般，也如你们许久以来所作的。把你们自己置于合宜领受神怜悯的心境中，并除掉一切阻隔它临到你们的东西，那时你们便可指望得着怜悯，并在自助的努力中亨通。请注意：（1）未受激动、未降卑的心，如同荒地——未耕之地，闲置之地。它是可改良之地；是我们的地，出租给我们，我们当为之交账；然而它是荒的；它无篱笆，任人践踏；它不结果子，于主人无益；而（这是主要含意）它长满了荆棘杂草——这是败坏之心的天然产物；若不用恩典更新，雨水和阳光都白费在其上（来6:7-8）。（2）我们当关切的，是把这片荒地犁开。我们当搜查自己的心，让神的道分开（如犁一般）「骨节与骨髓」（来4:12）。我们当「撕裂心肠」（珥2:13）。我们当拔除那些如荆棘一般、既窒息我们努力又窒息我们盼望的败坏之根（何10:12）。
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他们当待自己的灵魂如同他们被纳入与神立约之时待自己身体所作的（耶4:4）：『当向耶和华自行割礼，将心里的污秽除掉。』要治死肉身及其邪情私欲。要削去那阻碍你们「用温柔领受所栽种之道的」「盈余的邪恶」（雅1:21）。不要以肉身的割礼夸口，也不要安于其中，因为那不过是记号，没有其所指的实体便无益处。它是奉献的记号。当以诚心行你们在肉身割礼中只是口里承认的事；当奉献自己归给耶和华，作他特有的子民。割礼是「守律法的义务」；当重新把自己置于这义务之下。它是「信之义的印记」；所以当抓住那义，如此「向耶和华自行割礼」。
二、他们所受的威吓，是他们所当避免的。要悔改、要改革，「免得我的烈怒如火发出」——如今它正要如此，如同从主面前出来烧尽祭物的火，那火常在坛上烧着，无人可熄；神对不悔改之罪人的忿怒正是如此，「因你们所行邪恶」。请注意，1. 我们所当畏惧过于一切的，是神的忿怒；因为这是一切现今灾祸之源和苦根，也将是永远灾祸的精华和满极。2. 正是「我们所作之恶」点燃了神向我们发的怒火。3. 想到我们时刻处于坠落、灭亡在这忿怒之下的危险中，就当唤醒我们竭尽所能「使自己成圣归荣耀与神」，并留心借他恩典得成圣。
英文原文
Punishment Predicted (620 BC)
³ For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
⁴ Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
The prophet here turns his speech, in God's name, to the men of the place where he lived. We have heard what words he proclaimed towards the north (Jer 3:12), for the comfort of those that were now in captivity and were humbled under the hand of God; let us now see what he says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, who were now in prosperity, for their conviction and awakening. In these two verses he exhorts them to repentance and reformation, as the only way left them to prevent the desolating judgments that were ready to break in upon them. Observe,
I. The duties required of them, which they are concerned to do.
1. They must do by their hearts as they do by their ground that they expect any good of; they must plough it up (Jer 4:3): "Break up your fallow-ground. Plough to yourselves a ploughing (or plough up your plough land), that you sow not among thorns, that you may not labour in vain, for your own safety and welfare, as those do that sow good seed among thorns and as you have been doing a great while. Put yourselves into a frame fit to receive mercy from God, and put away all that which keeps it from you, and then you may expect to receive mercy and to prosper in your endeavours to help yourselves." Note, (1.) An unconvinced unhumbled heart is like fallow-ground, ground untilled, unoccupied. It is ground capable of improvement; it is our ground, let out to us, and we must be accountable for it; but it is fallow; it is unfenced and lies common; it is unfruitful and of no advantage to the owner, and (which is principally intended) it is overgrown with thorns and weeds, which are the natural product of the corrupt heart; and, if it be not renewed with grace, rain and sunshine are lost upon it, Heb 6:7,8. (2.) We are concerned to get this fallow-ground ploughed up. We must search into our own hearts, let the word of God divide (as the plough does) between the joints and the marrow, Heb 4:12. We must rend our hearts, Joe 2:13. We must pluck up by the roots those corruptions which, as thorns, choke both our endeavours and our expectations, Ho 10:12.
2. They must do that to their souls which was done to their bodies when they were taken into covenant with God (Jer 4:4): "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your heart. Mortify the flesh and the lusts of it. Pare off that superfluity of naughtiness which hinders your receiving with meekness the engrafted word, Jam 1:21. Boast not of, and rest not in, the circumcision of the body, for that is but a sign, and will not serve without the thing signified. It is a dedicating sign. Do that in sincerity which was done in profession by your circumcision; devote and consecrate yourselves unto the Lord, to be to him a peculiar people. Circumcision is an obligation to keep the law; lay yourselves afresh under that obligation. It is a seal of the righteousness of faith; lay hold then of that righteousness, and so circumcise yourselves to the Lord."
II. The danger they are threatened with, which they are concerned to avoid. Repent and reform, lest my fury come forth like fire, which it is now ready to do, as that fire which came forth from the Lord and consumed the sacrifices, and which was always kept burning upon the altar and none might quench it; such is God's wrath against impenitent sinners, because of the evil of their doings. Note, 1. That which is to be dreaded by us more than any thing else is the wrath of God; for that is the spring and bitterness of all present miseries and will be the quintessence and perfection of everlasting misery. 2. It is the evil of our doings that kindles the fire of God's wrath against us. 3. The consideration of the imminent danger we are in of falling and perishing under this wrath should awaken us with all possible care to sanctify ourselves to God's glory and to see to it that we be sanctified by his grace.
5-18
Punishment Predicted (620 BC)
灾祸的预言（主前620年）
**⁵」 你们当在犹大宣告，在耶路撒冷发布；要说：要在国中吹角，大声呼喊，聚集众人，说：『你们当聚集成群，进入坚固城。』 **⁶» 应当向锡安竖立大旗，要逃避，不要迟延；因为我必使灾祸、一大毁灭从北方来到。』 **⁷» 有狮子从密林中上来，是毁坏列国的，他已经动身，离开本处，要使你的地荒凉；你的城邑必变为荒场，无人居住。』 **⁸» 因此你们当腰束麻布，大声哀号；因为耶和华的烈怒没有向我们转消。』 **⁹» 耶和华说：到那日，君王的心必消灭，首领的心也必消灭；祭司都要惊奇，先知都要诧异。』 **¹⁰» 我便说：『主耶和华啊！你确是大大的欺哄了这百姓和耶路撒冷，说：你们必得平安；其实刀剑已经害到性命了。』 **¹¹» 那时必有话对这百姓和耶路撒冷说：『有一阵热风，从旷野净光的高处向着我百姓的众女刮来，不是为簸扬，也不是为扬净；』 **¹²» 必有一阵更大的风从那些地方向我刮来；现在我又必发出判语，攻击他们。』 **¹³» 看哪，仇敌必如云上来，他的战车如旋风，他的马比鹰更快。我们有祸了！我们败落了。』 **¹⁴» 耶路撒冷啊，你当洗去心中的恶，使你可以得救。你心里倒空的妄念要存到几时呢？』 **¹⁵» 因为有声音从但宣告，从以法莲山报患难。』 **¹⁶» 你们当传给列国，看哪，要向耶路撒冷报告：『有探子从远方来到，向犹大诸城大声呼喊。』 **¹⁷» 他们四围环绕她，如看守田地的；因为她背叛了我，这是耶和华说的。』 **¹⁸» 你的行动和你的作为招惹了这些事临到你；这是你的罪恶，实在苦，因为直达到你的心了。』
神惯常的作法是：在击伤之前先警告。因此，在这一段经文里，神预先通知犹太人，不久将有外敌入侵给他们带来的全面荒废。这要在犹大诸城和耶路撒冷的街市上宣告、发布，使人人都能听见而惧怕，并借着这大声的警报，或被引到悔改，或成为无可推诿。此处对这场灾祸的预言写得十分详尽，措辞生动，照理应当唤醒并打动最迟钝的人。请注意，
