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英文原文
In this chapter, as before, we have, I. A prophecy of the invading of the land of Judah and the besieging of Jerusalem by the Chaldean army (Jer 6:1-6), with the spoils they should make of the country (Jer 6:9) and the terror which all should be seized with on that occasion, Jer 6:22-26. II. An account of those sins of Judah and Jerusalem which provoked God to bring this desolating judgment upon them. Their oppression (Jer 6:7), their contempt of the word of God (Jer 6:10-12), their worldliness (Jer 6:13), the treachery of their prophets (Jer 6:14), their impudence in sin (Jer 6:15), their obstinacy against reproofs (Jer 6:18,19), which made their sacrifices unacceptable to him (Jer 6:20), and for which he gave them up to ruin (Jer 6:21), but tried them first (Jer 6:27) and then rejected them as irreclaimable, Jer 6:28-30. III. Good counsel given them in the midst of all this, but in vain, Jer 6:8,16,17.
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Judgments Threatened against Israel; The Doom of Israel (608 BC)
警告以色列的审判；以色列的厄运（主前608年）
¹ 便雅悯人哪，你们要聚集逃离耶路撒冷中间；要在提哥亚吹角，在伯哈基琳立号火；因为灾祸从北方出来，有大毁灭。 ² 我将锡安的女子比作秀美娇嫩的女子。 ³ 牧人必带他们的羊群到她那里，在她周围支搭帐棚，各在自己所分之地牧放。 ⁴ 你们要向她预备战争；起来吧，我们午时上去。我们有祸了！日头渐斜，晚影已经拉长。 ⁵ 起来吧，我们夜间上去，毁灭她的宫殿。 ⁶ 万军之耶和华如此说：你们要砍伐树木，筑垒攻击耶路撒冷；这是该受访问的城，其中尽是欺压。 ⁷ 泉源怎样涌出水来，这城也怎样涌出恶来；在其中常听见强暴毁灭的事；病患损伤常在我面前。 ⁸ 耶路撒冷啊，你当受教，免得我的心与你生疏，免得我使你荒凉，成为无人居住之地。
此处我们看到：一、宣告对犹大和耶路撒冷的审判。当时这城与这地都安逸无虑，毫无危险预感；他们看不见乌云密布，一切都显得安全晴朗；但先知告诉他们，不久必有外邦势力入侵，必有一支军队「从北方」来攻击他们，使一切尽都荒凉，不仅引起普遍的恐慌，更带来普遍的荒废。此处预言，
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这事的警报必响亮可畏。这在耶6:1有所描绘。便雅悯人——耶路撒冷有一部分属其支派——在此被召往乡间自寻安全；因为这城（他们初时以为当逃入其中避难，耶4:5-6）很快就会变得太烫手，他们必发觉逃离其中才是上策。在公众的惊慌中，百姓常以为别处比自己所处之处更安全；所以城中的人想逃到乡间，盼望在那里脱险，乡间的人又想逃入城中，盼望在那里抵御危险；但当灾祸奉命追赶罪人时，一切都归于徒然。他们被吩咐要把警报传到乡间，并为自己的安全尽所能：「要在提哥亚吹角」——提哥亚位于耶路撒冷以北十二里。要唤醒他们儆醒守卫：「要在伯哈基REEN（即『葡萄园之家』）立号火」——就是点燃烽火；伯哈基琳位于耶路撒冷和提哥亚之间的山上。要预备奋勇抵抗，「因为灾祸从北方出来」。这话也可反讽地领会：「你们尽管想出最好的法子保全自己吧，但都必归于徒然；因为你们尽力之后，仍必是大毁灭，因为与神的审判抗衡原是徒然。」
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攻击他们的行动必大胆可畏，使他们远非对手。（1）当看受攻击的「锡安女子」是怎样的。她被比作「秀美娇嫩的女子」（耶6:2），养尊处优，凡精致柔软之事无不尽享，她「因娇嫩矜贵，素来不肯把脚踏在地上」（申28:56），也不容风吹在自己身上；既未惯于艰苦，她便更无力抵抗仇敌（因为打仗的人必须「忍受艰难」），也更不能以忍耐承当毁灭——而这忍耐正是使毁灭可忍所必需的。我们越放纵于今生的宴乐，就越不能承当今生的艰难。（2）当看攻击人的「巴比伦女子」是怎样的。众将帅和他们的军队被比作「牧人和他们的羊群」（耶6:3）——他们来时数目如此之多，秩序如此之整，士兵随从将帅正如羊随从牧人。「锡安女子安居在家」（有人如此读），盼望以爱被礼待，却被以狂暴入侵。这把仇敌比作牧人，使我看重另一种读法——有人对耶6:2如此领会：「锡安女子如秀美的草场、娇嫩的地土」，这邀请牧人带羊群来吃草；正如牧人轻易地占领一片旷野草场——它（如当时某些地方所通行）公用、无主——「在其上支搭帐棚」，羊群很快把它吃得精光；迦勒底军兵也必这样轻易闯入犹大地，随意为自己强行划出驻扎之处，不久便吞尽一切。为进一步说明这一点，他又指出：[1] 神必差遣他们成就这毁灭——甚至毁灭那属他自有的圣洁之地与圣城。是他说（耶6:4）：「你们要向她预备战争」；因为他是「万军之耶和华」，一切军兵都在他命令之下；他又说（耶6:6）：「你们要砍伐树木，筑垒攻击耶路撒冷」，为要攻取它。迦勒底人对犹大和耶路撒冷虽有大权势，但他们所有的权势无非「从上头赐给他们的」。神已标出耶路撒冷归于毁灭。他说：「『这是该受访问的城』——在烈怒中被访问，被神的公义所访问，而此时正是她受访问的时候。」那日子必到——凡在罪中安然无虑的人，必被访问。[2] 他们必怎样激励自己和彼此来执行这使命。神既已定意攻击耶路撒冷——这旨意不能改变或废止——仇敌所召开的军事会议也与他的旨意相合。神既说「向她预备战争」，他们的决议便服在他的旨意之下；尽管彼此相距甚远、途中又有多重困难，他们很快便一致议定：「起来吧，我们上去。」当记取：看神的旨意和判令如何在人的计谋和设计中得以推行和执行——甚至在那些不认识他的人身上——是好的（赛10:6-7）。在这次战役中，第一，他们决意速战速决。他们一经议定，便立即着手；绝无人说他们把今日能做之事推到明日：「起来吧，我们『午时上去』——虽然日头正烈」；不，更说（耶6:5）：「起来吧，我们『夜间上去』——虽然天色正暗」。没有什么能拦阻他们；他们决意「不丢失时候」。他们被描绘为急于推进的人（耶6:4）：「『我们有祸了，因为日头渐斜』，我们还没有推进工作；『晚影已经拉长』，我们却仍坐着不动，错失良机。」但愿我们在属灵的工和属灵的争战上也如此迫切，如此害怕丢失时候或任何机会，好「以强力夺取天国」！我们既有永远救恩要作成，又有那救恩的仇敌要抵抗，懈怠虚耗便是愚妄。第二，他们自信必大大得胜：「『我们上去吧』，我们『毁灭她的宫殿』，作其中财宝的主人。」他们如此迫切，并非为要成就神的旨意，而是为要填满自己的府库；然而神借此成就了他自己的目的。
二、这审判的缘由被指出。这一切都是因他们的恶；他们自招其祸；他们必须承受，因为罪责在他们。他们这样受欺压，是因为他们曾作欺压人的人；他们曾彼此相待严苛——各随其权势和机会如此行；如今仇敌必来，严厉地待他们众人。这欺压、强暴、行恶的罪，在此加在他们身上：1. 作为全国之罪（耶6:6）：「所以『这是该受访问的城』，是查究的时候了，因为『其中尽是欺压』。」社会各阶层——从宝座上的君王到最低微的店主——都欺压在自己权下的人。无论你向哪一方看，都能听见这一类怨声。2. 作为几乎已成为他们本性之罪（耶6:7）：她「涌出恶来」——各样的恶毒和害人之事——「如泉源涌出水来」，又多又不断，其水流苦涩有毒，一如其源头。泉源之水不能被阻止，必自寻出路或冲开出路；他们在强暴的行事上也不被律法或良心所禁止。这话正可贴切地应用于人天然败坏的心：它「涌出恶来」——这种或那种恶念——如泉源涌出水来，自然而轻易；它常常流溢，却常常满溢。3. 作为已成他们惯常行为的罪；「在其中常听见强暴毁灭的事」。其哀声已上达神前，如所多玛的哀声一样：「病患损伤常在我面前」——就是那些自觉受害之人的怨声——他们的身体或心灵、财产或名誉被不义地伤害。当记取：那万人共同的天父，留意、记恨，并迟早必报应人与人彼此所行的伤害与冤枉。
三、他们当怎样行以避免这审判的劝勉。如今就这事的全貌发出公正的警告：「『耶路撒冷啊，你当受教！』（耶6:8）当领受从神的律法和先知所给你的教导；终要为自己明智。」他们十分清楚自己被教导当怎样行；除了去行之外别无他事，因为不行就算不上受教。这劝勉的理由来自他们若不肯顺服所受教导便必遭遇的无可避免的毁灭：「免得我的心与你生疏」。这暗示神对他们曾有怎样的深情关怀；他的「心」已与他们联合，唯有罪能使之分离。当记取：1. 那怜悯的神不愿离开 even a provoking people，并恳切地借着真实的悔改和归正来防止事态走到那极端。2. 神的心与之生疏的人，其情形十分可怜；这表明失去的不仅是外在的福气，更失去那些作为他慈爱和同在更直接、更特殊记号的安慰和恩惠。这话当与那句可怕的话相比（来10:38）：「他若退后，我心里就不喜欢他。」3. 神所离开的人，必然败亡；当神的心离开耶路撒冷，她不久就变为荒凉、无人居住（太23:38）。
英文原文
Judgments Threatened against Israel; The Doom of Israel (608 BC)
¹ O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
² I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.
