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Selected Verse: Jeremiah 15:5 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Jer 15:5	Strong Concordance	For who shall have pity [02550] upon thee, O Jerusalem [03389]? or who shall bemoan [05110] thee? or who shall go aside [05493] to ask [07592] how thou doest [07965]?
	King James	For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
go aside . . . how thou doest--Who will turn aside (in passing by) to salute thee (to wish thee "peace")?

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

go aside . . . how thou doest--Who will turn aside (in passing by) to salute thee (to wish thee "peace")?

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
In Jer 15:5-9 we have a still further account of this appalling judgment and its causes. The grounding כּי in Jer 15:5 attaches to the central thought of Jer 15:4. The sinful people will be given up to all the kingdoms of the earth to be ill used, for no one will or can have compassion on Jerusalem, since its rejection by God is a just punishment for its rejection of the Lord (Jer 15:6). "Have pity" and "bemoan" denote loving sympathy for the fall of the unfortunate. חמל, to feel sympathy; נוּד, to lament and bemoan. סוּר, to swerve from the straight way, and turn aside or enter into any one's house; cf. Gen 19:2., Exo 3:3, etc. ל שׁאל לשׁלום, to inquire of one as to his health, cf. Exo 18:7; then: to salute one, to desire לך שׁלום, Gen 43:27; Jdg 18:15, and often. Not only will none show sympathy for Jerusalem, none will even ask how it goes with her welfare. Jer 15:6 The reason of this treatment: because Jerusalem has dishonoured and rejected its God, therefore He now stretched out His hand to destroy it. To go backwards, instead of following the Lord, cf. Jer 7:24. This determination the Lord will not change, for He is weary of repenting. הנּחם frequently of the withdrawal, in grace and pity, of a divine decree to punish, cf. Jer 4:28, Gen 6:6., Joe 2:14, etc. Jer 15:7 ואזרם is a continuation of ואט, Jer 15:6, and, like the latter, is to be understood prophetically of what God has irrevocably determined to do. It is not a description of what is past, an allusion to the battle lost at Megiddo, as Hitz., carrying out his priori system of slighting prophecy, supposes. To take the verbs of this verse as proper preterites, as J. D. Mich. and Ew. also do, is not in keeping with the contents of the clauses. In the first clause Ew. and Gr. translate שׁערי gates, i.e., exits, boundaries of the earth, and thereby understand the remotest lands of the earth, the four corners of extremities of the earth, Isa 11:12 (Ew.). But "gates" cannot be looked on as corners or extremities, nor are they ends or borders, but the inlets and outlets of cities. For how can a man construe to himself the ends of the earth as the outlets of it? where could one go to from there? Hence it is impossible to take הארץ of the earth in this case; it is the land of Judah. The gates of the land are either mentioned by synecdoche for the cities, cf. Mic 5:5, or are the approaches to the land (cf. Nah 3:13), its outlets and inlets. Here the context demands the latter sense. זרה, to fan, c. בּ loci, to scatter into a place, cf. Eze 12:15; Eze 30:26 : fan into the outlets of the land, i.e., cast out of the land. שׁכּל, make the people childless, by the fall in battle of the sons, the young men, cf. Eze 5:17. The threat is intensified by אבּדתּי, added as asyndeton. The last clause: from their ways, etc., subjoins the reason. Jer 15:8-9 By the death of the sons, the women lose their husbands, and become widows. לי is the dative of sympathetic interest. "Sand of the sea" is the figure for a countless number. ימּים is poetic plural; cf. Psa 78:27; Job 6:3. On these defenceless women come suddenly spoilers, and these mothers who had perhaps borne seven sons give up the ghost and perish without succour, because their sons have fallen in war. Thus proceeds the portrayal as Hitz. has well exhibited it. על אם בּחוּר is variously interpreted. We must reject the view taken by Chr. B. Mich. from the Syr. and Arab. versions: upon mother and young man; as also the view of Rashi, Cler., Eichh., Dahl., etc., that אם means the mother-city, i.e., Jerusalem. The true rendering is that of Jerome and Kimchi, who have been followed by J. D. Mich., Hitz., Ew., Graf, and Ng.: upon the mother of the youth or young warrior. This view is favoured by the correspondence of the woman mentioned in Job 6:9 who had borne seven sons. Both are individualized as women of full bodily vigour, to lend vividness to the thought that no age and no sex will escape destruction בּצּהרים, at clear noontide, when one least looks for an attack. Thus the word corresponds with the "suddenly" of the next clause. עיר, Aramaic form for ציר, Isa 13:8, pangs. The bearer of seven, i.e., the mother of many sons. Seven as the perfect number of children given in blessing by God, cf. Sa1 2:5; Rut 4:15. "She breathes to her life," cf. Job 31:39. Graf wrongly: she sighs. The sun of her life sets (בּאה) while it is still day, before the evening of her life has been reached, cf. Amo 8:9. "Is put to shame and confounded" is not to be referred to the son, but the mother, who, bereaved of her children, goes covered with shame to the grave. The Keri בּא for בּאה is an unnecessary change, since שׁמשׁ is also construed as fem., Gen 15:17. The description closes with a glance cast on those left in life after the overthrow of Jerusalem. These are to be given to the sword when in flight before their enemies, cf. Mic 6:14.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