一、宣战，并通知敌人已逼近。这事如今由先知提前几年宣告；但这事既被轻看，到审判实际破入之时，必以另一种方式发布（耶4:5、6）。当『吹角』，当『竖立大旗』，当向百姓发出命令，叫他们『聚集』，向锡安『进发』，或是为守护，或指望得着守护。当有总的集结。民兵当起，兵力当尽征。强壮能战的，当『进入坚固城』驻防；软弱无力、徒增口粮而不增兵力的，当『退避』，『不要耽延』。
二、有专差带来情报，报告巴比伦王及其大军临近。这是神要从北方带来的『灾祸』（正如他从前所言，耶1:15），『一大毁灭』，超过犹太国此前所遭遇的一切。此处的仇敌被比作：1.『狮子』——『从密林中上来』，饥饿时出来寻食（耶4:7）。无助的野兽被它的咆哮所惊吓（如有人所述），不能逃脱，便成了它的易得之食。尼布甲尼撒就是这咆哮撕裂的狮子，是『毁坏列国的』，已使许多国家荒凉，如今正全速向犹大地进发。当犹太人因拜偶像使自己像列国一样时，那『毁坏列国的』也必作『毁坏犹太人的』。『他已经离开本处』，离开巴比伦，或离开他军队集结之处，专门针对『这地』；这才是他如今所瞄准的猎物，不只是要掳掠，更是要使之荒凉；在这事上他要成功到如此地步，以致城邑要『荒废，无人居住』，『长满野草如田地一般』——有人如此读。2.一阵『干燥』毁伤的『风』（耶4:11），一阵灼热焦枯的风，损毁地里的出产使之枯萎，不是带来雨水之风，而是从『北方』来的风，它『赶逐雨水』（箴25:23），反而带来更糟的东西；这从北方来的灾祸对这百姓也必如此，是一阵『黑色的』冰冻之风，他们既无法抵御，也无法逃脱，无论往何处去，它都要环绕并追赶他们；他们看不见它来之前兆，但它一旦来到，他们必感受其力。这是『旷野高处』的风，或『平原』之风，击打山头，或在毫无遮挡的平原上一扫而过。它要『向着……我百姓的众女』以全力而来，那些女子从小受娇养，连风吹在身上都受不了。如今这猛烈的风必向她们刮来，『不是为簸扬，也不是为扬净』——不是簸谷物时所用的微风，而是『一阵猛风』（耶4:12），强劲猛烈，全力吹在他们身上。这风要『向我』，更当说『为我』而刮；它必带着神的差遣而来，成就他所差它成就的；因为这风如同别的『暴风』，都『成就他的话』。3.云和旋风，喻其迅速（耶4:13）。迦勒底军必『如云上来』，随风推进，他们密集如此，行军如此之速，要阻挡他们或与之对抗，都属徒然，如同要拦住一片云、止住一阵旋风一般。马『比鹰更快』，当它们扑向猎物时；想要抵挡它们或赛过它们，都是妄想。4.守望的和看守田地的（耶4:15-17）。『有声音从但宣告』——但城是迦南诸城中最靠北的，因此最先得到这『北方之灾』的消息，便急速传到以法莲山，那是紧邻犹大的以色列地；他们得了患难的消息，便转传到耶路撒冷。坏消息飞得快；不肯悔改、恨恶改正的百姓，所能指望的也不过是坏消息。如今消息是什么？『告诉列国』，就是如今住在十支派诸城中的杂居列国，告诉他们，好叫他们为自己安排安全；但要向耶路撒冷『发布』，那才是所瞄准之地，所射之猎，让他们知道『探子已从远方来』，即士兵，他们要窥探一切行恶的机会。我们对普通士兵称『哨兵』或『更夫』。『他们正全速而来，向犹大诸城大声呼喊』；他们决意包围、攻取，并必大获全胜地呐喊攻击。如『看守田地的』围住田地不让任何东西进去，他们也必如此围住犹大诸城，不容任何东西出入，直到他们被迫无条件投降；他们『四围环绕她』。参看路19:43。从前好天使——那些『守望者』和『圣者』——如同『看守田地的』护卫耶路撒冷，守望它，不容任何损害它的事进入；如今他们的仇敌也如守望者和田地的看守者，环绕它，不容任何救援和补助进入。
三、这审判的可悲原因。犹大和耶路撒冷为何被如此交于毁灭？请看事情如何到了这地步。1.他们得罪了神；一切皆因他们自己：『因为她背叛了我，这是耶和华说的』（耶4:17）。仇敌如看守田地的围住他们，是因为他们举兵背叛了他们合法的主和君王，要当作叛党捉拿。迦勒底人正闯入，而正是罪在他们进入之处开了缺口：『你的行动和你的作为招惹了这些事临到你』（耶4:18），你邪恶的道路和你不良的作为。给他们造成这祸患的，不是一两次失足，而是他们的道路和一生的行径败坏。请注意：罪是一切患难的招致之因。那些一边犯罪、一边想用一只手挡开祸患的人，同时正用另一只手把祸患拉到自己头上。2.神因他们的罪向他们发怒。使迦勒底军如此凶猛、如此狂暴的，正是『耶和华的烈怒』；这怒向我们发作，并『没有向我们转消』（耶4:8）。请注意：在人对我们的怒气和暴行中，我们当看见并承认神的怒气和大能。若那怒气向我们转消，我们的仇敌便不能前来攻击我们。3.在他公义圣洁的怒气中，他定他们受这可怕的刑罚：『现在我又必发出判语，攻击他们』（耶4:12）。这刑罚的执行不是出于一时冲动，而是经过公正成熟的审议、按公义郑重判定的。有人如此读：『现在我必向他们施行』，照从前所定的判决；『我们知道神的审判是按真理』，那审判的执行也是如此。
四、这审判初次警报时所显出的可悲后果。1.那些本该打仗的，必完全绝望，连最起码的抵挡之心也没有（耶4:8）：『因此你们当腰束麻布，大声哀号』，意思是『你们必如此』。当通国呼喊『起兵！起兵！』之时，众人必都惊惶，一片混乱。他们不束上刀，倒束上麻布；他们不彼此激励奋勇抵抗，反倒『哀号大哭』，彼此泄气。仇敌尚远，他们便已放弃一切，说：『我们有祸了！我们败落了』（耶4:13）。我们完了，掳掠者必操胜券，抵挡是徒然的。犹大和耶路撒冷素来以勇士闻名；但请看罪的效应：剥夺人向神的坦然，便剥夺了人向人的勇气。2.那些本该为公共安全出谋划策的大人物，必束手无策（耶4:9）：『到那日，君王的心必消灭』——他的智慧和勇气都必丧尽。他既绝望于成功，便无志做任何事；即便有志，也不知所措。他的首领和枢密顾问，本该鼓励他、为他献策，却和他一样茫然、一样绝望。请看神多么轻易、多么有效地，只消使人灰心丧胆——『夺去首领的心』（伯12:20、24）、『刑罚君王的灵』（诗76:12）——便能把注定灭亡的百姓带到毁灭。祭司的本分是在战时鼓励百姓，他们当对百姓说：『不要惧怕，也不要心惊胆怯』（申20:2、3）。他们当吹角，使百姓知道在交战之日他们必『在耶和华他们神面前蒙记念』（民10:9）。但如今『祭司自己』也必『惊奇』，自己既无心尽职，便也不能激励百姓。『先知』——那些曾向他们喊『平安』的假先知——也必陷入难以想象的惊惶，眼见自己有罪的血即将被那他们曾屡次告诉百姓不会有危险的刀所流。请注意：神的审判使那些从前最觉安稳的人受最大的惊吓。我们的主也曾预言，耶路撒冷最后毁灭之时，『人吓得魂不附体』（路21:26）。那些以虚假平安欺骗并阿谀百姓的人，在患难临到时，不仅使他们失望，更使他们沮丧，这原是常见的。
五、先知对百姓受欺哄的抱怨（耶4:10）。这话表达得奇特，如我们所读：『主耶和华啊！你确是大大的欺哄了这百姓，说：你们必得平安。』我们确知神不欺哄任何人。『人被试探或受迷惑，不可说，是神试探或迷惑他。』但，1.百姓以神对那国所赐的一般性赐福应许，和加在他们身上的诸多特别特权，自欺欺人，以此自夸，却全然不顾履行那些应许的延续所依赖的条件；也不顾律法中与那些应许相对的威吓。他们如此欺骗自己，便恶毒地抱怨说神欺骗了他们。2.假先知以神的名向他们应许平安，欺骗了他们（耶23:17，27:9）。若神差遣了他们，他确是大大欺哄了百姓，但他并未差遣。百姓信从他们，是百姓的过失；在此他们也是自欺。3.神容许假先知欺哄，容许百姓受欺哄，将二者都交给『强烈的迷惑』，刑罚他们『不爱真理』。在这一切上主是公义的；但先知将此视为一切灾祸中最重的，因为百姓因此被坚固在罪中。4.这话可以疑问的方式读：『你果真这样欺哄了这百姓吗？』显然他们大大受了欺哄，因为他们指望『平安』，而『刀剑已经害到性命』；那是一把杀人的刀，大量性命已失，更有失丧之虞。那么，是神欺哄了他们吗？不，他已屡次向他们警告审判，概括地警告，也特别警告这一件；但他们的先知欺哄他们，向那些天上的神未赐平安的人喊平安。看见百姓被阿谀以致自取灭亡，在战争已临门之时仍指望平安，这是可悲的事；每一个善人都当为此大大哀伤；我们当向神抱怨这事，因唯独他能阻止这样致命的迷惑。
六、先知为除去他们迷惑的努力。他们所喜爱所奉承的先知以诡诈待他们，他们所恨恶所逼迫的先知却以诚实待他们。1.他把伤口指给他们看。他们不愿看，极不愿被人探查；但他们若容让自己有自由的思想，便能在罪中看出刑罚（耶4:18）：『这是你的罪恶，实在苦。』如今你看见离弃神是何等痛苦之事，也必『到末后成为苦楚』（耶2:19）。它产生苦的果效，其忧愁『直达到心』，触到要害最痛处；『刀达到灵魂』（耶4:10）。神能使患难触及那对什么都不放在心上的人的心。『由此你可以看见你的罪恶是什么——实在苦，是『苦的根』，结出『茵陈和苦胆』，且已『达到心』；那是灵魂的败坏，是『心中所思想的妄念』的败坏。』心若不被罪玷污，便不至如此被患难搅扰不安。2.他把疗法指给他们（耶4:14）。『你的罪恶既达到心，应用就必须在那里作。耶路撒冷啊！你当洗去心中的恶，使你可以得救。』此处耶路撒冷指耶路撒冷的每一个居民；因为各人都有自己的心要照管，而个人的改革才能救助大众。各人当『从自己恶道上转回』，并为此洁净『自己邪恶的心』。『愿『城的心』也得洁净，不仅是郊外，不仅是城的外围。』一国的中枢当借着那有指挥影响力之人的改革而得改善。请注意：（1）改革对得救是绝对必需的。除了除掉那招惹患难之罪，没有别法可预防或转消所威吓的审判。（2）唯独达到心的改革才是能救人的改革。有些心中的恶玷污灵魂，我们当从中自洗。我们当借着悔改和信心，洗净我们因心中的罪——那些起止于心、不再外发的罪——所沾染的罪咎；也当借着治死和儆醒，压制并预防将来的心中之恶。树必须变好，否则果子也不会好。耶路撒冷遍满了罪的大麻风。医生们论及身体患大麻风时一致认为：仅靠外敷无益，必须内服药物以清除潜伏的体液、改变血液的成分——灵魂如此，国家也如此：若不改革心意，便没有真正的风俗改革；那里的谬误必须纠正，那里的腐败必须治死，那里的恶癖必须改变。『你虽是耶路撒冷，被称为『圣城』，那也不能救你，除非你『洗去心中的恶』。』他在本节末段与他们辩论：『你心里倒空的妄念要存到几时呢？』他在这里抱怨：〔1〕他们改革的迟延：『你这污秽的心还要多久不洗呢？究竟要到几时呢？』请注意：天上的神看他所当掌管的地位在我们灵魂里被篡夺、他的利益被抵挡，觉得时间长久（耶13:27）。〔2〕他们败坏的根源，就是那『存留在他们里面』、玷污他们心的『妄念』，他们当从中洗净自己的心。『恶念』或『害人之念』，这些是『恶心』所生的恶种，一切别的恶都由此而生（太15:19）。这些是我们自己的，是我们自己私欲所怀的胎（雅1:15）；当它们被当作客人接待、被容让居住时，最为危险。有人读作『患难之念』，即除了带来患难和痛苦之外一无所获之念。也有人把『倒空的妄念』理解为：百姓用来推搪神之言的责备和呼召、使之失效、并在恶行中自坚的一切轻浮借口和托词。『当洗去心中的恶』，不可说：『我们没有玷污』（耶2:23），也不可说：『我们是耶路撒冷；『我们有亚伯拉罕为我们的祖宗』』（太3:8、9）。
英文原文
Punishment Predicted (620 BC)
⁵ Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.
⁶ Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
⁷ The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.
⁸ For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us.
⁹ And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.
¹⁰ Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.
¹¹ At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,
¹² Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.
¹³ Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.
¹⁴ O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
¹⁵ For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim.
¹⁶ Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah.
¹⁷ As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD.
¹⁸ Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.