³ The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.
⁴ Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
⁵ Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
⁶ For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
⁷ As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.
⁸ Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.
Here is I. Judgment threatened against Judah and Jerusalem. The city and the country were at this time secure and under no apprehension of danger; they saw no cloud gathering, but every thing looked safe and serene: but the prophet tells them that they shall shortly be invaded by a foreign power, an army shall be brought against them from the north, which shall lay all waste, and shall cause not only a general consternation, but a general desolation. It is here foretold,
1. That the alarm of this should be loud and terrible. This is represented, Jer 6:1. The children of Benjamin, in which tribe part of Jerusalem lay, are here called to shift for their own safety in the country; for the city (to which it was first thought advisable for them to flee, Jer 4:5,6) would soon be made too hot for them, and they would find it the wisest course to flee out of the midst of it. It is common, in public frights, for the people to think any place safer than that in which they are; and therefore those in the city are for shifting into the country, in hopes there to escape out of danger, and those in the country are for shifting into the city, in hopes there to make head against the danger; but it is all in vain when evil pursues sinners with commission. They are told to send the alarm into the country, and to do what they can for their own safety: Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, a city which lay twelve miles north from Jerusalem. Let them be stirred up to stand upon their guard: Set up a sign of fire (that is, kindle the beacons) in Beth-haccerem, the house of the vineyard, which lay on a hill between Jerusalem and Tekoa. Prepare to make a vigorous resistance, for the evil appears out of the north. This may be taken ironically: "Betake yourselves to the best methods you can think of for your own preservation, but all shall be in vain; for, when you have done your best, it will be a great destruction, for it is in vain to contend with God's judgments."
2. That the attempt upon them should be bold and formidable and such as they should be a very unequal match for. (1.) See what the daughter of Zion is, on whom the assault is made. She is compared to a comely and delicate woman (Jer 6:2), bred up in every thing that is nice and soft, that will not set so much as the sole of her foot to the ground for tenderness and delicacy (De 28:56), nor suffer the wind to blow upon her; and, not being accustomed to hardship, she will be the less able either to resist the enemy (for those that make war must endure hardness) or to bear the destruction with that patience which is necessary to make it tolerable. The more we indulge ourselves in the pleasures of this life the more we disfit ourselves for the troubles of this life. (2.) See what the daughter of Babylon is, by whom the assault is made. The generals and their armies are compared to shepherds and their flocks (Jer 6:3), in such numbers and in such order did they come, the soldiers following their leaders as the sheep their shepherds. The daughter of Zion dwelt at home (so some read it), expecting to be courted with love, but was invaded with fury. This comparing of the enemies to shepherds inclines me to embrace another reading, which some give of Jer 6:2, The daughter of Zion is like a comely pasture-ground and a delicate land, which invite the shepherds to bring their flocks thither to graze; and as the shepherds easily make themselves masters of an open field, which (as was then usual in some parts) lies common, owned by none, pitch their tents in it, and their flocks quickly eat it bare, so shall the Chaldean army easily break in upon the land of Judah, force for themselves a free quarter where they please, and in a little time devour all. For the further illustration of this he shows, [1.] How God shall commission them to make this destruction even of the holy land and the holy city, which were his own possession. It is he that says (Jer 6:4), Prepare you war against her; for he is the Lord of hosts, that has all hosts at his command, and he has said (Jer 6:6), Hew you down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem, in order to the attacking of it. The Chaldeans have great power against Judah and Jerusalem, and yet they have no power but what is given them from above. God has marked out Jerusalem for destruction. He has said, "This is the city to be visited, visited in wrath, visited by the divine justice, and this is the time of her visitation." The day is coming when those that are careless and secure in sinful ways will certainly be visited. [2.] How they shall animate themselves and one another to execute that commission. God's counsels being against Jerusalem, which cannot be altered or disannulled, the councils of war which the enemies held are made to agree with his counsels. God having said, Prepare war against her, their determinations are made subservient to his; and, notwithstanding the distance of place and the many difficulties that lay in the way, it is soon resolved, nemine contradicente—unanimously. Arise, and let us go. Note, It is good to see how the counsel and decree of God are pursued and executed in the devices and designs of men, even theirs that know him not, Isa 10:6,7. In this campaign, First, They resolve to be very expeditious. They have no sooner resolved upon it than they address themselves to it; it shall never be said that they left any thing to be done towards it to-morrow which they could do to-day: Arise, let us go up at noon, though it be in the heat of the day; nay, (Jer 6:5), Arise, let us go up at night, though it be in the dark. Nothing shall hinder them; they are resolved to lose no time. They are described as men in care to make despatch (Jer 6:4): "Woe unto us, for the day goes away, and we are not going on with our work; the shadows of the evening are stretched out, and we sit still, and let slip the opportunity." O that we were thus eager in our spiritual work and warfare, thus afraid of losing time, or any opportunity, in taking the kingdom of heaven by violence! It is folly to trifle when we have an eternal salvation to work out, and the enemies of that salvation to fight against. Secondly, They confidently expect to be very successful: "Let us go up, and let us destroy her palaces and make ourselves masters of the wealth that is in them." It was not that they might fulfill God's counsels, but that they might fill their own treasures, that they were thus eager; yet God thereby served his own purposes.
II. The cause of this judgment assigned. It is all for their wickedness; they have brought it upon themselves; they must bear it, for they must bear the blame of it. They are thus oppressed because they have been oppressors; they have dealt hardly with one another, each in his turn, as they have had power and advantage, and now the enemy shall come and deal hardly with them all. This sin of oppression, and violence, and wrong-doing, is here charged upon them, 1. As a national sin (Jer 6:6): Therefore this city is to be visited, it is time to make inquisition, for she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. All orders and degrees of men, from the prince on the throne to the meanest master of a shop, were oppressive to those that were under them. Look which way you might, there were causes for complaints of this kind. 2. As a sin that had become in a manner natural to them (Jer 6:7): She casts out wickedness, in all the instances of malice and mischievousness, as a fountain casts out her waters, so plentifully and constantly, the streams bitter and poisonous, like the fountain. The waters out of the fountain will not be restrained, but will find or force their way, nor will they be checked by laws or conscience in their violent proceedings. This is fitly applied to the corrupt heart of man in his natural state; it casts out wickedness, one evil imagination or other, as a fountain casts out her waters, naturally and easily; it is always flowing, and yet always full. 3. As that which had become a constant practice with them; Violence and spoil are heard in her. The cry of it had come up before God as that of Sodom: Before me continually are grief and wounds—the complaint of those that find themselves aggrieved, being unjustly wounded in their bodies or spirits, in their estates or reputation. Note, He that is the common Parent of mankind regards and resents, and sooner or later will revenge, the mischiefs and wrongs that men do to one another.
