Teks -- Jeremiah 23:10 (NET)

23:10 For the land is full of people unfaithful to him. They live wicked lives and they misuse their power. So the land is dried up because it is under his curse. The pastures in the wilderness are withered.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Jer 23:10 - Adulterers

Under this term all species of uncleanness are comprehended.

Wesley: Jer 23:10 - Swearing

By false - swearing, or by idle and profane swearing.

Wesley: Jer 23:10 - The pleasant places

The wrath of God was extended to all places whether more or less inhabited.

Wesley: Jer 23:10 - Their courses

The prophets did not only err in single acts, but the whole course of their actions was evil, and particularly their power, rule and government, was not right.

JFB: Jer 23:10 - adulterers

Spiritual, that is, forsakers of God, Israel's true Husband (Isa 54:5) for idols, at the instigation of the false "prophets" (Jer 23:9, Jer 23:15). Literal adultery and fornication, the usual concomitants of idolatry, are also meant.

JFB: Jer 23:10 - swearing

MAURER, &c., translate, "Because of the curse (of God on it), the land mourneth" (Deu 27:15-26; Deu. 28:15-68; Isa 24:6). More than usual notoriety had been given to the curses of the law, by the finding and reading of it in Josiah's time (2Ki 22:11, &c.). But Hos 4:2-3, favors English Version (compare Jer 12:4). A drought was sent by God on the pastures ("pleasant places," oases) in the desert, on account of the "profaneness" of the priests, prophets, and people (Jer 23:11).

JFB: Jer 23:10 - course . . . evil

They (both prophets and people) rush into wickedness (Jer 23:21; Isa 59:7).

JFB: Jer 23:10 - force . . . not right

Their powers are used not on the side of rectitude, but on that of falsehood.

Clarke: Jer 23:10 - The land is full of adulterers

The land is full of adulterers - Of idolaters. Of persons who break their faith to ME, as an impure wife does to her husband

Clarke: Jer 23:10 - The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up

The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up - He speaks here, most probably, in reference to dearth. Profane oaths, false swearing, evil courses, violence, etc., had provoked God to send this among other judgments; see Jer 23:19.

Calvin: Jer 23:10 - Mourned,

Jeremiah now assigns the reason why he was so much horrified by the insensibility which he observed in the prophets. If things were in good order, or if, at least, they were tolerable, the prophets would have more calmly addressed the Jews; for what need is there to make a great ado when men willingly follow what God commands? When, therefore, we have to do with meek and modest men, vehemence is foolish; and they who thus bestir themselves, and seek, through great ambition, to shew very fervid zeal when there is no need, are nothing but apes; but when things are in disorder and confusion, then vehemence is wanted. Jeremiah now declares that things were so extremely out of order, that the prophets could not have been silent, except they were like logs of wood.

These two things, then, ought to be connected together, — that the prophets were dumb, — and that they were dumb when there was the greatest necessity for speaking; for they saw the land filled with adulteries. Though he names adulterers, he yet condemns the crime. As then the land was polluted by adulteries and perjuries, as they all gave themselves up to do evil, it was by no means to be tolerated that the prophets should not be indignant, as though things were well ordered and peaceable.

We hence see how much God abhors sloth in the ministers of his word, in those whom he appoints as teachers in his Church, while they connive at wickedness, and heedlessly pass by adulteries, and fornications, and perjuries, and frauds, and other kinds of wrongs; for if there were even the least particle of religion in their hearts, they would certainly have been moved, and could not have been for a moment silent. For if that zeal ought to be in all God’s children, which was in the Psalmist,

“The zeal of thine house has consumed me, and the reproaches of them who reproached thee have fallen upon me,”
(Psa 69:10,)

how inexcusable must be the indifference of prophets, when they see God’s name exposed to mockery, and when they see every kind of wickedness prevailing? We now see not only what the Prophet teaches in this passage, but also the usefulness of his doctrine and how it ought to be applied. Let us then learn, that the more liberty men take in sinning, and the more audaciously their impiety and contempt of God break out, the more sharply ought prophets and faithful teachers to reprove and condemn them; and that it is the time of fighting, when the world thus presumptuously and furiously rise up against God.

The Prophet mentions some kinds of evil, and yet does not enumerate all kinds; but under adulteries and perjuries he includes also other crimes. As to the word אלה , ale, it properly means swearing; but as cursing often accompanies it, some render it here “execration.” ⁸⁸ But I rather think that what is meant is perjury, and that swearing here is taken in a bad sense, signifying swearing falsely in the name of God.

Mourned, he says, has the land, and dried up have the pastures of the desert Here the Prophet strikingly shews how shameful was that torpor of which he speaks, for the land itself cried out, and not only the land which was cultivated and had on it many men, but also the very mountains and their recesses. He says that the land was in mourning, because God shewed his judgments everywhere by rendering the fields barren, and by other means which he used as punishments. And it is a very striking mode of speaking, when the Prophet mentions the mourning of the land, as though it assumed the character of a mourner, when it saw God angry on account of the wickedness of men. It is, indeed, a kind of personification, though he does not introduce the land as speaking; but he describes mourning as it appeared in the sterility of the land, and also in hails and storms, in unseasonable rains, in droughts, and in other calamities.

