Jer 15 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Jer 15:1-9: 15:1-9 The Lord’s reply to Jeremiah’s prayer (14:19-22 ) was that Judah’s destruction was inevitable. 15:1 Moses and Samuel were noted for their intercessory prayer. Several times, when they prayed for the rebellious Israelites, the Lord withdrew his threatened punishment (see Exod 32:11-14 ; Num 14:13-20 ; 1 Sam 7:8-10 ). But now, even their intervention would have been ineffective.

Summary for Jer 15:1-9: 15:1-9 ^a The Lord’s reply to Jeremiah’s prayer (14:19-22 ^b) was that Judah’s destruction was inevitable. 15:1 ^c Moses and Samuel were noted for their intercessory prayer. Several times, when they prayed for the rebellious Israelites, the Lord withdrew his threatened punishment (see Exod 32:11-14 ^d; Num 14:13-20 ^e; 1 Sam 7:8-10 ^f). But now, even their intervention would have been ineffective.
15:2 ^g The people had no place to go to escape death ... war ... famine, and captivity.
15:4 ^h Judah’s apostasy could be traced back to Manasseh son of Hezekiah, the king who reigned 697–642 BC (see 2 Kgs 21:1-18 ⁱ; 2 Chr 33:1-20 ^j).
15:5 ^k These three questions are rhetorical—the answer is, “No one!”
Summary for Jer 15:6-7: 15:6-7 ^l The people had heard the charge that they had abandoned God and turned their back on him before (2:13 ^m), but they had not taken it seriously. Though the Lord had often given them another chance to repent, their sin provoked him to carry out the curses of the Sinai covenant (Deut 27:15-26 ⁿ).
Summary for Jer 15:8-9: 15:8-9 ^o Both the old and the young men would die.
Summary for Jer 15:10-21: 15:10-21 ^p Jeremiah bared his heart to God over the unjust treatment he was receiving because he was delivering the Lord’s message. In response, the Lord promised to protect and care for his prophet. 15:10 ^q Feelings of grief gripped Jeremiah when people hated and cursed him for no reason.
Summary for Jer 15:11-14: 15:11-14 ^r The Lord replied to Jeremiah’s lament with reassurance and then explained what would be happening soon. 15:11 ^s When trouble and distress fell upon the people, they would ask Jeremiah to plead on their behalf.
15:12 ^t Iron and bronze are metaphors for the strong resolve that the Lord would give to Jeremiah (1:18 ^u).
Summary for Jer 15:13-14: 15:13-14 ^v It is not clear whether the Lord was speaking of Jeremiah’s or of Judah’s future. If Jeremiah’s, this prediction was fulfilled after the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC), when Jeremiah and Baruch were taken to Egypt against their will (see chs 41–44 ^w). If it refers to Judah’s future, the prediction was fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem and the Exile.
Summary for Jer 15:15-18: 15:15-18 ^x Jeremiah’s prayer sheds light on a crucial moment in his relationship with the Lord, when persecution had shattered his strength. It is possible that Jeremiah had begun to let his thinking be influenced by the rebellious people of Judah.
Summary for Jer 15:16-17: 15:16-17 ^y Jeremiah was glad to declare God’s word, even though it meant that he could not participate in the merry feasts of his sinful people. He protested the apparent injustice he had suffered (15:18 ^z).
15:18 ^aa Jeremiah posed two rhetorical questions that seem to presuppose that he should not have to suffer.
15:19 ^ab The Lord confronted Jeremiah with the need to make a decision. If Jeremiah decided to return to a disposition of service and submission, the Lord would restore him to further usefulness. If Jeremiah took care to utter good words of submission, faith, and obedience, and reject worthless ones (such as those that the false prophets spoke, 14:14-16 ^ac), Jeremiah could continue to be the Lord’s spokesman.
Summary for Jer 15:20-21: 15:20-21 ^ad The Lord reaffirmed the promises he had made to Jeremiah when he called him to be a prophet (see 1:18-19 ^ae).