God's usual method is to warn before he wounds. In these verses, accordingly, God gives notice to the Jews of the general desolation that would shortly be brought upon them by a foreign invasion. This must be declared and published in all the cities of Judah and streets of Jerusalem, that all might hear and fear, and by this loud alarm be either brought to repentance or left inexcusable. The prediction of this calamity is here given very largely, and in lively expressions, which one would think should have awakened and affected the most stupid. Observe,
I. The war proclaimed, and general notice given of the advance of the enemy. It is published now, some years before, by the prophet; but, since this will be slighted, it shall be published after another manner when the judgment is actually breaking in, Jer 4:5,6. The trumpet must be blown, the standard must be set up, a summons must be issued out to the people to gather together and to draw towards Zion, either to guard it or expecting to be guarded by it. There must be a general rendezvous. The militia must be raised and all the forces mustered. Those that are able men, and fit for service, must go into the defenced cities, to garrison them; those that are weak, and would lessen their provisions, but not increase their strength, must retire, and not stay.
II. An express arrived with intelligence of the approach of the king of Babylon and his army. It is an evil that God will bring from the north (as he had said, Jer 1:15), even a great destruction, beyond all that had yet come upon the nation of the Jews. The enemy is here compared, 1. To a lion that comes up from his thicket, when he is hungry, to seek his prey, Jer 4:7. The helpless beasts are so terrified with his roaring (as some report) that they cannot flee from him, and so become an easy prey to him. Nebuchadnezzar is this roaring tearing lion, the destroyer of the nations, that has laid many countries waste, and now is on his way in full speed towards the land of Judah. The destroyer of the Gentiles shall be the destroyer of the Jews too, when they have by their idolatry made themselves like the Gentiles. "He has gone forth from his place, from Babylon, or the place of the rendezvous of his army, on purpose against this land; that is the prey he has now his eye upon, not to plunder it only, but to make it desolate, and herein he shall succeed to such a degree that the cities shall be laid waste, without inhabitants, shall be overgrown with grass as a field;" so some read it. 2. To a drying blasting wind (Jer 4:11), a parching scorching wind, which spoils the fruits of the earth and withers them, not a wind which brings rain, but such as comes out of the north, which drives away rain (Pr 25:23), but brings something worse instead of it; such shall this evil out of the north be to this people, a black freezing wind, which they can neither fence against nor flee from, but, wherever they go, it shall surround and pursue them; and they cannot see it before it comes, but, when it comes, they shall feel it. It is a wind of the high places in the wilderness, or plain, that beats upon the tops of the hills or that carries all before it in the plain, where there is no shelter, but the ground is all champaign. It shall come in its full force towards the daughters of my people, that have been brought up so tenderly and delicately that they could not endure to have the wind blow upon them. Now this fierce wind shall come against them, not to fan, nor cleanse them, not such a gentle wind as is used in winnowing corn, but a full wind (Jer 4:12), a strong and violent wind, blowing full upon them. This shall come to me, or rather for me; it shall come with commission from God and shall accomplish that for which he sends it; for this, as other stormy winds, fulfills his word. 3. To clouds and whirlwinds for swiftness, Jer 4:13. The Chaldean army shall come up as clouds driven with the wind, so thick shall they stand, so fast shall they march, and it shall be to no purpose to offer to stop them or make head against them, any more than to arrest a cloud or give check to a whirlwind. The horses are swifter than eagles when they fly upon their prey; it is in vain to think either of opposing them or of outrunning them. 4. To watchers and the keepers of a field, Jer 4:15-17. The voice declares from Dan, a city which lay furthest north of all the cities of Canaan, and therefore received the first tidings of this evil from the north and hastened it to Mount Ephraim, that part of the land of Israel which lay next to Judea; they received the news of the affliction and transmitted it to Jerusalem. Ill news flies apace; and an impenitent people, that hates to be reformed, can expect no other that ill news. Now, what is the news? "Tell the nations, those mixed nations that now inhabit the cities of the ten tribes, mention it to them, that they may provide for their own safety; but publish it against Jerusalem, that is the place aimed at, the game shot at, let them know that watchers have come from a far country, that is, soldiers, that will watch all opportunities to do mischief." Private soldiers we call private sentinels, or watchmen. "They are coming in full career, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah; they design to invest them, to make themselves masters of them, and to attack them with loud shouts, as sure of victory. As keepers of a field surround it, to keep all out from it, so shall they surround the cities of Judah, to keep all in them, till they be constrained to surrender at discretion; they are against her round about, compassing her in on every side." See Lu 19:43. As formerly the good angels, those watchers, and holy ones, were like keepers of a field to Jerusalem, watching about it, that nothing might go in to its prejudice, so now their enemies were as watchers and keepers of a field, surrounding it that nothing might go in to its relief and succour.
