Jeremiah 6:17

Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) Watchmen.—i.e., the sentinels of the army, as in 1Samuel 14:16, giving the signal in this case, not for advance but for retreat (comp. Jeremiah 6:1, and Amos 3:6). The watchmen are, of course (as in Isaiah 52:8; Isaiah 56:10; Ezekiel 3:17; Habakkuk 2:1), the prophets blowing the trumpet of alarm, proclaiming, as in Jeremiah 6:1, the nearness of the invader, and calling on them to flee from the wrath of Jehovah. They call, however, in vain. The people refuse to hearken.

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

Watchmen - The prophets Isaiah 52:8.

The second of the trumpet - This was the signal for flight Jeremiah 6:1; Amos 3:6. Similarly the prophet's warning was to move men to escape from God's judgments.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. watchmen—prophets, whose duty it was to announce impending calamities, so as to lead the people to repentance (Isa 21:11; 58:1; Eze 3:17; Hab 2:1).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Watchmen, viz. prophets and messengers, that sought their good, and endeavoured to prevent their miseries by foretelling what was coming upon them, Ezekiel 3:17 33:7 A metaphor from watchmen, that are usually set upon high places to espy out dangers afar off.

The sound of the trumpet; either the voice of his prophets, which is compared to a trumpet, Isaiah 58:1, intimating his loud crying upon the account of imminent danger; for men do not use to sound the trumpet till danger be approaching; or the trumpet of that enemy, Jeremiah 4:19,21.

We will not hearken; more of their obstinacy suitable to their carriage, Jeremiah 6:16.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Also I set watchmen over you,.... That is, prophets, as Jarchi; true prophets, as Kimchi; such an one was Ezekiel, Jeremiah 3:17. The Targum interprets it teachers; such were the apostles and first ministers of the Gospel; and all faithful preachers of it, who teach men good doctrine and watch for their souls, give them warning of their danger, and exhort them to flee to Christ for rest and safety; and these are of the Lord's appointing, constituting, and setting in his churches; see 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Saying, hearken to the sound of the trumpet; to their voice, lifted up like a trumpet, Isaiah 58:1, to the word preached by them; to the law, which lays before them their sin and danger; and to the Gospel, which is a joyful sound, and gives a certain one, and proclaims peace, pardon, and salvation, by Christ:

but they said, we will not hearken; so the Jews, in the times of Christ and his apostles, turned a deaf ear to their ministry, contradicted and blasphemed the Gospel, and judged themselves unworthy of it, and of eternal life, brought to light by it. Perhaps here it may regard the punishments threatened the Jews by the prophets, which they would not believe were coming upon them, but put away the evil day far from them.

Geneva Study Bible

Also I set {p} watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

(p) Prophets who would warn you of the dangers that were at hand.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. I set] “I ever raised up,” Dr. See on Jeremiah 6:16.

watchmen] the prophets; so Ezekiel 3:17; Ezekiel 33:7.

the sound of the trumpet] Cp. Jeremiah 6:1; Amos 3:6.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - Also I set; rather, and I kept raising up (the frequentative perfect). Watchmen; i.e. prophets (Ezekiel 3:17, and part of Isaiah 52:8; Isaiah 56:10). Hearken, etc. probably the words of Jehovah. Standing on their high watch-tower (Habakkuk 2:1), the prophets scrutinize the horizon for the first appearance of danger, and give warning of it by (metaphorically) blowing a trumpet (so Amos 3:6). Jeremiah 6:17

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

But God does not let the matter end here. He caused prophets to rise up amongst them, who called their attention to the threatening evil. Watchers are prophets, Ezekiel 3:17, who stand upon the watch-tower to keep a lookout, Habakkuk 2:1, and to give the people warning, by proclaiming what they have seen in spirit. "Hearken to the sound," etc., are not the words of the watchmen (prophets), for it is they who blow the trumpet, but the words of God; so that we have to supply, "and I said." The comparison of the prophets to watchmen, who give the alarm of the imminent danger by means of the sound of the trumpet, involves the comparison of the prophets' utterances to the clang of the signal-horn-suggested besides by Amos 3:6.