III. The counsel given them how to prevent this judgment. Fair warning is given now upon the whole matter: "Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem! Jer 6:8. Receive the instruction given thee both by the law of God and by the prophets; be wise at length for thyself." They knew very well what they had been instructed to do; nothing remained but to do it, for till then they could not be said to be instructed. The reason for this counsel is taken from the inevitable ruin they ran upon if they refused to comply with the instructions given them: Lest my soul depart, or be disjoined, from thee. This intimates what a tender affection and concern God had had for them; his very soul had been joined to them, and nothing but sin could disjoin it. Note, 1. The God of mercy is loth to depart even from a provoking people, and is earnest with them by true repentance and reformation to prevent things coming to that extremity. 2. Their case is very miserable from whom God's soul is disjoined; it intimates the loss not only of their outward blessings, but of those comforts and favours which are the more immediate and peculiar tokens of his love and presence. Compare this with that dreadful word (Heb 10:38), If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 3. Those whom God forsakes are certainly undone; when God's soul departs from Jerusalem she soon becomes desolate and uninhabited, Mt 23:38.
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The Universal Corruption of the Age (608 BC)
时代的普遍败坏（主前608年）
⁹ 万军之耶和华如此说：『他们必将以色列的余民如同葡萄树一般彻底拾取，像摘葡萄的人转回手伸入筐中。』 ¹⁰ 现在我可以向谁说话、作见证，使他们听呢？他们的耳朵未受割礼，不能听见；看哪，耶和华的话对他们成了羞辱，他们并不以为喜乐。 ¹¹ 因此我被耶和华的忿怒充满，难以自制；我必将它倾倒在街上的孩童和聚会的少年人身上；因为连丈夫带妻子也要被擒拿，老人和年迈之人也是如此。 ¹² 他们的房屋必转归别人，连田地妻子一同归他；因为我必伸手攻击这地的居民，这是耶和华说的。 ¹³ 因为他们从最小的到至大的，人人都贪图不义之财；从先知到祭司，人人都行事虚谎。 ¹⁴ 他们轻轻忽忽地医治我百姓的损伤，说：『平安了，平安了』；其实没有平安。 ¹⁵ 他们行可憎之事时惭愧吗？不，他们毫不惭愧，也不知羞耻；所以他们必在跌倒的人中跌倒；我刑罚他们的时候，他们必被仆倒，这是耶和华说的。 ¹⁶ 耶和华如此说：『你们当站在路上察看，访问古道，哪是善道，便行在其间；这样，你们心里必得安息。』他们却说：『我们不行在其间。』 ¹⁷ 我又设立守望的归你们，说：『要听角声。』他们却说：『我们不听。』
本段要点与上一段完全相同；因为律法之上还要加律法，线上还要加线。
一、此处预告了犹大和耶路撒冷的毁灭。前文我们看见迦勒底军队急忙开战（耶6:4、5）；此处我们看见战争所造成的蹂躏。此处所描述的荒凉何等可悲！仇敌要在他们中间驻扎许久，对血与财宝贪得无厌，凡所遇见的都要抢夺，这一次逃脱的，下一次也要落入他们手中（耶6:9）：『他们必将以色列的余民如同葡萄树一般彻底拾取』；如同那决意一棵也不留的『摘葡萄者』，不住地『转回手伸入筐中』，再放进去，直到摘尽为止——使他们纵然分散，纵然躲藏，也被仇敌搜捕出来，无人能逃过他们的眼和手。或许百姓因『贪图不义之财』（耶6:13），未曾遵守那禁止他们『把葡萄全部摘尽』的神的律法（利19:10），如今他们自己也要照样被『彻底摘尽』，或死于刀剑，或被掳去。这在耶6:11、12有解释：神的『怒气』和他的『手』被『倾倒』并『伸出』，是在迦勒底人的怒气中、借迦勒底人的手而成的；因为恶人常被用作神的手（诗17:14），在他们的愤怒中我们可以看见神在发怒。现在请看怒气倾倒在谁身上——倒在盛满的忿怒之瓶中——倒在『街上的孩童』身上，就是他们在其中玩耍（亚8:5），或天真地跑出来四处张望的地方：残暴的迦勒底人的刀剑必不放过他们（耶9:21）。孩童在父辈之罪所招来的灾祸中灭亡。这刑罚也要临到『少年人的会』，就是他们的宴乐聚会，他们彼此坚固作恶之手的团伙；他们必一同被剪除。落入仇敌之手的，也不仅是那些为行淫而聚集的人（耶5:7），『连丈夫带妻子也要被擒拿』，这二人同床，一个也不留，二人都被掳去。他们既对柔弱的女性毫无怜悯，也对衰弱却可敬的老年人毫无怜悯：『老人和年迈之人』，他们的死对他们的安全既无补益，如同他们的生对他们的服事也无益处，他们既无力为他们行善或作恶，也要被剪除或被掳去。『那时他们的房屋必转归别人』（耶6:12）；征服者要住在他们的住所，使用他们的财物，靠他们的积蓄过活；他们的『田地和葡萄园』要一同落入他们手中，正如先前所警告的（申28:30等）。因为神『伸手攻击这地的居民』，无人能逃出其范围。论到神忿怒的这一宣告，1. 先知为自己如此可怕地讲道自辩，因他在其中是忠信的（耶6:11）：『我被耶和华的怒气充满』，满了对它的意念和领会，并被预言的灵以大能的催促使我如此激烈地论及它。』他以威胁为无乐，以这样的讲道使周围的人不安对他毫无快感；但他不能自禁；他『难以自制』；他尽量压抑，能压抑多久就压抑多久，但他因『万军之耶和华的灵大有能力』，必须说话，无论他们听或不听。请注意：当传道人按圣经传讲主的威吓时，我们没有理由对他们不满；因为他们不过是使者，必须传达所托付的信息，无论是讨喜还是不讨喜。2. 他定那些讲得动听的假先知的罪，因他们如此谄媚百姓，行事不忠（耶6:13、14）：『祭司和先知』本该作他们的守望者和警戒者，却『行事虚谎』，对所托不忠——没有告诉百姓他们的过犯和所处的危险；他们本该作他们的医生，却任凭病人自行其是，凡病人所要的无不给予，并谄媚他们使他们自以为没有危险（耶6:14）：他们『轻轻忽忽地医治我百姓的损伤』，或『如同医治轻微伤势一般』，只在伤口上蒙一层皮，从不探到底，只施缓和之剂，而其实需要腐蚀剂，在罪中安抚百姓，给他们鸦片使他们暂时安逸，而病却在其要害处蚕食。他们说：『平安了，平安了——一切都好。』（他们中间若有清醒警觉危险的人，他们便很快用祭司和先知的权威堵住他们的口，大胆断言教会和国家都没有危险），其实没有平安，因为他们继续行拜偶像和大胆的不敬虔之事。请注意：那些在罪中谄媚我们的人，当算为我们的假朋友（即最坏、最危险的仇敌）。