III. The lamentable cause of this judgment. How is it that Judah and Jerusalem come to be thus abandoned to ruin? See how it came to this. 1. They sinned against God; it was all owing to themselves: She has been rebellious against me, saith the Lord, Jer 4:17. Their enemies surrounded them as keepers of a field, because they had taken up arms against their rightful Lord and sovereign, and were to be seized as rebels. The Chaldeans were breaking in upon them, and it was sin that opened the gap at which they entered: Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee (Jer 4:18), thy evil way and thy doings that have not been good. It was not a false step or two that did them this mischief, but their way and course of living were bad. Note, Sin is the procuring cause of all our troubles. Those that go on in sin while they are endeavouring to ward off mischiefs with one hand are at the same time pulling them upon their own heads with the other. 2. God was angry with them for their sin. It is the fierce anger of the Lord that makes the army of the Chaldeans thus fierce, thus furious; that is kindled against us, and is not turned back from us, Jer 4:8. Note, In men's anger against us, and the violence of that, we must see and own God's anger and the power of that. If that were turned back from us, our enemies could not come forward against us. 3. In his just and holy anger he condemned them to this dreadful punishment: Now also will I give sentence against them, Jer 4:12. The execution was done, not in a heat, but in pursuance of a sentence solemnly passed, according to equity, and upon mature deliberation. Some read it, Now will I do execution upon them, according to the doom formerly passed; and we are sure that the judgment of God is according to the truth, and the execution of that judgment.
IV. The lamentable effects of this judgment, upon the first alarm given of it. 1. The people that should fight shall quite despair and shall not have a heart to make the least stand against the enemy (Jer 4:8): "For this gird yourself with sackcloth, lament and howl," that is, "you will do so. When the cry is made through the kingdom, Arm, arm! all will be seized with a consternation, and all put into confusion. Instead of girding on the sword, they will gird on the sackcloth; instead of animating one another to a vigorous resistance, they will lament and howl, and so dishearten one another. While the enemy is yet at a distance they will give up all for gone, and cry, Woe unto us! for we are spoiled, Jer 4:13. We are all undone, the spoilers will certainly carry the day, and it is in vain to make head against them." Judah and Jerusalem had been famed for valiant men; but see what is the effect of sin: by depriving men of their confidence towards God, it deprives them of their courage towards men. 2. Their great men, who should contrive for the public safety, shall be at their wits' end (Jer 4:9): At that day the heart of the king shall perish, both his wisdom and his courage. Despairing of success, he shall have no spirit to do any thing, and, if he had, he will not know what to do. His princes and privy-counselors, who should animate and advise him, shall be as much at a loss and as much in despair as he. See how easily, how effectually, God can bring ruin upon a people that are doomed to it, merely by dispiriting them, taking away the heart of the chief of them (Job 12:20,24), cutting off the spirit of princes, Ps 76:12. The business of the priests was to encourage the people in the time of war; they were to say to the people, Fear not, and let not your hearts faint, De 20:2,3. They were to blow the trumpets, for an assurance to them that in the day of battle they should be remembered before the Lord their God, Nu 10:9. But now the priests themselves shall be astonished, and shall have no heart themselves to do their office, and therefore shall not be likely to put spirit into the people. The prophets too, the false prophets, who had cried peace to them, shall be put into the greatest amazement imaginable, seeing their own guilty blood ready to be shed by that sword which they had often told the people there was no danger of. Note, God's judgments come with the greatest terror upon those that have been most secure. Our Saviour foretels that at the last destruction of Jerusalem men's hearts should fail them for fear, Lu 21:26. And it is common for those who have cheated and flattered people into a carnal security not only to fail them, but to discourage them, when the trouble comes.
V. The prophet's complaint of the people's being deceived, Jer 4:10. It is expressed strangely, as we read it: Ah! Lord God, surely thou hast greatly deceived this people, saying, You shall have peace. We are sure that God deceives none. Let no man say, when he is tempted or deluded, that God has tempted or deluded him. But, 1. The people deceived themselves with the promises that God had made in general of his favour to that nation, and the many peculiar privileges with which they were dignified, building upon them, though they took no care to perform the conditions on which the accomplishment of those promises and the continuance of those privileges did depend; and they had no regard to the threatenings which in the law were set over-against those promises. Thus they cheated themselves and then wickedly complained that God had cheated them. 2. The false prophets deceived them with promises of peace, which they made them in God's name. Jer 23:17,27:9. If God had sent them, he had indeed greatly deceived the people, but he had not. It was the people's fault that they gave them credit; and here also they deceived themselves. 3. God had permitted the false prophets to deceive, and the people to be deceived by them, giving both up to strong delusions, to punish them for not receiving the truth in the love of it. Herein the Lord was righteous; but the prophet complains of it as the sorest judgment of all, for by this means they had been hardened in their sins. 4. It may be read with an interrogation, "Hast thou indeed thus deceived this people? It is plain that they are greatly deceived, for they expect peace, whereas the sword reaches unto the soul; that is, it is a killing sword, abundance of lives are lost, and more likely to be." Now, was it God that deceived them? No, he had often given them warning of judgments in general and of this in particular; but their own prophets deceive them, and cry peace to those to whom the God of heaven does not speak peace. It is a pitiable thing, and that which every good man greatly laments, to see people flattered into their own ruin, and promising themselves peace when war is at the door; and this we should complain of to God, who alone can prevent such a fatal delusion.
