Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 25:30–end
We have, in these verses, a further description of those terrible desolations which the king of Babylon with his armies should make in all the countries and nations round about Jerusalem. In Jerusalem God had erected his temple; there were his oracles and ordinances, which the neighbouring nations should have attended to and might have received benefit by; thither they should have applied for the knowledge of God and their duty, and then they might have had reason to bless God for their neighbourhood to Jerusalem; but they, instead of that, taking all opportunities either to debauch or to disturb that holy city, when God came to reckon with Jerusalem because it learned so much of the way of…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 25:35
Literally, "Flight shall fail the shepherds . . . escaping (shall fail) the principal," &c. (Amo 2:14). The leaders will be the first objects for slaughter; escape by flight will be out of their power.
John Gill on Jeremiah 25:35
And the shepherds shall have no way to flee,.... Or, "and flight shall perish from the shepherds" (u); though they may attempt it, they shall not be able to accomplish it; neither the dignity of their persons, the greatness of their power, or the abundance of their riches, would make a way for them; their enemies being so numerous, powerful, and watchful:
nor the principal of the flock to escape; this was particularly verified in Zedekiah and his princes, Jeremiah 39:4. The Targum is,
"and the house of fugitives shall perish from the kings, and deliverance from the mighty of the people.''
(u) "et peribit fuga a pastoribus", V. L. "effugiumperibit", Schmidt; "perfugium", Cocceius.
John Calvin on Jeremiah 25:35
Jeremiah 25:35
35. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.
35. Et peribit fuga a pastoribus, et evasio ab eximiis gregis.
He explains what we have now observed, for he had bidden the pastors to howl and the choice of the flock to roll or to prostrate themselves in the dust; he now gives the reason, even because they could not preserve their lives, no, not by an ignominious flight. It is indeed very miserable, when any one cannot otherwise secure his life than by seeking exile, where he must be poor, and needy, and despised; but even this is denied by the Prophet to the king and his counsellors, as well as to the rich through the whole city an…