二、犹大和耶路撒冷的罪，就是招惹神降下这毁灭、并使神在其中显为公义的罪，此处宣告出来。1. 他们绝不肯听人指出他们的过犯，也不肯听人指出他们所处的危险。神吩咐先知警告他们将要来的审判（耶6:9），『但』他说，『我可以向谁说话、作见证呢？』我找不到任何肯耐心听我的人。我可以警告许久，却无人肯受警戒。我『不能说使他们听见的话』，不能说到点子上，不能带着任何成功的盼望说话；因为『他们的耳朵未受割礼』，是属肉体的、属血气的，不愿领受神的声音，所以『他们不能听见』。他们的听觉器官仿佛长了一层厚皮，以致对他们讲神圣之事，如同对石头说话一样。不但如此，他们不仅对此耳聋，更是心存偏见；所以他们不能听，因为他们定意不肯听：『耶和华的话对他们成了羞辱』；无论是话语的责备还是威吓，都是如此；他们认为自己被两方面所得罪和冒犯，并怨恨先知对他们直言，如同怨恨最无端的诽谤和污蔑一样。这是『用脚踢刺』（徒9:5），如同律法师对基督的话那样（路11:45）：『你这样说，也把我们羞辱了。』请注意：那些被算为羞辱、被当作羞辱来恨恶的责备，必被转为最重的灾祸。此处说他们『不以耶和华的话为乐』，所暗示的比明说的更多：『他们对它存反感；他们的心对它厌弃；它激怒他们，惹动他们的情欲，他们随时准备扑向责备者的脸、挖出责备者的眼睛。』那些对耶和华的话不以为乐、宁愿在任何地方也不愿在其听见范围之内的人，怎能期望耶和华的话对他们说安慰的话呢？2. 他们贪恋世界，完全被爱世界之心所辖制（耶6:13）：『从最小的到至大的』，老少贫富、贵贱，各等阶层、职业、行业的人，『人人都贪图不义之财』，贪婪污秽的利，凡事只图得着，per fas per nefas——『无论正邪』；这使他们变得欺压强暴（耶6:6、7），因为贪财是这些恶事的苦根，也是其他恶事的苦根。不但如此，这也使他们的心向神的话语和他的先知刚硬。讥诮基督的正是那些贪婪的法利赛人（路16:14）。3. 他们已在罪中无耻，不知羞愧。既经这样明白地证明他们犯了昭彰的大罪，便很合宜地问（耶6:15）：『他们行了这一切『可憎之事』时惭愧吗？』这些事使他们的理性和宗教蒙羞。他们因定罪而脸红吗？承认自己满面羞愧吗？若是如此，对他们还有希望。但哎呀！他们中间甚至连这一点德行的影子也看不见；他们的心如此刚硬，『毫不惭愧，也不知羞耻』，他们的脸已厚如铜。他们甚至以自己的恶行为荣，公然对抗那些本该使他们谦卑、领他们悔改的定罪。他们决意硬撑到底，顶撞神自己，不认自己的罪。有人将这话归到祭司和先知身上，他们轻轻忽忽地医治百姓，告诉他们必享平安，却对自己的奸诈虚谎毫不惭愧，甚至当事情的发展否定了他们、证明了他们的虚谎时也是如此。无耻之人即无恩之人，其情形已无望。但那些不肯顺服悔改之羞愧、不肯承认那是自己当受的人，必不能逃脱彻底的毁灭；因为如此下文说：『所以他们必在跌倒的人中跌倒』；他们必与那些全然败亡的人同分；当神在怒中刑罚这国时，他们必被仆倒，必战兢，因为他们不肯脸红。请注意：那些犯罪却不能为之脸红的人，现今处境险恶，不久必更糟。起先他们硬着心不肯脸红，后来就刚硬到不能脸红。Quod unum habebant in malis bonum perdunt, peccandi verecundiam——『他们失去了那唯一与许多恶相混的善，即为作恶而有的羞耻。』——Senec. De Vit. Beat.
三、他们被提醒那屡次赐给他们却归于徒然的好劝勉。对他们说了许多话却少有效果，
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借着关于他们本分的劝告（耶6:16）。神素来对他们说：『你们站在路上察看。』即，（1）他要他们思考，不要冒失前行，而要像路上的旅客那样，他们关心要找出能引他们到达终点的正路，所以停下来询问。他们若稍有理由认为自己走错了路，非得满意解决，心里就不安。愿人肯为灵魂『这样有智慧』，愿他们留心自己脚下的路径，如同相信合法与非法之于我们，其重要不亚于正路与错路之于旅客！（2）他要他们参考古远之事，就是前人的观察和经历：『访问古道，考问前代』（伯8:8），『问你父亲，问你的长老』（申32:7），你就必发现敬虔与义之道向来是神所承认、所赐福、人在其中兴旺的路。要访问『古道』，就是神律法、就是写下来的道所定的路，那才是古远的真正标准。要访问列祖在你以先所走的路，亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各所走的路；你既盼望得着所赐给他们的应许，就当跟随他们的脚踪。『访问古道，哪是善道？』我们不可单凭古远来引导自己，仿佛长久惯例和使用本身就能证明我们的路为正。不；有一条『恶人所行的旧路』（伯22:15）。但当我们访问古道时，只是为要找出『善道』，就是正直人的大道。请注意：宗教与敬虔之路乃是一条古老的善道，是历代圣徒所行的路。（3）他要他们决意按这些考察的结果而行：『你们既找出了哪条是善道，便行在其间』，照之实行，紧紧跟随那条路，前行并在其中恒忍。有人认为这一劝勉是针对真假先知之间的争辩而赐的——那些说他们必享平安的人与那些告诉他们灾祸在门口的人之间；他们假装不知该信谁：神说：『站在路上』，察看、询问，这两派中哪一派与写下来的道相符，与神素常的作为相符，哪一派指引你们到善道，你们就照样而行。（4）他向他们保证，他们若如此行，就必保全自己灵魂的福祉与满足：『行在古老善道之中，你就必发现在那条路中行走既轻松又愉快；你就必享受你的神，也享受你自己，那条路必引你到真正的安息。虽在当中行走要付一些辛劳，但你必在旅途终了时得着丰盛的报偿。』（5）他叹息这本身如此合理、对他们如此合宜的好劝勉竟不被接纳：『他们却说：我们不行在其间』，不仅我们不肯费心考察『哪条是善道，那条古老善道』；而且当有人告诉我们，我们也无可反驳地承认那是正路，我们却不肯舍己和放下自己的性情去『行在其间』。如此，众人因着纯粹的任性而永远灭亡。
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借着关于他们危险的告诫。因为他们不肯受公正的推理所引导，神就另用方法待他们；借较小的审判预告更大的审判，并差遣先知向他们解释这些审判，使他们因所处危险的认识而惊惧（耶6:17）：『我又设立守望的归你们。』神的使者就是守望者，在主里设立他们治理我们是一大怜悯。此处请看，（1）这些守望者所给的公正警告。这是他们反复传讲的信息；他们一次又一次地呼喊：『要听角声。』神在他的护理中吹角（亚9:14）；守望者自己听见也受感动（耶4:19），他们也要呼召别人一同听，听主的争辩，留心护理的声音，善用它，回应它的用意。（2）这公正的警告被轻忽：『他们却说：我们不听』；我们不听，我们不留意，我们不信；先知们不如省了这麻烦，也免了我们的麻烦。罪人灭亡的原因是他们『不听角声』；他们所以不听，是因为他们不肯听；他们不肯听的理由，除了不肯听之外别无理由，即他们在此事上最不合理。对付十个人的理由，比对付一个人的意志还容易些。
英文原文
The Universal Corruption of the Age (608 BC)
⁹ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets.
¹⁰ To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
¹¹ Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.
¹² And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.
¹³ For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
¹⁴ They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
¹⁵ Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
¹⁶ Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
¹⁷ Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
The heads of this paragraph are the very same with those of the last; for precept must be upon precept and line upon line.