VI. The prophet's endeavour to undeceive them. When the prophets they loved and caressed dealt falsely with them, he whom they hated and persecuted dealt faithfully. 1. He shows them their wound. They were loth to see it, very loth to have it searched into; but, if they will allow themselves the liberty of a free thought, they might discover their punishment in their sin (Jer 4:18): "This is thy wickedness because it is bitter. Now thou seest that it is a bitter thing to depart from God, and will certainly be bitterness in the latter end, Jer 2:19. It produces bitter effects, and grief that reaches unto the heart, touches to the quick, and in the most tender part; the sword reaches to the soul," Jer 4:10. God can make trouble reach the heart even of those that would lay nothing to heart. "And by this thou mayest see what is thy wickedness, that it is a bitter thing, a root of bitterness, that bears gall and wormwood, and that it has reached to the heart; it is the corruption of the soul, of the imagination of the thought of the heart." If the heart were not polluted with sin, it would not be disturbed and disquieted as it is with trouble. 2. He shows them the cure, Jer 4:14. "Since thy wickedness reaches to the heart, there the application must be made. O Jerusalem! wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved." By Jerusalem he means each one of the inhabitants of Jerusalem; for every man has a heart of his own to take care of, and it is personal reformation that must help the public. Every one must return from his own evil way, and, in order to that, cleanse his own evil heart. "And let the heart of the city too be purified, not the suburbs only, the outskirts of it." The vitals of a state must be amended by the reformation of those that have the commanding influence upon it. Note, (1.) Reformation is absolutely necessary to salvation. There is no other way of preventing judgments, or turning them away when we are threatened with them, but taking away the sin by which we have procured them to ourselves. (2.) No reformation is saving but that which reaches the heart. There is heart-wickedness that is defiling to the soul, from which we must wash ourselves. By repentance and faith we must wash our hearts from the guilt we have contracted by spiritual wickedness, by those sins which begin and end in the heart and go no further; and by mortification and watchfulness we must suppress and prevent this heart-wickedness for the future. The tree must be made good, else the fruit will not. Jerusalem was all overspread with the leprosy of sin. Now as the physicians agree with respect to the body when afflicted with leprosy that external applications will do no good, unless physic be taken inwardly to carry off the humours that lurk there and to change the mass of the blood, so it is with the soul, so it is with the state: there will be no effectual reformation of the manners without a reformation of the mind; the mistakes there must be rectified, the corruptions there must be mortified, and the evil dispositions there changed. "Though thou art Jerusalem, called a holy city, that will not save thee, unless thou wash thy heart from wickedness." In the latter part of the verse he reasons with them: How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? He complains here [1.] Of the delays of their reformation: "How long shall that filthy heart of thine continue unwashed? When shall it once be?" Note, The God of heaven thinks the time long that his room is usurped, and his interest opposed, in our souls, Jer 13:27. [2.] Of the root of their corruption, the vain thoughts that lodged within them and defiled their hearts, from which they must wash their hearts. Thoughts of iniquity or mischief, these are the evil thoughts that are the spawn of the evil heart, from which all other wickedness is produced, Mt 15:19. These are our own, the conceptions of our own lusts (Jam 1:15), and they are the most dangerous when they lodge within us, when they are admitted and entertained as guests, and are suffered to continue. Some read it thoughts of affliction, such thoughts as will bring nothing but affliction and misery. Some by the vain thoughts here understand all those frivolous pleas and excuses with which they turned off the reproofs and calls of the word and rendered them ineffectual, and bolstered themselves up in their wickedness. Wash thy heart from wickedness, and think not to say, We are not polluted (Jer 2:23), or, "We are Jerusalem; we have Abraham to our father," Mt 3:8,9.
19-31
Punishment Predicted (620 BC)
预言的刑罚（公元前620年）
¹⁹ "我的肺腑啊，我的肺腑啊！我心疼痛；我心在我里面烦躁不安；我不能静默无言，因为我的灵啊，你已经听见角声和打仗的警报。
²⁰ 毁灭复又毁灭，宣告出来；因为全地荒废；我的帐棚忽然荒废，我的幔子顷刻之间被毁。
²¹ 我看见大旗要到几时呢？我听见角声要到几时呢？
²² 耶和华说：我的百姓愚顽，不认识我；他们是愚昧无知的儿女，有智慧行恶，没有知识行善。"
²³ 先知说：我观看地，不料，地是空虚混沌；我观看天，天也无光。
²⁴ 我观看大山，不料，它们都震动，小山也都摇来摇去。
²⁵ 我观看，不料，无人，空中的飞鸟也都躲避。
²⁶ 我观看，不料，肥田变为荒野，其中一切城邑在耶和华面前，在他烈怒之下，已被拆毁。
²⁷ 耶和华如此说："全地必然荒凉，我却不全然毁灭。"
²⁸ 因此地要悲哀，上面的天也必昏暗；因为我已说出，我已定意，必不后悔，也不转离它。
²⁹ 各城的人因马兵弓箭手的响声，都必逃跑；他们要进入密林，爬上磐石；各城必被撇弃，无人居住。
³⁰ "你被毁灭的时候，你作什么呢？你虽穿朱红衣服，虽用黄金装饰，虽用颜料修饰眼目，如此标致，也是徒然；你的情人必藐视你，他们寻索你的性命。"
³¹ "我听见有声音，仿佛妇人生产的喊叫，好像生头胎孩子的疼痛之声，是锡安女子的声音；她喘着气，伸开手说：『我有祸了！在杀戮的人面前，我的心发软了。』"
先知在此处于极度痛苦之中，呼喊如同一个被某种急性疾病放在刑架上折磨的人，又如同难产的妇人。这些表达极为动人感人，足以使石心融化而生怜悯："我的肺腑啊！我的肺腑啊！我心疼痛！"然而他自己身体康健，毫无病恙。请留意：一个善良的人，在这样一个邪恶的世界里，不能不作一个"多受痛苦的人"。"我心在我里面烦躁不安"，因灵里的激动，"我不能静默无言"。请留意：有时患难与忧伤如此之重，连最谨慎、最有忍耐的人也不能禁止抱怨。
那么，是什么事呢？是什么使这善良的人如此激动？他并非为自己，或为家中任何患难而如此忧伤；他完全是因着公众的事，他如此放在心上的，是他百姓的事。