Whenever then God raises his hand to punish men for their sins, if they themselves perceive it not, the very land, which is without sense and feeling, ought to fill them with shame for their madness; for mourning appears in the very land, as though it knew that God was displeased with it. When, therefore, men sleep in their sins, and thus disregard God’s vengeance, how monstrous must be their torpor! And if this be intolerable in the common people, what can be said of the prophets, who ought to proclaim such words as these, — “Cursed is he who has transgressed the precepts of this law” — “ cursed is he who has corrupted the worship of God” — or, “who hath dealt unjustly with his neighbor,” — and whatever else the law contains? (Deu 27:26; Deu 28:47.) We now then perceive how emphatical are the words when the Prophet says, Mourned has the land And he amplifies the same thing by saying, Dried up have the beautiful places of the desert; as though he had said, that God’s judgments were seen in the remotest places, not only in the plains, where the greater number of men dwelt, did the land mourn; but if any one ascended the mountains, where shepherds only with their flocks were to be found, even there the wrath of God was visible; and the very mountains cried out that God was angry; and yet men still deluded themselves, who, at the same time were expounders of the law, who were the mouth of God, and to whom he had committed the office of reproving; but they were dumb! We now understand what these words contain, and what is to be learnt from them.

He adds, that their course was evil, ⁸⁹ and that their strength was not right By course he no doubt means their doings and all their actions, and also the aid which they proposed to themselves; for our life is called a course, because God has not created us that we may lie down in one place, but he has set before us an end for which we are to live. Therefore, by course, the Scripture means all our doings, and the very end for which we are to live. He then says, that all their strength had been perverted; that is, that they had applied all their powers to do evil. It then hence appears that, except the prophets had been perfidious, they would have thought it full time to cry out, when men provoked God with so much audacity in their wicked courses. It follows —

TSK: Jer 23:10 - full // because // swearing // the land // the pleasant // course

full : Jer 5:7, Jer 5:8, Jer 7:9, Jer 9:2; Eze 22:9-11; Hos 4:2, Hos 4:3; Mal 3:5; 1Co 6:9, 1Co 6:10; Gal 5:19-21; Heb 13:4; Jam 4:4

because : Zec 5:3, Zec 5:4; 1Ti 1:10

swearing : Heb. cursing

the land : Jer 12:3, Jer 12:4, Jer 14:2; Lam 1:2-4; Joe 1:10

the pleasant : Jer 9:10; Psa 107:34; Isa 24:6

course : or, violence

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Jer 23:10 - adulterers // Because of swearing the land mourneth // The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up // Their course is evil, and their force is not right // Answ

Under that term

adulterers all species of uncleanness are comprehended.

Because of swearing the land mourneth by false swearing, or by idle and profane swearing, the land is brought to ruin. The word signifies also a curse or cursing. Many good interpreters judge that the more genuine sense and true translation of this text were, for because of the curse (that is, the curse of God) the land is brought to that misery which is coming upon it.

The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up the pastures of the wilderness, or of the plain, for so the word is rendered, Isa 63:13 Lam 4:19 . The wrath of God was extended to all places, whether more or less inhabited.

Their course is evil, and their force is not right the prophets did not only err in single acts, but the whole course of their actions was naught, and particularly their power, rule, and government was not right. If any say, What were the prophets concerned in the people’ s wickedness?

Answ . They were profane as well as the people, as we shall find, Jer 23:11 ; but besides this, the people were thus vile through their connivance; they did not warn the people of their sins, but soothed them up in their wicked courses, and so were the cause of the people’ s wickedness, who had not been so vile but for them.

Haydock: Jer 23:10 - Adulterers // Cursing // Unlike

Adulterers; impostors or idolaters. ---

Cursing of the Lord, or the abuse of his sacred name. (Calmet) ---

Unlike. Hebrew, "not right." (Haydock)

Gill: Jer 23:10 - For the land is full of adulterers // for because of swearing the land mourneth // the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up // and yet their course is evil // and their force is not right

For the land is full of adulterers,.... Of such as were guilty of corporeal adultery, and of spiritual adultery, which is idolatry. Now, though in this, and in the following verses, the prophet describes the men of his generation, both ecclesiastics and laics; yet also so as to have regard to the Jews in the times of Christ, to which this prophecy has respect; between whom there was a great resemblance; adulteries were so frequent in Christ's time, that the Jews left off the use of the bitter waters ⁿ; and our Lord sometimes calls the generation in which he lived an adulterous one, Mat 12:39;

for because of swearing the land mourneth; because of false swearing and cursing; because of the oaths and imprecations of men; or because of the curse of God, for the sins of men, the land was desert or desolate, as the Targum; it became barren and unfruitful, the land of Judea; just as the earth was cursed for the sin of man originally; though it seems rather to signify perjury or false swearing, which, and adultery, were the reigning vices of the age; see Mat 5:33;

the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up; or the pastures of the wilderness, where cattle used to feed, were dried up for want of rain, and so were unfruitful, and produced no grass for the beasts of the field:

and yet their course is evil; the course of their ministry or prophesying was bad; and the course of their lives and conversations was one continued series of iniquity; the race they ran, both prophet and people, was a wicked one; they ran and made haste to commit sin; though a professing people, their conversation was according to "the course of this world", Eph 2:2; and not according to the rule of God's word:

and their force is not right; or, "is not so" ^o; as it ought to be, or employed in the manner it should: the power and authority of the prophets over the people was not used, as it might have been, for the preserving of the people from sin; nor their courage and valour shown for truth, as it ought to have been; and they used their power to hurt and oppress, and not to relieve and help: so the Pharisees in Christ's time laid heavy burdens on others, but would not move them themselves; and, through a pretence of devotion, devoured widows' houses, Mat 23:4. So some render the words here, "and their violence is not right" ^p; their rapine and oppression were very unjust; so that, besides adultery and swearing, they are charged with violence in particular, and with a wicked course of life in general.