I. The ruin of Judah and Jerusalem is here threatened. We had before the haste which the Chaldea army made to the war (Jer 6:4,5); now here we have the havoc made by the war. How lamentable are the desolations here described! The enemy shall so long quarter among them, and be so insatiable in their thirst after blood and treasure, that they shall seize all they can meet with, and what escapes them at one time shall fall into their hands another (Jer 6:9): They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine; as the grape-gatherer, who is resolved to leave none behind, still turns back his hand into the baskets, to put more in, till he has gathered all, so that they be picked up by the enemy, though dispersed, though hid, and none of them shall escape their eye and hand. Perhaps the people, being given to covetousness (Jer 6:13), had not observed that law of God which forbade them to glean all their grapes (Le 19:10), and now they themselves shall be in like manner thoroughly gleaned and shall either fall by the sword or go into captivity. This is explained Jer 6:11,12, where God's fury and his hand are said to be poured out and stretched out, in the fury and by the hand of the Chaldeans; for even wicked men are often made use of as God's hand (Ps 17:14), and in their anger we may see God angry. Now see on whom the fury is poured out in full vials—upon the children abroad, or in the streets, where they are playing (Zec 8:5) or whither they run out innocently to look about them: the sword of the merciless Chaldeans shall not spare them, Jer 9:21. The children perish in the calamity which the fathers' sins have procured. The execution shall likewise reach the assembly of young men, their merry meetings, their clubs which they keep up to strengthen one another's hands in wickedness; they shall be cut off together. Nor shall those only fall into the enemies' hands who meet for lewdness (Jer 5:7), but even the husband with the wife shall be taken, these two in bed together, and neither left, but both taken prisoners. And, as they have no compassion for the weak but fair sex, so they have none for the decrepit but venerable age: The old with the full of days, whose deaths can contribute no more to their safety than their lives to their service, who are not in a capacity to do them either good or harm, shall be either cut off or carried off. Their houses shall then be turned to others (Jer 6:12); the conquerors shall dwell in their habitations, use their goods, and live upon their stores; their fields and vines shall fall together into their hands, as was threatened, De 28:30, etc. For God stretches out his hand upon the inhabitants of the land, and none can go out of the reach of it. Now as to this denunciation of God's wrath, 1. The prophet justifies himself in preaching thus terribly, for herein he dealt faithfully (Jer 6:11): "I am full of the fury of the Lord, full of the thoughts and apprehensions of it, and am carried out with a powerful impulse, by the spirit of prophecy, to speak of it thus vehemently." He took no delight in threatening, nor was it any pleasure to him with such sermons as these to make those about him uneasy; but he could not contain himself; he was weary with holding in; he suppressed it as long as he could, as long as he durst, but he was so full of power by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts that he must speak, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear. Note, When ministers preach the terrors of the Lord according to the scripture we have no reason to be displeased at them; for they are but messengers, and must deliver their message, pleasing or unpleasing. 2. He condemns the false prophets who preached plausibly, for therein they flattered people and dealt unfaithfully (Jer 6:13,14): The priest and the prophet, who should be their watchmen and monitors, have dealt falsely, have not been true to their trust not told the people their faults and the danger they were in; they should have been their physicians, but they murdered their patients by letting them have their will, by giving them every thing that had a mind to, and flattering them into an opinion that they were in no danger (Jer 6:14): They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, or according to the cure of some slight hurt, skinning over the wound and never searching it to the bottom, applying lenitives only, when there was need of corrosives, soothing people in their sins, and giving them opiates to make them easy for the present, while the disease was preying upon the vitals. They said, "Peace peace—all shall be well." (if there were some thinking people among them, who were awake, and apprehensive of danger, they soon stopped their mouths with their priestly and prophetical authority, boldly averring that neither church nor state was in any danger), when there is no peace, because they went on in their idolatries and daring impieties. Note, Those are to be reckoned our false friends (that is, our worst and most dangerous enemies) who flatter us in a sinful way.
II. The sin of Judah and Jerusalem, which provoked God to bring this ruin upon them and justified him in it, is here declared. 1. They would by no means bear to be told of their faults, nor of the danger they were in. God bids the prophet give them warning of the judgment coming (Jer 6:9), "but," says he, "to whom shall I speak and give warning? I cannot find out any that will so much as give me a patient hearing. I may give warning long enough, but these is nobody that will take warning. I cannot speak that they may hear, cannot speak to any purpose, or with any hope of success; for their ear is uncircumcised, it is carnal and fleshly, indisposed to receive the voice of God, so that they cannot hearken. They have, as it were, a thick skin grown over the organs of hearing, so that divine things might to as much purpose be spoken to a stone as to them. Nay, they are not only deaf to it, but prejudiced against it; therefore they cannot hear, because they are resolved that they will not: The word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; both the reproofs and the threatenings of the word are so;" they reckoned themselves wronged and affronted by both, and resented the prophet's plain-dealing with them as they would the most causeless slander and calumny. This was kicking against the pricks (Ac 9:5), as the lawyers against the word of Christ, Lu 11:45, Thus saying, thou repoachest us also. Note, Those reproofs that are counted reproaches, and hated as such, will certainly be turned into the heaviest woes. When it is here said, They have no delight in the word, more is implied than is expressed; "they have an antipathy to it; their hearts rise at it; it exasperates them, and enrages their corruptions, and they are ready to fly in the face and pull out the eyes of their reprovers." And how can those expect that the word of the Lord should speak any comfort to them who have no delight in it, but would rather be any where than within hearing of it? 2. They were inordinately set upon the world, and wholly carried away by the love of it (Jer 6:13): "From the least of them even to the greatest, old and young, rich and poor, high and low, those of all ranks, professions, and employments, every one is given to covetousness, greedy of filthy lucre, all for what they can get, per fas per nefas—right or wrong;" and this made them oppressive and violent (Jer 6:6,7), for of those evils, as well as others, the love of money is the bitter root. Nay, and this hardened their hearts against the word of God and his prophets. It was the covetous Pharisees that derided Christ, Lu 16:14. 3. They had become impudent in sin and were past shame. After such a high charge of flagrant crimes proved upon them, it was very proper to ask (Jer 6:15), Were they ashamed when they had committed all these abominations, which are such a reproach to their reason and religion? Did they blush at the conviction, and acknowledge that confusion of face belonged to them? If so, there is some hope of them yet. But, alas! there did not appear so much as this colour of virtue among them; their hearts were so hardened that they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush, they had so brazened their faces. They even gloried in their wickedness, and openly confronted the convictions which should have humbled them and brought them to repentance. They resolved to face it out against God himself and not to own their guilt. Some refer this to the priests and prophets, who had healed the people slightly and told them that they should have peace, and yet were not ashamed of their treachery and falsehood, no, not when the event disproved them and gave them the lie. Those that are shameless are graceless and their case is hopeless. But those that will not submit to a penitential shame, nor take that to themselves as their due, shall not escape an utter ruin; for so it follows: Therefore they shall fall among those that fall; they shall have their portion with those that are quite undone; and, when God visits the nation in wrath, they shall be sure to be cast down and be made to tremble, because they would not blush. Note, Those that sin and cannot blush for it are in an evil case now, and it will be worse with them shortly. At first they hardened themselves and would not blush, afterwards they were so hardened that they could not. Quod unum habebant in malis bonum perdunt, peccandi verecundiam—they have lost the only good property which once blended itself with many bad ones, that is, shame for having done amiss.—Senec. De Vit. Beat.
III. They are put in mind of the good counsel which had been often given them, but in vain. They had a great deal said to them to little purpose,
1. By way of advice concerning their duty, Jer 6:16. God had been used to say to them, Stand in the ways and see. That is, (1.) He would have them to consider, not to proceed rashly, but to do as travellers in the road, who are in care to find the right way which will bring them to their journey's end, and therefore pause and enquire for it. If they have any reason to think that they have missed their way, they are not easy till they have obtained satisfaction. O that men would be thus wise for their souls, and would ponder the path of their feet, as those that believe lawful and unlawful are of no less consequence to us than the right way and the wrong are to a traveller! (2.) He would have them to consult antiquity, the observations and experiences of those that went before them: "Ask for the old paths, enquire of the former age (Job 8:8), ask thy father, thy elders (De 32:7), and thou wilt find that the way of godliness and righteousness has always been the way which God has owned and blessed and in which men have prospered. Ask for the old paths, the paths prescribed by the law of God, the written word, that true standard of antiquity. Ask for the paths that the patriarchs travelled in before you, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; and, as you hope to inherit the promises made to them, tread in their steps. Ask for the old paths, Where is the good way?" We must not be guided merely by antiquity, as if the plea of prescription and long usage were alone sufficient to justify our path. No; there is an old way which wicked men have trodden, Job 22:15. But, when we ask for the old paths, it is only in order to find out the good way, the highway of the upright. Note, The way of religion and godliness is a good old way, the way that all the saints in all ages have walked in. (3.) He would have them to resolve to act according to the result of these enquiries: "When you have found out which is the good way, walk therein, practise accordingly, keep closely to that way, proceed, and persevere in it." Some make this counsel to be given them with reference to the struggles that were between the true and false prophets, between those that said they should have peace and those that told them trouble was at the door; they pretended they knew not which to believe: "Stand in the way," says God, "and see, and enquire, which of these two agrees with the written word and the usual methods of God's providence, which of these directs you to the good way, and do accordingly." (4.) He assures them that, if they do thus, it will secure the welfare and satisfaction of their own souls: "Walk in the good old way and you will find your walking in that way will be easy and pleasant; you will enjoy both your God and yourselves, and the way will lead you to true rest. Though it cost you some pains to walk in that way, you will find an abundant recompence at your journey's end." (5.) He laments that this good counsel, which was so rational in itself and so proper for them, could not find acceptance: "But they said, We will not walk therein, not only we will not be at the pains to enquire which is the good way, the good old way; but when it is told us, and we have nothing to say to the contrary but that it is the right way, yet we will not deny ourselves and our humours so far as to walk in it." Thus multitudes are ruined for ever by downright wilfulness.