一、 他们极其犯罪，又不肯改革（耶4:22）。这是神自己的话，因为先知宁愿如此描述百姓的特征，也不愿用自己的话、从自己出发来说："我的百姓愚顽。"神称他们为"我的百姓"，虽然他们愚顽。他们已经弃绝了他，他却没有弃绝他们（罗11:1）。"他们是'我的百姓'，是与我立过约的，我仍为他们存留怜悯。他们'愚顽'，因为他们'不认识我'。"请留意：那不认识神的人实在愚顽，尤其是那些自称为他百姓、又有与他结识的特权却仍不认识他的人。他们是"愚昧无知的儿女"，又迟钝又麻木，"没有聪明"。他们不能分辨真假、善恶；他们不能从神的话语或护理中看出他的心意；他们不明白自己真正的利益何在，也不知它在于哪一边。他们"有智慧行恶"——阴谋陷害地上的安静人，有智慧设计满足自己的私欲，又有智慧掩饰、为之开脱。但"行善他们却没有知识"——毫无设计，毫无用心；他们不知如何善用神的典章或护理，也不知如何成就任何对国家有益的事。我们的品格当与此相反：罗16:19，"我愿意你们在善上聪明，在恶上愚拙。"
二、 他们是痛苦的，且无法得解脱。
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他呼喊："因为我的灵啊，你已经听见角声"，又"看见大旗"，两者都发出"打仗的警报"（耶4:19、21）。他不是说"你的耳朵啊，你听见了"，而是"我的灵啊"，因为这事尚在将来，他乃是借着预言的灵看见并感受其印象。他的"灵"从神的话语中听见了，所以他既确信这事，又为此感动，如同亲耳听见一样。他表达这种深切的关切：（一）为要表明，虽然他预言这灾祸，却绝非"渴望那可哀之日"；因为那日子对他也是可哀的。罪人正奔向自己的灭亡，我们当因这思想的缘故而战兢，虽然我们靠着恩典有良好的盼望，深信自己"已脱离将来的忿怒"。（二）为要唤醒他们生出圣洁的敬畏，使他们以真实而及时的悔改来留心防备这样的大审判。请留意：那要用神的话影响别人的人，应当显明自己先受了这话的影响。如今，
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让我们看看此处所预见、所预言的毁灭中，有什么如此触动人心的地方。
（一）这是迅速而"忽然"的毁灭；它在犹大和耶路撒冷不知不觉之间临到，倾注得如此之快，使他们连喘息的工夫也没有。他们没有时间重整心思，更没有时间重振或恢复力量："毁灭复又毁灭，宣告出来"（耶4:20），"破口复又破口"，一个悲惨的灾祸如同约伯的报信者一样，紧跟着另一个的脚跟。约西亚之死打破了僵局，打开了闸门；此后三个月，他的儿子和继位者约哈斯就被埃及王废黜；此后两三年，尼布甲尼撒围攻耶路撒冷并攻取了它；此后他连连在约雅敬、耶哥尼雅、西底家年间率军袭击犹大地，直到约十九年后他在耶路撒冷的毁灭中完成了他们的倾覆；但"忽然他们的帐棚荒废，幔子顷刻之间被毁"。虽然城邑抵挡了一段时间，乡间却从一开始就被蹂躏。牧人和一切住帐棚的人立即被劫掠；他们和他们的财物落入敌手；所以我们看见利甲族——他们是住帐棚的——迦勒底军队一进入这地，就退到耶路撒冷（耶35:11）。乡村的居民很快就消失："忽然帐棚荒废"。住帐棚的平民最先成为掠物。
（二）这场可怕的战争持续了很久，不在边境，而在国的腹地；因为百姓十分顽固，不肯臣服于巴比伦王，反而利用一切机会背叛他，这只会延长灾祸；他们当初不如像末了那样屈服。这是所抱怨的（耶4:21）："我看见大旗要到几时呢？"刀剑要永远吞灭人吗？善良的人都不是那"喜爱战争"的人，因为他们不懂得在浑水中摸鱼；他们"喜好和平"（诗120:7），并会真心地对那祷告说"主啊，求你赐平安在我们的时候！""耶和华的刀剑啊，你何时才安静呢？"
（三）它在地上所造成的荒凉是普遍而全面的："全地荒废"，或被劫掠（耶4:20）；起初如此，至终它变成一片完全的混沌。这样的荒凉几乎等于一种解体；不仅上层结构，连根基也都"乱了套"。先知在异象中看见了这毁灭的范围与极端程度，他在此处作了最为生动的描述，足以使那住在注定要如此倾覆之地、仍在罪中安逸的人不安——而这倾覆本可因他们的悔改而避免。〔1〕地"空虚混沌"（耶4:23），正如创1:2所记。就犹大地而言，它是 Tohu 与 Bohu——即创世记那里所用的希伯来字。它是"混乱"和"空虚无物"，失去了一切华美，空乏了一切财富，与从前相比，一切都失了位、变了形。到世界的末了，地还要被还原为比这更糟的混沌，那时"地和其上的工程都要被烧尽"。〔2〕"天"也"无光"，正如地没有果实。这暗指创1:2"深渊上面"的"黑暗"，代表神对他们的不悦，正如我们的救主受死时日头变黑一样。不仅地使他们失望，天也向他们皱眉；他们在患难中又有黑暗，因为他们看不透自己的患难。敌人焚烧他们的房屋和城邑所发的烟，以及他们军队行进所扬起的尘土，甚至遮蔽了日头，使"天也无光"。或者这话可作比喻解："地"（即平民）贫穷混乱；"天"（即君王和官长）"无光"——他们自己没有智慧，对百姓也毫无安慰，也无指引。参太24:29。〔3〕"大山震动，小山也都摇来摇去"（耶4:24）。神向他的百姓所显的作为如此可畏——正如古时他曾为他们显出可畏的作为，那时"大山踊跃如公羊，小山跳舞如羊羔"（诗114:4）。"永世的山岭"似乎"被分散"（哈3:6）。他们曾在山上敬拜偶像的山，他们曾指望从其上得着救助的山，全都震动，仿佛晓得百姓的罪。山，连其中最高、最坚固、心意最坚定的，在迦勒底军兵临近时也都震动。小山轻轻摇动，如同卸下一个有罪之国的重担（赛1:24）。〔4〕不仅地上，连空中也都无人居住、被撇弃（耶4:25）："我观看"那些素来人烟稠密的城邑和乡间，"不料，无人"可见；所有的居民或被杀，或逃亡，或被掳——罪就是这样倾覆人、使人烟荒凉的东西：不但如此，连"空中的飞鸟"，那些素来飞翔、"在枝叶间鸣唱"的，如今也都"躲避"，不再可见可闻。"犹大地"如今变得如同"所多玛的湖"，据说没有鸟从其上飞过；见申29:23。仇敌要在这地如此蹂躏，甚至连一只活鸟也不留下。〔5〕地面和房屋都要荒废（耶4:26）："不料，肥田变为荒野"——被本该耕种的居民撇弃，于是很快长满荆棘蒺藜；或被毁灭的敌军践踏。"城邑"以及它们的城门和城墙也"被拆毁"，夷为平地。那些只看第二因的人，将这事归因于入侵者的诡计和狂暴；但先知看到第一因，说这是"因耶和华的临在"，因"他的面"（即他面容的怒气），因"他烈怒之下"而成的。连发怒的人也不能真伤害我们，除非神向我们发怒。我们的"道路若蒙他悦纳"，一切就都好。〔6〕这一切的意思就是，这国必全然倾覆，其中各部分都要同受毁灭；无论城乡都不能逃脱。第一，乡间不能逃脱，因为"全地必然荒凉"——无论是耕地、牧场，无论是公地还是圈地，都要荒废（耶4:27）；征服者将这一切都据为己有。第二，人也不能逃脱，因为（耶4:29）"各城的人必逃跑"，城中所有的居民都同心弃家而逃，"因马兵弓箭手的响声"。他们宁愿暴露于荆棘被刮伤的危险，甚至被野兽撕碎，也要"进入密林"；他们"爬上磐石"，那里住宿艰难寒冷，悬崖险峻。我们不要过分贪恋自己的房屋和城邑；因为日子可能来到，磐石和密林反而更可取，反被拣选。这要成为普遍的情形，因为"各城必被撇弃"，"无人"敢"住在其间"。政府和贸易都要终结，一切公民团体和法人都解散。这段话对将临的荒凉所描绘的景象十分凄惨；但在这一切威吓之中，有一句安慰的话插入（耶4:27）："我却不全然毁灭"——不是全然的消灭，因为神必为自己保留余民，在耶和华发怒的日子隐藏他们；不是最终的消灭，因为耶路撒冷必再被建造，这地必再有人居住。这话在此处威吓之中插入，是为安慰那"因神的话语战兢"的人；它向我们暗示神护理的可变性——它既倾覆，也再建立；我们安慰的每一个终结，并不都是全然的终结，无论我们多么容易以为如此。它也暗示神之约的不变性，这约立得如此稳固，以致他虽可能严厉管教他的百姓，却必不"弃绝他们"（耶30:11）。
（4）他们的光景是无助且无救的。〔1〕神不帮助他们；他如此明明告诉他们（耶4:28）。主若不帮助他们，谁能呢？这正是使他们的光景可悲之处。"因此地要悲哀，上面的天也必昏暗"（除非常阴暗的前景之外别无可望），"因为我已说出"——我已经发了话，这话不会被收回；"我已定意"——这是已经决定、已经判定的毁灭，"我必不后悔"——不改变这条路，反而要在其中前进，也"不转离它"。他们不肯从罪的路上悔改、转回（耶2:25），所以神也不从审判的路上悔改、转回。〔2〕他们无法自救（耶4:30-31）。当这事尚在远处时，他们自欺地盼望，虽然神不会像当年为希西家对抗亚述军兵那样为他们显现，他们仍能找到某种方法保全自己，阻挡敌军。但先知告诉他们，到了真正交锋的时候，他们将完全不知所措："你被毁灭的时候，你作什么呢？你要采取什么策略？现在就坐下，及时思想这事。"他向他们保证，无论他们如今有何计谋和倚靠，第一，到那时他们必被他们所倚靠的盟友藐视。他屡次将耶路撒冷的罪比作淫乱，不仅指她的偶像崇拜，也指她信靠受造之物、信靠邻邦的势力。如今此处他将她比作一个被所有向来向她献殷勤的淫乱之徒所弃的妓女。这里假设她用尽一切办法来维系在他们感情中的利益。她尽力使自己在外邦中显得可观，显得是一个有价值的盟友。她借使臣向他们极尽奉承之能事，要争取他们在她患难时站在她一边。她"穿朱红衣服"，仿佛很富有；她"用黄金装饰"，仿佛她的府库仍像从前那样充实。她"用颜料修饰眼目"，尽力为眼前的患难涂上最好的色彩，极力掩饰和减轻自己的损失，装出一副好看的面目。但这颜料虽暂时使面容好看，实际上却损伤它；频繁使用颜料会损害皮肤，使之干裂粗糙；照样，靠假色彩粉饰得比实际更好的光景，当真相显露时，就必显得更糟。"经过这一切之后，你如此标致也是徒然；你一切的邻舍都看出你被带得何等低微；迦勒底人要剥去你的朱红和饰物，那时你的盟友不仅轻看你、拒绝给你任何救助，还要与那'寻索你性命'的人联手，好分得这样富庶之国的掠物。"这里似乎暗指耶洗别的事，她以为把自己打扮得好看就能顶住厄运，却是徒然（王下9:30、33）。请看我们所信靠的受造之物到底是怎样的——何等诡诈；它们不仅不救命，反倒寻索性命；它们常常变心，宁可加害于我们，也不肯效力。又请看，那些因罪在神眼中变得丑陋的人，想用任何手段在世人眼中美化自己，是何等无济于事。第二，到那时他们自己必陷入绝望；他们必发现自己的患难如同妇人生产的疼痛，无法逃避："我听见锡安女子的声音"——她的呻吟与迦勒底军队凯旋的呐喊相呼应，这声音是他先前听见的（耶4:15）。这如同"妇人生产的声音"，其疼痛剧烈，又是罪与咒诅的果子（创3:16），引人发出可哀的呼号，尤其是"生头胎孩子的妇人"，她从未经历过这种痛苦，所以更加恐惧。患难对于那些不惯于受苦的人最为难当。锡安在这困境中，既她的邻舍不肯怜恤她，便"自怜"——发出"深长的叹息"（这字如此意思），她"伸开手"——或因忧伤而绞扭，或为求助而伸出。她所呼的尽是："我有祸了！"（如今判语已经发出，无可挽回），"因为在杀戮的人面前，我的心发软了"。迦勒底兵丁将一切抵抗的人尽行杀戮，所以这地充满了凶杀。锡安厌烦听见从全国各处传来的悲惨故事，呼喊说："我有祸了！"他们的受苦若使他们想起自己的罪——他们所遭受的杀戮使他们想起自己所行的杀戮——那就好了；因为神如今正在追讨在耶路撒冷所流"无辜人的血"，"这血耶和华必不赦免"（王下24:4）。请留意：罪怎样追寻罪人，忧伤也必照样或早或晚追寻那安逸的人。
英文原文
Punishment Predicted (620 BC)
¹⁹ My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
²⁰ Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
²¹ How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
²² For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
²³ I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
²⁴ I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
²⁵ I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
²⁶ I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
²⁷ For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
²⁸ For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
²⁹ The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.
