Teks -- Jeremiah 4:31 (NET)

4:31 In fact, I hear a cry like that of a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like that of a woman giving birth to her first baby. It is the cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, reaching out for help, saying, “I am done in! My life is ebbing away before these murderers!”

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Wesley: Jer 4:31 - In travail

When the scripture would express any exquisite sorrow, it doth it by a woman in travail.

Wesley: Jer 4:31 - First child

Which is usually the most painful.

Wesley: Jer 4:31 - Spreadeth her hands

According to the use of persons in great anguish, clapping or wringing their hands together.

JFB: Jer 4:31 - anguish

Namely, occasioned by the attack of the enemy.

JFB: Jer 4:31 - daughter of Zion

There is peculiar beauty in suppressing the name of the person in trouble, until that trouble had been fully described [HENDERSON].

JFB: Jer 4:31 - bewaileth herself

Rather, "draweth her breath short" [HORSLEY]; "panteth."

JFB: Jer 4:31 - spreadeth . . . hands

(Lam 1:17).

Clarke: Jer 4:31 - Bringeth forth her first child

Bringeth forth her first child - In such a case the fear, danger, and pain were naturally the greatest

Clarke: Jer 4:31 - Spreadeth her hands

Spreadeth her hands - The gesture indicated by nature to signify distress, and implore help. We have met with this figure in other parts, and among the classic writers it is frequent.

Calvin: Jer 4:31 - NO PHRASE

By these words Jeremiah confirms what the latter part of the preceding verse contains: nor was it for the sake of elucidating his subject that he enlarged on it; but when he saw his own nation so hard and almost like stones, he employed many words and set forth in various ways what he might have expressed in one sentence: and what he taught would have been often coldly received, had he not added exhortations and threatenings. It was on this account that he now expresses in other words what he had previously said, I have heard, he says, the voice as of one in labor This hearing, no doubt, is to be taken consistently with the representation which had been made to him; for Jeremiah could not hear in a way different from others; but he speaks according to the discovery made to him of the approaching judgment of God, which was then unheeded by the people; and he had this discovery, that he might by such a representation as this make it known to them. He then says, that he had heard, as though he had witnessed already all that was to come. He then exaggerates the evil; for he puts distress, צרה , tsere, instead of “voice,” קול , kul; and then he mentions, as an instance of greater pain, a woman bringing forth her first — born, instead of a woman in labor. Then Jeremiah means, that final ruin was nigh that people who could not then be restored from their sinful courses; but he intimates, as also the Spirit speaks in other places, that their destruction would be sudden; while they would be saying, Peace and security, sudden destruction would come upon them. (1Th 5:3.) And so the Prophet now declares, that the Jews in vain hardened themselves against God, as though their ruin was not approaching, for their sorrow would come suddenly. As a woman may be cheerful at meat or at her leisure, and may be suddenly seized with the pain of labor, so also the Prophet shews, that the Jews had no reason to think that they could escape God’s vengeance by a false confidence, for their destruction would come upon them unexpectedly.

He sets forth at the same time, as already said, the greatness or the extremity of their grief by this similitude, The voice of the daughter of Sion, who complains, etc.; for the relative may be here added. Some take the verb to be in the second person, “Thou wilt lament and extend, “or rend, “thy hands;” but this is not suitable, because the third person is immediately used, “thy hands.” Then what he says is, that the voice of the daughter of Sion would be an evidence of her extreme grief, for she would lament; and he adds, at the same time, the smiting of the hands. This verb is variously rendered; but as פרש , peresh, means properly to rend or to divide, I think the Prophet expresses the posture of a woman in grief; for she usually smites her hands together and as it were divides them by putting the fingers between one another. Some render the word “expand, “for the hands are divided when raised up. As to what is meant, there is nothing ambiguous in the Prophet’s words; for his object is to shew, that God’s vengeance would be so dreadful, that the Jews would lament, not in an ordinary measure, but like women, when in the extreme pain of labor.

He then concludes by saying, Woe to me, for failed has my soul on account of murderers Here the Prophet intimates, that all the rest were blind in the midst of light, yet God’s judgment, which the ungodly and wicked laughed at, or at least disregarded, was seen clearly by him. His soul, he says, fainted for the slain; and yet no one had hitherto been slain: but by this mode of speaking, he shews, that he had as it were before his eyes what was hid from others, and hence their hearts were not affected. ¹²⁷ Now follows —

TSK: Jer 4:31 - I have heard // the voice // spreadeth // Woe // for my // because

I have heard : Jer 6:24, Jer 13:21, Jer 22:23, Jer 30:6, Jer 48:41, Jer 49:22, Jer 49:24, Jer 50:43; Isa 13:8, Isa 21:3; Hos 13:13; 1Th 5:3

the voice : Jer 6:2, Jer 6:23; Mat 21:5

spreadeth : Isa 1:15; Lam 1:17

Woe : Jer 10:19, Jer 15:18, Jer 45:2; Psa 120:5; Isa 6:5; Mic 7:1; 1Co 9:16

for my : Gen 27:46; Job 10:1

because : Jer 14:18, Jer 18:21; Lam 1:20, Lam 2:21; Eze 9:5, Eze 9:6, Eze 23:46, Eze 23:47

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Poole: Jer 4:31 - A voice as of a woman in travail // The daughter of Zion // That spreadeth her hands // Woe is me now! // My soul is wearied because of murderers

A voice as of a woman in travail: when the Scripture would express any exquisite sorrow, exceeding all other pains, it doth it by a woman in travail, Isa 13:8,9 Jer 6:24 30:6,7 . The anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child , which of all seems to be the most painful, both from natural causes, and because they have less patience to bear, having not had former experience of the like.

The daughter of Zion viz. Jerusalem, Isa 1:8 .

That spreadeth her hands in her great distress she either reacheth them out to God for some help, Isa 1:15 ; or rather, according to the use of persons in great anguish, clapping or wringing their hands together, as both the former expression of bewailing herself, fetching of deep sighs and lamentations, and the following woe is me , intimates. See Jer 2:37 .

Woe is me now! or, the time of my woe is at hand; it draws near.

My soul is wearied because of murderers there is no more spirit left within me, I am ready to sink under my distress, considering not only that my destruction is so near, but that those of whom I have been so fond, and whose idols I have so zealously served, should become my murderers, Jer 4:30 , and that I should fall into the hands of such as will have no compassion, 2Ch 36:17 .

Haydock: Jer 4:31 - Child

Child. Hebrew and Septuagint, "a first-born," when the pains are most acute. (Calmet)

Gill: Jer 4:31 - 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 // woe is me now, for my soul is wearied because of murderers

For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail,.... So the distress of the Jews, at the time of their destruction, is compared to the sorrows of a woman in travail; and a word, that signifies that is used to express it, Mat 24:8,

and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child; whose time is more difficult, her pains sharper, her anguish greater, and, having less experience, the more impatient:

the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself; her unhappy condition, and miserable circumstances:

that spreadeth her hands; as persons in distress do, and particularly women in travail: saying,

woe is me now, for my soul is wearied because of murderers: these abounded: under the second temple, and was the reason, the Jews say: ^m, of the sanhedrim removing from their usual place in the temple; and why they ceased from the beheading of the red heifer ⁿ.