2. By way of admonition concerning their danger. Because they would not be ruled by fair reasoning, God takes another method with them; by less judgments he threatens greater, and sends his prophets to give them this explication of them, and to frighten them with an apprehension of the danger they were in (Jer 6:17); Also I set watchmen over you. God's ministers are watchmen, and it is a great mercy to have them set over us in the Lord. Now observe here, (1.) The fair warning given by these watchmen. This was the burden of their song; they cried again and again, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. God, in his providence, sounds the trumpet (Zec 9:14); the watchmen hear it themselves and are affected with it (Jer 4:19), and they are to call upon others to hearken to it too, to hear the Lord's controversy, to observe the voice of Providence, to improve it, and answer the intentions of it. (2.) This fair warning slighted: "But they said, We will not hearken; we will not hear, we will not heed, we will not believe; the prophets may as well save themselves and us the trouble." The reason why sinners perish is because they do not hearken to the sound of the trumpet; and the reason why they do not is because they will not; and they have no reason to give why they will not but because they will not, that is, they are herein most unreasonable. One may more easily deal with ten men's reasons than one man's will.
18-30
Equity of Divine Judgments; Punishment Predicted (608 BC)
神审判的公义；灾祸的预言（主前608年）
**¹⁸» 因此列国啊，你们当听；会众啊，当知道他们中间将要发生何事。』 **¹⁹» 地啊，当听：看哪，我必使灾祸临到这百姓，就是他们心思的果子；因为他们没有听从我的话，至于我的律法，他们竟弃绝了。』 **²⁰» 从示巴来的乳香、从远方运来的菖蒲，奉给我有什么益处呢？你们的燔祭不蒙悦纳，你们的祭物我不喜悦。』 **²¹» 所以耶和华如此说：看哪，我必使绊脚石放在这百姓面前；父亲和儿子要一同跌在其上；邻舍与朋友都一同灭亡。』 **²²» 耶和华如此说：看哪，有一民从北方来，有一大国从地极被激动。』 **²³» 他们拿弓和枪；他们残忍，不施怜悯；他们的声音如海哮哮；他们骑马，如预备上阵的战士攻击你，锡安的女子啊。』 **²⁴» 我们听见他们的风声，手就发软；痛苦抓住我们，疼痛仿佛产难的妇人。』 **²⁵» 你们不要往田间去，也不要上路；因为仇敌的刀剑和惊吓，四面环绕。』 **²⁶» 我百姓的女子啊，你当腰束麻布，在灰中滚；为你独生的儿子悲伤痛苦，大大哀号；因为毁坏者必忽然临到我们。』 **²⁷» 我已使你在我民中作高台、作保障，使你知道并试验他们的行动。』 **²⁸» 他们都是极悖逆的，到处毁谤；他们是铜是铁；他们都是行恶的。』 **²⁹» 风箱烧透，铅被火烧灭；炼银的炼而徒然；因为恶人未被除掉。』 **³⁰» 人必称他们为被弃的银子；因为耶和华已经弃绝了他们。』
此处，一、神就他攻击犹大和耶路撒冷的作为之公义，向一切邻舍，不，向全世界上诉（耶6:18、19）：『列国啊，你们当听』，特别要『知道』，『会众』啊——就是列国的伟人，那些注意周围列国事务并加以评论的人——『如今请看在犹大和耶路撒冷中所行何事；你们听见所加于他们的荒废，全地为之回响、为之战抖；你们都希奇『我』为何要『使灾祸临到这百姓』——这百姓与我立约、自称与我相关、敬拜我、又大蒙我的恩宠；你们都急于问：『耶和华为何向这地如此行呢？』（申29:24）。那么，请听。』1.『那是他们计谋的自然产物。所临到他们的灾祸，正是他们心思的果子。他们想借与外邦结盟来巩固自己，正是因此削弱减少了自己，出卖并暴露了自己。』2.『那是他们悖逆不顺从的公义刑罚。神不过是因他们违命而对律法的咒诅执行在他们身上。是因为他们『没有听从我的话，也不听从我的律法』，我一切所说的话全然不顾，反倒弃绝。他们若非拒绝受我口中所出审判的治理，便不至如此被我手中的审判所灭：因此你们不能说他们受了任何冤屈。』
二、神驳回他们的抗辩——他们坚持以外面的礼仪足以赎他们一切的罪。哎！这是轻浮的抗辩（耶6:20）：『示巴的乳香和菖蒲奉给我有什么用处？』要在金坛上焚烧作香料，虽是同类中最佳、远道而来；『你们的燔祭和你们的祭物，我何所看重？』它们不仅不能使神得益（没有祭物能如此，诗50:9），也不能讨他喜悦，因为唯有正直人的祭才蒙悦纳；恶人的祭为他所『憎恶』。祭物和香本是设立以激发悔改，引导人归向中保，并辅助人对他的信心。若如此善用，便蒙悦纳，神顾念祭物和献祭的人。但若献祭者以为借此便使神成为他们的债户，并买得继续犯罪的特许，那祭物不但不能讨神喜悦，反惹他发怒。
三、他预言现在正临到他们的荒废。1.神因他们恨恶改正而设计使他们灭亡（耶6:21）：『我必使绊脚石放在这百姓面前。』这是使人陷入患难而非陷入罪的绊脚石。凡神所标定为灭的，他必使他们的计谋混乱，并拦阻、迟滞他们为自身安全所采取的一切方法。敌军的分队，他们随处可遇，正是他们的绊脚石；他们在每个角落撞上他们，被他们摔得粉碎：『父亲和儿子要一同跌在其上』；父亲虽有智慧，儿子虽有力量勇气，都不能逃脱，也不能越过。儿子既与父亲同犯罪，也必与他们同灭亡。『邻舍与朋友也一同灭亡』，不能自救，也不能相救。2.他要使用迦勒底人作其工具；因为神无论要作何工，都必为作成那工寻得合宜工具。这是『从北方、从地极』招来的一民。巴比伦本身位于遥远的北方；而巴比伦王所属一些国家，征兵的来源，则更远。这些人要被用来服这役（耶6:22、23）。因为，（1）这是人数极多的民，一『大国』，使其入侵更加可怕。（2）这是尚武好战的民。他们『拿弓和枪』，此时善用，因惯用。他们『骑马』，故行军更速，阵中逼压更猛。当时列国中尚无骑兵胜过迦勒底的。（3）这是野蛮残忍的民。他们『残忍不施怜悯』，因贪于掳物，又因胜利而狂傲。他们以惊吓周围一切为荣；其声音『如海哮哮』。（4）他们特别瞄准犹大和耶路撒冷，盼望大可借那有名之国的掳物致富。他们『列阵攻击你，锡安的女子啊』！自称属神之百姓的罪，使他们成为神仇敌之also的、又是他们自己仇敌之人的易得之食。
四、他描述犹大和耶路撒冷在这可怕仇敌临近时将要陷入的极大惊惶（耶6:24-26）。1.他们一得到仇敌临近的初次消息便自认惊惶：『我们不过听见风声，手就发软』，无心作任何抵抗；『痛苦抓住我们』，我们立刻陷入如『产难妇人』的剧痛之中。请注意：罪咎之感在人面对任何威吓的患难临近时，完全使人丧胆。使神为敌的人，还能为自己作什么呢？2.他们彼此同意困守家中，不敢露头；因为他们虽不免预料仇敌的刀至终必在那里找到他们，却宁可卑微地死在那里，也不肯借争战或逃走去帮助自己。所以他们彼此说：『不要往田间去』，连食物也不去取；『也不要上路』；不敢去聚会或市场，去便是冒险；因为『仇敌的刀剑』，并那对它的恐惧，『四面环绕』；『大道无人行走』，如雅亿之时（士5:6）。当我们安然行路、无人惊吓时，这当提醒我们为所得的太平感谢神。3.先知呼召他们为将临的荒废悲哀痛哭。他自己就是那哀哭的先知，并呼召他的百姓与他一同哀哭：『我百姓的女子啊』，听你的神呼召你哭泣哀号，并要回应他的呼召：不要只一日束上麻布，要常穿为装；不要只在头上撒灰，要『在灰中滚』；要进入深切的哀悼，用一切深切哀号的记号，不是勉强的、只为表演，而是极其真诚，如父母『为独生的儿子』悲哀，因无子而自视无可安慰。你当如此为『忽然临到我们的毁坏者』哀号。他虽尚未到，却正在『来』；命令已经『发出』：所以我们当以相称的忧愁迎接它的执行。正如圣徒虽在应许中、尚未眼见神的怜悯，便可因盼望喜乐；照样罪人虽只在威吓中、尚未眼见神的审判，也当因惧怕而悲哀。