³⁰ And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.
³¹ For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.
The prophet is here in an agony, and cries out like one upon the rack of pain with some acute distemper, or as a woman in travail. The expressions are very pathetic and moving, enough to melt a heart of stone into compassion: My bowels! my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; and yet well, and in health himself, and nothing ails him. Note, A good man, in such a bad world as this is, cannot but be a man of sorrows. My heart makes a noise in me, through the tumult of my spirits, and I cannot hold my peace. Note, The grievance and the grief sometimes may be such that the most prudent patient man cannot forbear complaining.
Now, what is the matter? What is it that puts the good man into such agitation? It is not for himself, or any affliction in his family that he grieves thus; but it is purely upon the public account, it is his people's case that he lays to heart thus.
I. They are very sinful and will not be reformed, Jer 4:22. These are the words of God himself, for so the prophet chose to give this character of the people, rather than in his own words, or as from himself: My people are foolish. God calls them his people, though they are foolish. They have cast him off, but he has not cast them off, Ro 11:1. "They are my people, whom I have been in covenant with, and still have mercy in store for. They are foolish, for they have not known me." Note, Those are foolish indeed that have not known God, especially that call themselves his people, and have the advantages of coming into acquaintance with him, and yet have not known him. They are sottish children, stupid and senseless, and have no understanding. They cannot distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil; they cannot discern the mind of God either in his word or in his providence; they do not understand what their true interest is, nor on which side it lies. They are wise to do evil, to plot mischief against the quiet in the land, wise to contrive the gratification of their lusts, and then to conceal and palliate them. But to do good they have no knowledge, no contrivance, no application of mind; they know not how to make a good use either of the ordinances or of the providences of God, nor how to bring about any design for the good of their country. Contrary to this should be our character. Ro 16:19, I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
II. They are miserable, and cannot be relieved.
1. He cries out, Because thou hast heard, O my soul! the sound of the trumpet, and seen the standard, both giving the alarm of war, Jer 4:19,21. He does not say, Thou hast heard, O my ear! but, O my soul! because the event was yet future, and it is by the spirit of prophecy that he see it and receives the impression of it. His soul heard it from the words of God, and therefore he was as well assured of it, and as much affected with it, as if he had heard it with his bodily ears. He expresses this deep concern, (1.) To show that, though he foretold this calamity, yet he was far from desiring the woeful day; for a woeful day it would be to him. It becomes us to tremble at the thought of the misery that sinners are running themselves into, though we have good hopes, through grace, that we ourselves are delivered from the wrath to come. (2.) To awaken them to a holy fear, and so to a care to prevent so great a judgment by a true and timely repentance. Note, Those that would affect other with the word of God should evidence that they are themselves affected with it. Now,
2. Let us see what there is in the destruction here foreseen and foretold that is so very affecting.
(1.) It is a swift and sudden destruction; it comes upon Judah and Jerusalem ere they are aware, and pours in so fast upon them that they have not the east breathing time. They have no time to recollect their thoughts, much less to recruit or recover their strength: Destruction upon destruction is cried (Jer 4:20), breach upon breach, one sad calamity, like Job's messengers, treading upon the heels of another. The death of Josiah breaks the ice, and plucks up the flood-gates; within three months after that his son and successor Jehoahaz is deposed by the king of Egypt; within two or three years after Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and took it, and thenceforward he was continually making descents upon the land of Judah with his armies during the reigns of Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah, till about nineteen years after he completed their ruin in the destruction of Jerusalem: but suddenly were their tents spoiled and their curtains in a moment. Though the cities held out for some time, the country was laid waste at the very first. The shepherds and all that lived in tents were plundered immediately; they and their effects fell into the enemies' hands; therefore we find the Rechabites, who dwelt in tents, upon the first coming of the army of the Chaldees into the land retiring to Jerusalem, Jer 35:11. The inhabitants of the villages soon ceased: Suddenly were the tents spoiled. The plain men that dwelt in tents were first made a prey of.
(2.) This dreadful war continued a great while, not in the borders, but in the bowels of the country; for the people were very obstinate, and would not submit to the king of Babylon, but took all opportunities to rebel against him, which did but lengthen out the calamity; they might as well have yielded at first as at last. This is complained of (Jer 4:21): How long shall I see the standard? Shall the sword devour for ever? Good men are none of those that delight in war, for they know not how to fish in troubled waters; they are for peace (Ps 120:7), and will heartily say Amen to that prayer, "Give peace in our time, O Lord!" O thou sword of the Lord! when wilt thou be quiet?