In Jer 15:5-9 we have a still further account of this appalling judgment and its causes. The grounding כּי in Jer 15:5 attaches to the central thought of Jer 15:4. The sinful people will be given up to all the kingdoms of the earth to be ill used, for no one will or can have compassion on Jerusalem, since its rejection by God is a just punishment for its rejection of the Lord (Jer 15:6). "Have pity" and "bemoan" denote loving sympathy for the fall of the unfortunate. חמל, to feel sympathy; נוּד, to lament and bemoan. סוּר, to swerve from the straight way, and turn aside or enter into any one's house; cf. Gen 19:2., Exo 3:3, etc. ל שׁאל לשׁלום, to inquire of one as to his health, cf. Exo 18:7; then: to salute one, to desire לך שׁלום, Gen 43:27; Jdg 18:15, and often. Not only will none show sympathy for Jerusalem, none will even ask how it goes with her welfare.

Jer 15:6

The reason of this treatment: because Jerusalem has dishonoured and rejected its God, therefore He now stretched out His hand to destroy it. To go backwards, instead of following the Lord, cf. Jer 7:24. This determination the Lord will not change, for He is weary of repenting. הנּחם frequently of the withdrawal, in grace and pity, of a divine decree to punish, cf. Jer 4:28, Gen 6:6., Joe 2:14, etc.

Jer 15:7

ואזרם is a continuation of ואט, Jer 15:6, and, like the latter, is to be understood prophetically of what God has irrevocably determined to do. It is not a description of what is past, an allusion to the battle lost at Megiddo, as Hitz., carrying out his priori system of slighting prophecy, supposes. To take the verbs of this verse as proper preterites, as J. D. Mich. and Ew. also do, is not in keeping with the contents of the clauses. In the first clause Ew. and Gr. translate שׁערי gates, i.e., exits, boundaries of the earth, and thereby understand the remotest lands of the earth, the four corners of extremities of the earth, Isa 11:12 (Ew.). But "gates" cannot be looked on as corners or extremities, nor are they ends or borders, but the inlets and outlets of cities. For how can a man construe to himself the ends of the earth as the outlets of it? where could one go to from there? Hence it is impossible to take הארץ of the earth in this case; it is the land of Judah. The gates of the land are either mentioned by synecdoche for the cities, cf. Mic 5:5, or are the approaches to the land (cf. Nah 3:13), its outlets and inlets. Here the context demands the latter sense. זרה, to fan, c. בּ loci, to scatter into a place, cf. Eze 12:15; Eze 30:26 : fan into the outlets of the land, i.e., cast out of the land. שׁכּל, make the people childless, by the fall in battle of the sons, the young men, cf. Eze 5:17. The threat is intensified by אבּדתּי, added as asyndeton. The last clause: from their ways, etc., subjoins the reason.

Jer 15:8-9

By the death of the sons, the women lose their husbands, and become widows. לי is the dative of sympathetic interest. "Sand of the sea" is the figure for a countless number. ימּים is poetic plural; cf. Psa 78:27; Job 6:3. On these defenceless women come suddenly spoilers, and these mothers who had perhaps borne seven sons give up the ghost and perish without succour, because their sons have fallen in war. Thus proceeds the portrayal as Hitz. has well exhibited it. על אם בּחוּר is variously interpreted. We must reject the view taken by Chr. B. Mich. from the Syr. and Arab. versions: upon mother and young man; as also the view of Rashi, Cler., Eichh., Dahl., etc., that אם means the mother-city, i.e., Jerusalem. The true rendering is that of Jerome and Kimchi, who have been followed by J. D. Mich., Hitz., Ew., Graf, and Ng.: upon the mother of the youth or young warrior. This view is favoured by the correspondence of the woman mentioned in Job 6:9 who had borne seven sons. Both are individualized as women of full bodily vigour, to lend vividness to the thought that no age and no sex will escape destruction בּצּהרים, at clear noontide, when one least looks for an attack. Thus the word corresponds with the "suddenly" of the next clause. עיר, Aramaic form for ציר, Isa 13:8, pangs. The bearer of seven, i.e., the mother of many sons. Seven as the perfect number of children given in blessing by God, cf. Sa1 2:5; Rut 4:15. "She breathes to her life," cf. Job 31:39. Graf wrongly: she sighs. The sun of her life sets (בּאה) while it is still day, before the evening of her life has been reached, cf. Amo 8:9. "Is put to shame and confounded" is not to be referred to the son, but the mother, who, bereaved of her children, goes covered with shame to the grave. The Keri בּא for בּאה is an unnecessary change, since שׁמשׁ is also construed as fem., Gen 15:17. The description closes with a glance cast on those left in life after the overthrow of Jerusalem. These are to be given to the sword when in flight before their enemies, cf. Mic 6:14.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Who shall go aside to ask how thou doest? - Perhaps there is not a more despised nor a more degraded people under the sun. Scarcely any one thinks himself called upon to do a kind office for a Jew. Their character is bad in society, and they are not at all solicitous to redeem it.