五、他设立先知作这受审百姓的审判官：如耶1:10，『我已立你列国之上』；此处也是如此，『我已使你在我民中作高台』，或作哨兵，或塔上的守望者，作他们行为的监察，『使你知道并试验他们的行动』（耶6:27）。并非神需要谁来告诉他；相反，先知除了借着预言的灵以外，对他们所知甚少。但神如此向先知本人上诉，并诉诸他自己对百姓品性的观察，使他得以充分满意于神攻击他们的作为之公义，并以更大把握警告他们审判将临。神立他为高台，众人可见，又为多人所攻，却也使他作『保障』，作『坚固台』，赐他勇气抵挡潮流、承受他们不悦的冲击。那要作忠心责备者的，必须坚如保障。如今在试验他们的道路时，他必发现两件事：—1.他们败坏到极点（耶6:28）：『他们都是极悖逆的』，原文如此——悖逆中的悖逆，最坏的悖逆者，如『奴仆的奴仆』是最低贱的奴仆。他们有悖逆的心，深深地悖逆，并且越来越悖逆。他们起跑似乎不错，却背叛退缩。他们『到处毁谤』，彼此谎言中伤、背后毁谤，毫不在意；不，他们以此为业；这是他们一贯的行径，他们又凭所听的毁谤定规自己——凡听见被人恶意说的，便恨恶，不论多么不公。他们是『铜是铁』，下贱的金属，里面没有什么有价值之物。他们从前如银如金，如今却败坏了。不，他们既『都是悖逆的』，也『都是行恶的』，不仅自己败坏，还极力败坏别人，使人如他们一样败坏；不，要使人比自己更七倍作『地狱之子』。罪人很快就成了试探人的，这是常见的。2.他们绝不会回头改正；想改正他们是徒然的，因为已试过多种方法，都无济于事（耶6:29、30）。他把他们比作据说含有些许好金属的矿石，因此被炼银者投入炉中，他尽其技艺、费大力气在其中，却发现全是渣滓，提炼不出任何有价值之物。神借他的先知和他的护理，已用最恰当的方法炼这百姓，使他们脱离恶行得洁净；却都归于徒然。借着不断传讲真道，并在一连串的患难中，他们常在火中，却都无济于事。『风箱』因长在火旁吹火，已被烧透，或因久用而磨损，被丢入火中视为无用。先知们因大声斥责以色列的罪，嗓子都喊哑了，他们却仍不受教不谦卑。当时炼银所用的『铅』——如现今用水银——『被火烧灭』，却未成其功。『炼银的炼而徒然』，他的劳力尽失，『因为恶人未被除掉』——没有采取措施将贵重的和卑贱的分开，没有除净旧酵，没有把那些自己败坏、又危险地感染别人的逐出教会。或读作『他们的恶行未被除掉』；他们依然如故，没有任何方法能使他们与罪分离。他们所听见、所感受之神向他们发的怒，都不能使他们放弃偶像和恶行；因此那判决便临到他们（耶6:30）：『人必称他们为被弃的银子』——无用无价；他们闪闪发光，似含有些银，但其中找不到任何真正的美德或良善；正因如此，『耶和华已经弃绝了他们』。他不再认他们为他的百姓，也不再指望从他们得什么好处；他必『当作渣滓除掉』（诗119:119），并为那些不肯被炼净之火洁净的人预备灭人之火。由此可见，（1）神对罪人的死亡和灭亡『不喜悦』，他试用一切方法，为要防止他们灭亡、使他们适合得救。他的设立和护理都有此倾向，为要使他们与罪分离；然而对许多人，这一切都是徒劳。『我们向你们吹笛，你们不跳舞；我们向你们举哀，你们不啼哭。』因此，（2）神在罪人的死亡上必得称为义，一切责难都归到他们自己身上。他在用尽一切合宜方法改革他们之前，并不弃绝他们；只要对他们还有指望，便不丢弃；直到他们显明是『被弃的银子』，才把他们当作渣滓抛弃。
英文原文
Equity of Divine Judgments; Punishment Predicted (608 BC)
¹⁸ Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
¹⁹ Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
²⁰ To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
²¹ Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
²² Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.
²³ They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
²⁴ We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
²⁵ Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
²⁶ O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
²⁷ I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
²⁸ They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
²⁹ The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
³⁰ Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
Here, I. God appeals to all the neighbours, nay, to the whole world, concerning the equity of his proceedings against Judah and Jerusalem (Jer 6:18,19): "Hear, you nations, and know particularly, O congregation of the mighty, the great men of the nations, that take cognizance of the affairs of states about you and make remarks upon them. Observe now what is doing among those of Judah and Jerusalem; you hear of the desolations brought upon them, the earth rings of it, trembles under it; you all wonder that I should bring evil upon this people, that are in covenant with me, that profess relation to me, that have worshipped me, and been highly favoured by me; you are ready to ask, Wherefore has the Lord done thus to this land? De 29:24. Know then," 1. "That it is the natural product of their devices. The evil brought upon them is the fruit of their thought. They thought to strengthen themselves by their alliance with foreigners, and by that very thing they weakened and diminished themselves, they betrayed and exposed themselves." 2. "That it is the just punishment of their disobedience and rebellion. God does but execute upon them the curse of the law for their violation of its commands. It is because they have not hearkened to my words nor to my law, nor regarded a word I have said to them, but rejected it all. They would never have been ruined thus by the judgments of God's hand if they had not refused to be ruled by the judgments of his mouth: therefore you cannot say that they have any wrong done them."
II. God rejects their plea, by which they insisted upon their external services as sufficient to atone for all their sins. Alas! it is a frivolous plea (Jer 6:20): "To what purpose come there to me incense and sweet cane, to be burnt for a perfume on the golden altar, though it was the best of the kind, and far-fetched? What care I for your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices?" They not only cannot profit God (no sacrifice does, Ps 50:9), but they do not please him, for none does this but the sacrifice of the upright; that of the wicked is an abomination to him. Sacrifice and incense were appointed to excite their repentance, and to direct them to a Mediator, and assist their faith in him. Where this good use was made of them they were acceptable, God had respect to them and to those that offered them. But when they were offered with an opinion that thereby they made God their debtor, and purchased a license to go on in sin, they were so far from being pleasing to God that they were a provocation to him.