(3.) The desolations made by it in the land were general and universal: The whole land is spoiled, or plundered (Jer 4:20); so it was at first, and at length it became a perfect chaos. It was such a desolation as amounted in a manner to a dissolution; not only the superstructure, but even the foundations, were all out of course. The prophet in vision saw the extent and extremity of this destruction, and he here gives a most lively description of it, which one would think might have made those uneasy in their sins who dwelt in a land doomed to such a ruin, which might yet have been prevented by their repentance. [1.] The earth is without form, and void (Jer 4:23), as it was Ge 1:2. It is Tohu and Bohu, the words there used, as far as the land of Judea goes. It is confusion and emptiness, stripped of all its beauty, void of all its wealth, and, compared with what it was, every thing out of place and out of shape. To a worse chaos than this will the earth be reduced at the end of time, when it, and all the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. [2.] The heavens too are without light, as the earth is without fruits. This alludes to the darkness that was upon the face of the deep (Ge 1:2), and represents God's displeasure against them, as the eclipse of the sun did at our Saviour's death. It was not only the earth that failed them, but heaven also frowned upon them; and with their trouble they had darkness, for they could not see through their troubles. The smoke of their houses and cities which the enemy burnt, and the dust which their army raised in its march, even darkened the sun, so that the heavens had no light. Or it may be taken figuratively: The earth (that is, the common people) was impoverished and in confusion; and the heavens (that is, the princes and rulers) had no light, no wisdom in themselves, nor were any comfort to the people, nor a guide to them. Comp. Mt 24:29. [3.] The mountains trembled, and the hills moved lightly, Jer 4:24. So formidable were the appearances of God against his people, as in the days of old they had been for them, that the mountains skipped like rams and the little hills like lambs, Ps 114:4. The everlasting mountains seemed to be scattered, Hab 3:6. The mountains on which they had worshipped their idols, the mountains over which they had looked for succours, all trembled, as if they had been conscious of the people's guilt. The mountains, those among them that seemed to the highest and strongest, and of the firmest resolution, trembled at the approach of the Chaldean army. The hills moved lightly, as being eased of the burden of a sinful nation, Isa 1:24. [4.] Not the earth only, but the air, was dispeopled, and left uninhabited (Jer 4:25): I beheld the cities, the countries that used to be populous, and, lo, there was no man to be seen; all the inhabitants were either killed, or fled, or taken captives, such a ruining depopulating thing is sin: nay, even the birds of the heavens, that used to fly about and sing among the branches, had now fled away, and were no more to be seen or heard. The land of Judah had now become like the lake of Sodom, over which (they say) no bird flies; see De 29:23. The enemies shall make such havoc of the country that they shall not so much as leave a bird alive in it. [5.] Both the ground and the houses shall be laid waste (Jer 4:26): Lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, being deserted by the inhabitants that should cultivate it, and then soon overgrown with thorns and briers, or being trodden down by the destroying army of the enemy. The cities also and their gates and walls are broken down and levelled with the ground. Those that look no further than second causes impute it to the policy and fury of the invaders; but the prophet, who looks to the first cause, says that it is at the presence of the Lord, at his face (that is, the anger of his countenance), even by his fierce anger, that this was done. Even angry men cannot do us any real hurt, unless God be angry with us. If our ways please him, all is well. [6.] The meaning of all this is that the nation shall be entirely ruined, and every part of it shall share in the destruction; neither town nor country shall escape. First, Not the country, for the whole land shall be desolate, corn land and pasture land, both common and enclosed, it shall be laid waste (Jer 4:27); the conquerors will have occasion for it all. Secondly, Not the men, for (Jer 4:29) the whole city shall flee, all the inhabitants of the town shall quit their habitations by consent, for fear of the horsemen and bowmen. Rather than lie exposed to their fury, they shall go into the thickets, where they are in danger of being torn by briers, nay, to be torn in pieces by wild beasts; and they shall climb up upon the rocks, where their lodging will be hard and cold, and the precipice dangerous. Let us not be over-fond of our houses and cities; for the time may come when rocks and thickets may be preferable, and chosen rather. This shall be the common case, for every city shall be forsaken, and not a man shall be left that dares dwell therein. Both government and trade shall be at an end, and all civil societies and incorporations dissolved. It is a very dismal idea which this gives of the approaching desolation; but in the midst of all these threatenings comes in one comfortable word (Jer 4:27): Yet will not I make a full end—not a total consumption, for God will reserve a remnant to himself, that shall be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger—not a final consumption, for Jerusalem shall again be built and the land inhabited. This comes in here, in the midst of the threatenings, for the comfort of those that trembled at God's word; and it intimates to us the changeableness of God's providence; as it breaks down, so it raises up again; every end of our comforts is not a full end, however we may be ready to think it so. It also intimates the unchangeableness of God's covenant, which stands so firmly, that, though he may correct his people severely, yet he will not cast them off, Jer 30:11.
(4.) Their case was helpless and without remedy. [1.] God would not help them; so he tells them plainly, Jer 4:28. And, if the Lord do not help them, who can? This is that which makes their case deplorable. "For this the earth mourns and the heavens above are black (there are no prospects but what are very dismal), because I have spoken it; I have given the word which shall not be called back; I have purposed it (it is a consumption decreed, determined) and I will not repent, not change this way, but proceed in it, and will not turn back from it." They would not repent and turn back from the way of their sins (Jer 2:25), and therefore God will not repent and turn back from the way of his judgments. [2.] They could not help themselves, Jer 4:30,31. When the thing appeared at a distance they flattered themselves with hopes that, though God should not appear for them as he had done for Hezekiah against the Assyrian army, yet they should find some means or other to secure themselves and give check to the forces of the enemy. But the prophet tells them that, when it comes to the setting to, they will be quite at a loss: "When thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? What course wilt thou take? Sit down now, and consider this in time." He assures them that, whatever were now their contrivances and confidences, First, They will then be despised by their allies whom they depended upon for assistance. He had often compared the sin of Jerusalem to whoredom, not only her idolatry, but her trust in creatures, in the neighbouring powers. Now here he compares her to a harlot abandoned by all the lewd ones that used to make court to her. She is supposed to do all she can to keep up her interest in their affections. She does what she can to make herself appear considerable among the nations, and a valuable ally. She compliments them by her ambassadors to the highest degree, to engage them to stand by her now in her distress. She clothes herself with crimson, as if she were rich, and decks herself with ornaments of gold, as if her treasuries were still as full as ever they had been. She rents her face with painting, puts the best colours she can upon her present distresses and does her utmost to palliate and extenuate her losses, sets a good face upon them. But this painting, though it beautifies the face for the present, really rends it; the frequent use of paint spoils the skin, cracks it, and makes it rough; so the case which by false colours has been made to appear better than really it was, when truth comes to light, will look so much the worse. "And, after all, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; all thy neighbours are sensible how low thou art brought; the Chaldeans will strip thee of thy crimson and ornaments, and then thy confederates will not only slight thee and refuse to give thee any succour, but they will join with those that seek thy life, that they may come in for a share in the prey of so rich a country." Here seems to be an allusion to the story of Jezebel, who thought, by making herself look fair and fine, to outface her doom, but in vain, 2Ki 9:30,33. See what creatures prove when we confide in them, how treacherous they are; instead of saving the life, they seek the life; they often change, so that they will sooner do us an ill turn than any service. And see to how little purpose it is for those that have by sin deformed themselves in God's eyes to think by any arts they can use to beautify themselves in the eye of the world. Secondly, They will then be themselves in despair; they will find their troubles to be like the pains of a woman in travail, which she cannot escape: I have heard the voice of the daughter of Zion, her groans echoing to the triumphal shouts of the Chaldean army, which he heard, Jer 4:15. It is like the voice of a woman in travail, whose pain is exquisite, and the fruit of sin and the curse too (Ge 3:16), and exhorts lamentable outcries, especially of a woman in travail of her first child, who, having never known before what that pain is, is the more terrified by it. Troubles are most grievous to those that have not been used to them. Zion, in this distress, since her neighbours refuse to pity her, bewails herself, fetching deep sighs (so the word signifies), and she spreads her hands, either wringing them for grief or reaching them forth for succour. All the cry is, Woe is me now! (now that the decree has gone forth against her and is past recall), for my soul is wearied because of murderers. The Chaldean soldiers put all to the sword that gave them any opposition, so that the land was full of murders. Zion was weary of hearing tragical stories from all parts of the country, and cried out, Woe is me! It was well if their sufferings put them in mind of their sins, the murders committed upon them of the murders committed by them; for God was now making inquisition for the innocent blood shed in Jerusalem, which the Lord would not pardon, 2Ki 24:4. Note, As sin will find out the sinner, so sorrow will, sooner or later, find out the secure.
看来本章耶 3:29-37、4:1-2 这一段，若接在前一章末尾或许更为妥当，因为它是针对以色列——即十支派——而发的，作为对他们顺应神呼召的回应，引导并鼓励他们坚定心志（耶 4:1-2）。本章其余部分则论及犹大与耶路撒冷。一、他们被呼召悔改、归正（耶 4:3-4）。二、他们被警告尼布甲尼撒及其大军将要前来攻击他们，并被告知这是因他们的罪；先知再次劝勉他们从罪中自洁（耶 4:5-18）。三、为使他们更深感受将临之荒凉的可怕，先知自己悲痛哀哭，与百姓在他们所遭的灾祸与困厄中感同身受，将这场毁灭描绘为世界复归太初混沌的情形（耶 4:19-31）。