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¹⁴ Thou shalt eat [0398], but not be satisfied [07646]; and thy casting down [03445] shall be in the midst [07130] of thee; and thou shalt take hold [05253], but shalt not deliver [06403]; and that which thou deliverest [06403] will I give up [05414] to the sword [02719].

¹⁷ And it came to pass, that, when the sun [08121] went down [0935], and it was dark [05939], behold a smoking [06227] furnace [08574], and a burning [0784] lamp [03940] that passed [05674] between [0996] those pieces [01506].

⁹ And it shall come to pass in that day [03117], saith [05002] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069], that I will cause the sun [08121] to go down [0935] at noon [06672], and I will darken [02821] the earth [0776] in the clear [0216] day [03117]:

³⁹ If I have eaten [0398] the fruits [03581] thereof without money [03701], or have caused the owners [01167] thereof to lose [05301] their life [05315]:

¹⁵ And he shall be unto thee a restorer [07725] of thy life [05315], and a nourisher [03557] of thine old age [07872]: for thy daughter in law [03618], which loveth [0157] thee, which is better [02896] to thee than seven [07651] sons [01121], hath born [03205] him.

⁵ They that were full [07649] have hired out [07936] themselves for bread [03899]; and they that were hungry [07457] ceased [02308]: so that the barren [06135] hath born [03205] seven [07651]; and she that hath many [07227] children [01121] is waxed feeble [0535].

⁸ And they shall be afraid [0926]: pangs [06735] and sorrows [02256] shall take hold [0270] of them; they shall be in pain [02342] as a woman that travaileth [03205]: they shall be amazed [08539] one [0376] at another [07453]; their faces [06440] shall be as flames [03851].

⁹ Even that it would please [02974] God [0433] to destroy [01792] me; that he would let loose [05425] his hand [03027], and cut me off [01214] !

³ For now it would be heavier [03513] than the sand [02344] of the sea [03220]: therefore my words [01697] are swallowed up [03886].

²⁷ He rained [04305] flesh [07607] also upon them as dust [06083], and feathered [03671] fowls [05775] like as the sand [02344] of the sea [03220]:

⁸ Their widows [0490] are increased [06105] to me above the sand [02344] of the seas [03220]: I have brought [0935] upon them against the mother [0517] of the young men [0970] a spoiler [07703] at noonday [06672]: I have caused him to fall [05307] upon it suddenly [06597], and terrors [0928] upon the city [05892].
⁹ She that hath borne [03205] seven [07651] languisheth [0535]: she hath given up [05301] the ghost [05315]; her sun [08121] is gone [0935] down while it was yet day [03119] [03117]: she hath been ashamed [0954] and confounded [02659]: and the residue [07611] of them will I deliver [05414] to the sword [02719] before [06440] their enemies [0341], saith [05002] the LORD [03068].

¹⁷ So will I send [07971] upon you famine [07458] and evil [07451] beasts [02416], and they shall bereave [07921] thee; and pestilence [01698] and blood [01818] shall pass through [05674] thee; and I will bring [0935] the sword [02719] upon thee. I the LORD [03068] have spoken [01696] it.

²⁶ And I will scatter [06327] the Egyptians [04714] among the nations [01471], and disperse [02219] them among the countries [0776]; and they shall know [03045] that I am the LORD [03068].

¹⁵ And they shall know [03045] that I am the LORD [03068], when I shall scatter [06327] them among the nations [01471], and disperse [02219] them in the countries [0776].

¹³ Behold, thy people [05971] in the midst [07130] of thee are women [0802]: the gates [08179] of thy land [0776] shall be set wide [06605] open [06605] unto thine enemies [0341]: the fire [0784] shall devour [0398] thy bars [01280].

