(28) Grievous revolters . . .--Literally, rebels of rebels, as a Hebraism for the worst type of rebellion.
Walking with slanders.--The phrase was a common one (Leviticus 19:16; Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 20:19), and pointed to the restless eagerness of the tale-bearer to spread his falsehoods. (Comp. 1 Timothy 5:13, "wandering about . . . idle tattlers.")
Brass and iron.--Base metals serving for vile uses, no gold or silver in them. The imagery, which carries on the thought of the previous verse, had been made familiar by Isaiah (Isaiah 1:22; Isaiah 1:25), and was reproduced afterwards by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 22:18-22) and Malachi (Malachi 3:3).
Verse 28. - Grievous revolters; literally, rebels of rebels. Walking; rather, going about, as a peddler with his wares (so Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 20:19; Leviticus 19:16). Jeremiah had good reason to specify this characteristic of his enemies (see Jeremiah 18:18). Brass and Iron; rather, copper and iron, in short, base metal,
6:18-30 God rejects their outward services, as worthless to atone for their sins. Sacrifice and incense were to direct them to a Mediator; but when offered to purchase a license to go on in sin, they provoke God. The sins of God's professing people make them an easy prey to their enemies. They dare not show themselves. Saints may rejoice in hope of God's mercies, though they see them only in the promise: sinners must mourn for fear of God's judgments, though they see them only in the threatenings. They are the worst of revolters, and are all corrupters. Sinners soon become tempters. They are compared to ore supposed to have good metal in it, but which proves all dross. Nothing will prevail to part between them and their sins. Reprobate silver shall they be called, useless and worthless. When warnings, corrections, rebukes, and all means of grace, leave men unrenewed, they will be left, as rejected of God, to everlasting misery. Let us pray, then, that we may be refined by the Lord, as silver is refined.
They are all grievous revolters,.... From the right way of God and his worship: or,
they are all revolters of revolters (e); of all, the greatest revolters, the greatest sinners and transgressors, the most stubborn and disobedient; or sons of revolters; fathers and children are alike. The Targum, is,
"all their princes rebel;''
and so the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions: "walking with slanders": of one another; or with deceit, as the Targum; in a hypocritical and fraudulent manner; playing the hypocrite with God, or tricking and deceiving their neighbours. They are "brass and iron"; as vile and mean as those metals, and not as gold and silver; or as hard and inflexible as they are; or they deal as insincerely
"as he that mixes brass with iron;''
so the Targum:
they are all corrupters; as such that mix metals are; they are corrupters of themselves and of others, of the doctrines and manners of men, and of the ways and worship of God.
Walking with slanders.--The phrase was a common one (Leviticus 19:16; Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 20:19), and pointed to the restless eagerness of the tale-bearer to spread his falsehoods. (Comp. 1 Timothy 5:13, "wandering about . . . idle tattlers.")
Brass and iron.--Base metals serving for vile uses, no gold or silver in them. The imagery, which carries on the thought of the previous verse, had been made familiar by Isaiah (Isaiah 1:22; Isaiah 1:25), and was reproduced afterwards by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 22:18-22) and Malachi (Malachi 3:3).
Corrupters.--Better, workers of destruction.
they are all revolters of revolters (e); of all, the greatest revolters, the greatest sinners and transgressors, the most stubborn and disobedient; or sons of revolters; fathers and children are alike. The Targum, is,
"all their princes rebel;''
and so the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions: "walking with slanders": of one another; or with deceit, as the Targum; in a hypocritical and fraudulent manner; playing the hypocrite with God, or tricking and deceiving their neighbours. They are "brass and iron"; as vile and mean as those metals, and not as gold and silver; or as hard and inflexible as they are; or they deal as insincerely
"as he that mixes brass with iron;''
so the Targum:
they are all corrupters; as such that mix metals are; they are corrupters of themselves and of others, of the doctrines and manners of men, and of the ways and worship of God.
(e) "refractarii refractariorum", Schmidt; "contumacium contumacissimi", Junius & Tremellius.