III. He foretels the desolation that was now coming upon them. 1. God designs their ruin because they hate to be reformed (Jer 6:21): I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, occasions of falling not into sin, but into trouble. Those whom God has marked for destruction he perplexes and embarrasses in their counsels, and obstructs and retards all the methods they take for their own safety. The parties of the enemy, which they met with wherever they went, were stumbling-blocks to them; in ever corner they stumbled upon them and were dashed to pieces by them: The fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; neither the fathers with their wisdom, nor the sons with their strength and courage, shall escape them, or get over them. The sons that sinned with their fathers fall with them. Even the neighbour and his friend shall perish and not be able to help either themselves or one another. 2. He will make use of the Chaldeans as instruments of it; for whatever work God has to do he will find out proper instruments for the doing of it. This is a people fetched from the north, from the sides of the earth. Babylon itself lay a great way off northward; and some of the countries that were subject to the king of Babylon, out of which his army was levied, lay much further. These must be employed in this service, Jer 6:22,23. For, (1.) It is a people very numerous, a great nation, which will make their invasion the more formidable. (2.) It is a warlike people. They lay hold on bow and spear, and at this time know how to use them, for they are used to them. They ride upon horses, and therefore they march the more swiftly, and in battle press the harder. No nation had yet brought into the field a better cavalry that the Chaldeans. (3.) It is a barbarous people. They are cruel and have no mercy, being greedy of prey and flushed with victory. They take a pride in frightening all about them; their voice roars like the sea. And, (4.) They have a particular design upon Judah and Jerusalem, in hopes greatly to enrich themselves with the spoil of that famous country. They are set in array against thee, O daughter of Zion! The sins of God's professing people make them an easy prey to those that are God's enemies as well as theirs.
IV. He describes the very great consternation which Judah and Jerusalem should be in upon the approach of this formidable enemy, Jer 6:24-26. 1. They own themselves in a fright, upon the first intelligence brought them of the approach of the enemy: "When we have but heard the fame thereof our hands wax feeble, and we have no heart to make any resistance; anguish has taken hold of us, and we are immediately in an extremity of pain, like that of a woman in travail." Note, Sense of guilt quite dispirits men, upon the approach of any threatening trouble. What can those hope to do for themselves who have made God their enemy? 2. They confine themselves by consent to their houses, not daring to show their heads abroad; for, though they could not but expect that the sword of the enemy would at last find them out there, yet they would rather die tamely and meanly there than run any venture, either by fight or flight, to help themselves. Thus they say one to another, "Go not forth into the field, no not to fetch in your provision thence, nor walk by the way; dare not to go to church or market, it is at your peril if you do, for the sword of the enemy, and the fear of it, are on every side; the highways are unoccupied, as in Jael's time," Jdg 5:6. Let this remind us, when we travel the roads in safety and there is none to make us afraid, to bless God for our share in the public tranquillity. 3. The prophet calls upon them sadly to lament the desolations that were coming upon them. He was himself the lamenting prophet, and called upon his people to join with him in his lamentations: "O daughter of my people, hear thy God calling thee to weeping and mourning, and answer his call: do not only put on sackcloth for a day, but gird it on for thy constant wear; do not only put ashes on thy head, but wallow thyself in ashes; put thyself into close mourning, and use all the tokens of bitter lamentation, not forced and for show only, but with the greatest sincerity, as parents mourn for an only son, and think themselves comfortless because they are childless. Thus do thou lament for the spoiler that suddenly comes upon us. Though he has not come yet, he is coming, the decree has gone forth: let us therefore meet the execution of it with a suitable sadness." As saints may rejoice in hope of God's mercies, though they see them only in the promise, so sinners must mourn for fear of God's judgments, though they see them only in the threatenings.
V. He constitutes the prophet a judge over this people that now stand upon their trial: as Jer 1:10, I have set thee over the nations; so here, I have set thee for a tower, or as a sentinel, or a watchman, upon a tower, among my people, as an inspector of their actions, that thou mayest know, and try their way, Jer 6:27. Not that God needed any to inform him concerning them; on the contrary, the prophet knew little of them in comparison but by the spirit of prophecy. But thus God appeals to the prophet himself, and his own observation concerning their character, that he might be fully satisfied in the equity of God's proceedings against them and with the more assurance give them warning of the judgments coming. God set him for a tower, conspicuous to all and attacked by many, but made him a fortress, a strong tower, gave him courage to stem the tide and bear the shock of their displeasure. Those that will be faithful reprovers have need to be firm as fortresses. Now in trying their way he will find two things:—1. That they are wretchedly debauched (Jer 6:28): They are all grievous revolters, revolters of revolters (so the word is), the worst of revolters, as a servant of servants is the meanest servant. They have a revolting heart, have deeply revolted, and revolt more and more. They seemed to start fair, but they revolt and start back. They walk with slanders; they make nothing of belying and backbiting one another, nay, they make a perfect trade of it; it is their constant course, and they govern themselves by the slanders they hear, hating those that they hear ill-spoken of, though ever so unjustly. They are brass and iron, base metals, and there is nothing in them that is valuable. They were as silver and gold, but they have degenerated. Nay, as they are all revolters, so they are all corrupters, not only debauched themselves, but industrious to debauch others, to corrupt them as they themselves are corrupt; nay, to make them seven times more the children of hell than themselves. It is often so; sinners soon become tempters. 2. That they would never be reclaimed and reformed; it was in vain to think of reforming them, for various methods had been tried with them, and all to no purpose, Jer 6:29,30. He compares them to ore that was supposed to have some good metal in it, and was therefore put into the furnace by the refiner, who used all his art, and took abundance of pains, about it, but it proved all dross, nothing of any value could be extracted out of it. God by his prophets and by his providences had used the most proper means to refine this people and to purify them from their wickedness; but it was all in vain. By the continual preaching of the word, and in a series of afflictions, they had been kept in a constant fire, but all to no purpose. The bellows have been still kept so near the fire, to blow it, that they are burnt with the heat of it, or they are quite worn out with long use and thrown into the fire as good for nothing. The prophets have preached their throats sore with crying aloud against the sins of Israel, and yet they are not convinced and humbled. The lead, which was then used in refining silver, as quicksilver is now, is consumed of the fire, and has not done its work. The founder melts in vain; his labour is lost, for the wicked are not plucked away, no care is taken to separate between the precious and the vile, to purge out the old leaven, to cast out of communion those who, being corrupt themselves, are in danger of infecting others. Or, Their wickednesses are not removed (so some read it); they are still as bad as ever, and nothing will prevail to part between them and their sins. They will not be brought off from their idolatries and immoralities by all they have heard, and all they have felt, of the wrath of God against them; and therefore that doom is passed upon them (Jer 6:30): Reprobate silver shall they be called, useless and worthless; they glitter as if they had some silver in them, but there is nothing of real virtue or goodness to be found among them; and for this reason the Lord has rejected them. He will no more own them as his people, nor look for any good from them; he will take them away like dross (Ps 119:119), and prepare a consuming fire for those that would not be purified by a refining fire. By this it appears, (1.) That God has no pleasure in the death and ruin of sinners, for he tries all ways and methods with them to prevent their destruction and qualify them for salvation. Both his ordinances and his providences have a tendency this way, to part between them and their sins; and yet with many it is all lost labour. We have piped unto you, and you have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and you have not wept. Therefore, (2.) God will be justified in the death of sinners and all the blame will lie upon themselves. He did not reject them till he had used all proper means to reform them; did not cast them off so long as there was any hope of them, nor abandon them as dross till it appeared that they were reprobate silver.
本章如前所述,内容包括:一、预言迦勒底军队将侵入犹大地并围攻耶路撒冷(耶6:1-6),以及他们将要掳掠那地的财物(耶6:9),并在那情形下众人将被恐惧所抓住(耶6:22-26)。二、记述犹大和耶路撒冷所犯的那些惹动神降下这荒凉审判的罪:他们的欺压(耶6:7)、他们藐视神的话语(耶6:10-12)、他们的贪爱世界(耶6:13)、他们先知的诡诈(耶6:14)、他们犯罪的厚颜无耻(耶6:15)、他们对责备的顽梗抗拒(耶6:18-19),这一切使他们的祭物在神眼中不蒙悦纳(耶6:20),并因此神将他们交予毁灭(耶6:21);然而神先试验了他们(耶6:27),随后因他们无可挽回而弃绝了他们(耶6:28-30)。三、在这一切之中赐给他们的善劝,却是徒然(耶6:8,16,17)。