⁵ And this man shall be the peace [07965], when the Assyrian [0804] shall come [0935] into our land [0776]: and when he shall tread [01869] in our palaces [0759], then shall we raise [06965] against him seven [07651] shepherds [07462], and eight [08083] principal [05257] men [0120].

¹² And he shall set up [05375] an ensign [05251] for the nations [01471], and shall assemble [0622] the outcasts [01760] of Israel [03478], and gather together [06908] the dispersed [05310] of Judah [03063] from the four [0702] corners [03671] of the earth [0776].

⁶ Thou hast forsaken [05203] me, saith [05002] the LORD [03068], thou art gone [03212] backward [0268]: therefore will I stretch out [05186] my hand [03027] against thee, and destroy [07843] thee; I am weary [03811] with repenting [05162].

⁷ And I will fan [02219] them with a fan [04214] in the gates [08179] of the land [0776]; I will bereave [07921] them of children, I will destroy [06] my people [05971], since they return [07725] not from their ways [01870].

¹⁴ Who knoweth [03045] if he will return [07725] and repent [05162], and leave [07604] a blessing [01293] behind [0310] him; even a meat offering [04503] and a drink offering [05262] unto the LORD [03068] your God [0430]?

⁶ And it repented [05162] the LORD [03068] that he had made [06213] man [0120] on the earth [0776], and it grieved [06087] him at [0413] his heart [03820].

²⁸ For this shall the earth [0776] mourn [056], and the heavens [08064] above [04605] be black [06937]: because I have spoken [01696] it, I have purposed [02161] it, and will not repent [05162], neither will I turn back [07725] from it.

²⁴ But they hearkened [08085] not, nor inclined [05186] their ear [0241], but walked [03212] in the counsels [04156] and in the imagination [08307] of their evil [07451] heart [03820], and went backward [0268], and not forward [06440].

¹⁵ And they turned [05493] thitherward, and came [0935] to the house [01004] of the young man [05288] the Levite [03881], even unto the house [01004] of Micah [04318], and saluted [07592] [07965] him.

²⁷ And he asked [07592] them of their welfare [07965], and said [0559], Is your father [01] well [07965], the old man [02205] of whom ye spake [0559]? Is he yet alive [02416]?

⁷ And Moses [04872] went out [03318] to meet [07125] his father in law [02859], and did obeisance [07812], and kissed [05401] him; and they asked [07592] each [0376] other [07453] of their welfare [07965]; and they came [0935] into the tent [0168].

³ And Moses [04872] said [0559], I will now turn aside [05493], and see [07200] this great [01419] sight [04758], why [04069] the bush [05572] is not burnt [01197].

² And he said [0559], Behold now, my lords [0113], turn in [05493], I pray you, into your servant's [05650] house [01004], and tarry all night [03885], and wash [07364] your feet [07272], and ye shall rise up early [07925], and go [01980] on your ways [01870]. And they said [0559], Nay; but we will abide [03885] in the street [07339] all night [03885].

⁴ And I will cause [05414] them to be removed [02189] [02113] into all kingdoms [04467] of the earth [0776], because [01558] of Manasseh [04519] the son [01121] of Hezekiah [03169] king [04428] of Judah [03063], for that which he did [06213] in Jerusalem [03389].

⁵ For who shall have pity [02550] upon thee, O Jerusalem [03389]? or who shall bemoan [05110] thee? or who shall go aside [05493] to ask [07592] how thou doest [07965]?

⁵ For who shall have pity [02550] upon thee, O Jerusalem [03389]? or who shall bemoan [05110] thee? or who shall go aside [05493] to ask [07592] how thou doest [07965]?
⁶ Thou hast forsaken [05203] me, saith [05002] the LORD [03068], thou art gone [03212] backward [0268]: therefore will I stretch out [05186] my hand [03027] against thee, and destroy [07843] thee; I am weary [03811] with repenting [05162].
⁷ And I will fan [02219] them with a fan [04214] in the gates [08179] of the land [0776]; I will bereave [07921] them of children, I will destroy [06] my people [05971], since they return [07725] not from their ways [01870].
⁸ Their widows [0490] are increased [06105] to me above the sand [02344] of the seas [03220]: I have brought [0935] upon them against the mother [0517] of the young men [0970] a spoiler [07703] at noonday [06672]: I have caused him to fall [05307] upon it suddenly [06597], and terrors [0928] upon the city [05892].
⁹ She that hath borne [03205] seven [07651] languisheth [0535]: she hath given up [05301] the ghost [05315]; her sun [08121] is gone [0935] down while it was yet day [03119] [03117]: she hath been ashamed [0954] and confounded [02659]: and the residue [07611] of them will I deliver [05414] to the sword [02719] before [06440] their enemies [0341], saith [05002] the LORD [03068].