Jeremiah 6:14

They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) They have healed . . . slightly.—Literally, as a thing of nought, a light matter. The words “of the daughter” are in italics, as indicating that the marginal reading of the Hebrew omits them. They are found, however, in the present text.

Peace, peace.—The word is taken almost in the sense of “health,” as in Genesis 43:27-28, and elsewhere. The false prophets were as physicians who told the man suffering from a fatal disease that he was in full health. As the previous words show, the prophet has in his mind the false encouragements given by those who should have been the true guides of the people. Looking at Josiah’s reformation as sufficient to win the favour of Jehovah, they met Jeremiah’s warnings of coming evil by the assurance that all was well, and that invasion and conquest were far-off dangers.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:9-17 When the Lord arises to take vengeance, no sinners of any age or rank, or of either sex escape. They were set upon the world, and wholly carried away by the love of it. If we judge of this sin by God's word, we find multitudes in every station and rank given up to it. Those are to be reckoned our worst and most dangerous enemies, who flatter us in a sinful way. Oh that men would be wise for their souls! Ask for the old paths; the way of godliness and righteousness has always been the way God has owned and blessed. Ask for the old paths set forth by the written word of God. When you have found the good way, go on in it, you will find abundant recompence at your journey's end. But if men will not obey the voice of God and flee to his appointed Refuge, it will plainly appear at the day of judgment, that they are ruined because they reject God's word.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Healed - Rather, "tried to heal."

Of the daughter - These words are omitted by a majority of manuscripts, but found in most of the versions.

Slightly - literally, "according to," i. e., as if it were, a "trifle: making nothing" of it. This cry of "peace" was doubtless based upon Josiah's reforms.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. hurt—the spiritual wound.

slightly—as if it were but a slight wound; or, in a slight manner, pronouncing all sound where there is no soundness.

saying—namely, the prophets and priests (Jer 6:13). Whereas they ought to warn the people of impending judgments and the need of repentance, they say there is nothing to fear.

peace—including soundness. All is sound in the nation's moral state, so all will be peace as to its political state (Jer 4:10; 8:11; 14:13; 23:17; Eze 13:5, 10; 22:28).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly: this refers peculiarly to the prophets; either slighting or making light of these threatenings, tending to the reproach either,

1. Of the prophets of God, bringing their message into contempt; or,

2. The people, deceiving of them, and rendering their hopes vain, Jeremiah 8:11. Or here the prophet shows wherein their false dealing consists, viz. in daubing over their misery and danger that was coming on them, by persuading them that it should not come, or if it did, it would be easily cured; as some physicians do with their patients, that make light of a wound, and so neglect the true method of cure; but either by lenitives give some ease for the present, by a superficial skinning over a sore while the corruption is in it; or stupefactives, making them senseless, not feeling their pain, Jeremiah 23:14 Ezekiel 13:10 16:22; and so the prophet makes this the cause of their last destruction.

Saying, Peace, peace; the Chaldeans shall not come, all things shall be prosperous with you; all kind of prosperity being included in the word peace. They promise you peace, but you shall come short of it, as in the next words.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly,.... That is, the false prophets and lying priests, who pretended to be physicians, and to heal the sickly and distempered state of the people; and they did do it, in their way, but not thoroughly; they did not search the wound to the bottom; they drew a skin over it, and made a scar of it, and called it a cure; they made light of the hurt or wound; they healed it,

making nothing of it; or "despising it", as the Septuagint: or they healed it "with reproach", as the Vulgate Latin version; in such a manner, as that it was both a reproach to them, and to the people: or, as the Targum,

"they healed the breach of the congregation of my people with their lying words;''

which are as follow:

saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace; promising them all prosperity, plenty of good things, and a continuance in their own land; when in a short time there would be none of these things, but sudden destruction would come upon them; see 1 Thessalonians 5:3.

Geneva Study Bible

They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, {n} Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

(n) When the people began to fear God's judgments, the false prophets comforted them by flatterings, showing that God would send peace and not war.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. of my people] Cp. Jeremiah 8:11; Jeremiah 8:21, which have the daughter of. Hence it has been inserted needlessly here in mg.

lightly] LXX excellently, making nothing of it. As worthless surgeons the religious leaders refuse to examine or probe the wounds of those who are under their charge, and for the sake of their own ease assure their patients that all is well.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - They have healed, etc. The full force of the verb is, "they have busied themselves about healing" (so Jeremiah 8:11; Jeremiah 51:9). Of the daughter. Our translators evidently had before them a text which omitted these words, in accordance with many Hebrew manuscripts and the Septuagint; Van der Hooght's text, however, contains them, as also does the parallel passage (Jeremiah 8:11). Slightly; or, lightly; Septuagint, ἐξουθενοῦντες. Saying, Peace, peace. Always the burden of the mere professional prophets, who, as one of a higher order - the bold, uncompromising Micah - fittingly characterizes them," bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace;" i.e. draw flattering pictures of the state and prospects of their country, in order to "line their own pockets" (Micah 3:5). Jeremiah 6:14

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Jeremiah 6:12 gives the result of being thus taken: their houses, fields, and wives will be handed over to others, descend to others. Wives are mentioned along with houses and fields, as in the commandment, Exodus 20:17; cf. Deuteronomy 5:18. The loss of all one's possessions is mentioned in connection with reproof, following in Jeremiah 6:13, of greed and base avarice. The threatening is confirmed in Jeremiah 6:12 by the clause: for I((Jahveh) stretch my hand out, etc. Then in Jeremiah 6:13 and Jeremiah 6:14 the cause of the judgment is adduced. The judgment falls upon all, for all, great and little, i.e., mean and powerful (cf. Jeremiah 6:4, Jeremiah 6:5), go after base gain; and the teachers, who ought to lead the people on the true way (Isaiah 30:21), sue deceit and dishonesty. They heal the breach of the daughter of my people, i.e., the infirmities and injuries of the state, after a light and frivolous fashion (נקלּה is partic.Niph. faem., and על is of the thing that covers another); - in this, namely, that they speak of peace and healing where there is no peace; that they do not uncover the real injuries so as to heal them thoroughly, but treat them as if they were trifling and in no way dangerous infirmities.