Jeremiah 23:19

Jer 23:19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

Ver. 19. Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord,] q.d., Though these flatterers make all fair weather before you, yet assure yourselves the tempest of God’s wrath, such as shall never be blown over, is even breaking forth upon them and you together. Look to it, therefore.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jer 23:19-20. Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth with fury — A severe judgment of God, that shall resemble a whirlwind for the sudden and utter destruction that it shall bring. The same word, סערה, is elsewhere translated a storm. It is called a whirlwind of the Lord, both to denote the greatness of it, and to signify that it should come forth from God, and be of his sending. It shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked — Whatever these flattering teachers may assert to the contrary. Blaney translates the verse, Behold, the whirlwind of Jehovah! it goeth forth hot, even a settling whirlwind; (so he translates מתחולל, which we render, grievous,) upon the head of the wicked it shall settle. And he observes, “The hot, scorching wind, blowing from the south, (see note on Jer 4:11-12,) is evidently here alluded to, that blows, not with a transient blast, but exerts a continued force upon the head of the unfortunate traveller till it has effectually destroyed him:” an emblem this of the consuming and insupportable wrath of God. The anger of the Lord shall not return — The prophet speaks of the judgment as of a messenger, which should not return till it had done its errand, and executed what God had resolved it should effect. In the latter days ye shall consider, &c. — Though you will not now believe it, but flatter yourselves with vain hopes, yet hereafter, when it shall be too late, you shall consider it perfectly, that is, when this judgment hath over-taken you, you shall fully believe and understand that God did indeed bring it upon you, for the punishment of your sins.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23:19-20 Contrary to the lies of the false prophets, the world was facing the storm of the Lord’s anger. The political situation was a whirlwind that would soon strike the wicked. The Lord had planned this punishment and would ensure that it took place. After the war, the survivors would look back and see that Jeremiah had prophesied correctly.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

So far from all prosperity awaiting the people as the false prophets say (Jer 23:17), wrath is in store for them.

grievous--literally, "eddying," whirling itself about, a tornado. In Jer 30:23, "continuing" is substituted for "grievous."

fall grievously--it shall be hurled on.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 19. Behold, a whirlwind] The simoom: the hot pestilential wind blowing from the south, frequently mentioned or referred to in the sacred writings; see Jer 23:10.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The verse which I read at the end of my last Lecture must be now repeated to you, Behold, the tempest (or whirlwind) of Jehovah! it shall go forth with fury; even the impending whirlwind! on the head of the ungodly shall it abide, or fall; for יחול, ichul, means both. The Prophet now assails with more vehemence the false teachers, for they were almost stupid. None, indeed, can betray so much audacity as to oppose God, except when wholly blinded by Satan. Hence our Prophet deals with the false teachers as with fanatics or those wholly stupified: he tells them that God would come like a whirlwind Whether we render it a whirlwind or a storm, there is not much difference. And he adds, that they could not escape, for the wrath of God was impending over them, and would at length remain on them.

Now, it is usual in Scripture to deal very sharply with hypocrites, and especially with false teachers, because Satan rules in them to an awful extent. And doubtless, as I have already said, except a person be fascinated with illusions, he could not dare to oppose God. There is, then, no wonder that the Prophet fulminates against these ungodly teachers; for it was nothing but play and sport to them to pretend God’s sacred name that they might deceive the people. He afterwards adds, —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(19) Behold, a whirlwind . . .—Better, Behold, the storm of Jehovah, wrath is gone forth, a whirling storm, upon the heads of the wicked shall it whirl down. The word translated “whirlwind” is properly more generic in its meaning (“tempest” in Isa_29:6). and gets its specific force here from the associated word rendered in the Authorised Version “grievous,” but rightly, as above, whirling.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19, 20. See introd. summary to section. These vv. agree substantially with Jer_30:23 f., and are probably introduced here from that passage. They have no apparent connexion with the preceding or following vv., and may have been inserted here as a declaration of Jehovah’s real purpose as opposed to the predictions of the false prophets.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury,.... Or, "behold, a whirlwind of the Lord, of the fury is gone forth" (b); which latter clause explains the former; and, hews, that by "the whirlwind of the Lord" is meant his "fury" or "wrath"; which, like a whirlwind, would come suddenly, and at an unawares, and be very boisterous and powerful, and carry all before it; and which was gone forth from the Lord in the decree and commission; and would quickly break out and appear in the Chaldean army that would invade Judea and besiege Jerusalem, compared to a full and fanning wind, and its chariots to a whirlwind, Jer 4:11; from whence it would appear, that these men, the false prophets, were not in the counsel of God; had seen no vision from him, nor had marked his word: since they prophesied of peace and prosperity, when a blustering storm was coming:

even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked; or "rest" (c) thereon; even on the head of the wicked prophets, and all such wicked persons as give heed unto them; on them it would fall with its full weight, and give excessive pain, and there continue to their utter ruin. Kimchi says this refers to the days of the Messiah, when all the wicked shall be consumed. It may refer to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, at least include it; which was a grievous whirlwind indeed.

(b) "ecce turbo Domini exandescentia", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius; "en procella Jehovae! ira exivit", Schmidt. (c) "manebit", Montanus, Cocceius; "permanebit", Junius & Tremellius; "residebit", Targ. "requiescet", Syr.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rather, “Behold, the tempest of Yahweh, even hot anger hath gone forth and a whirlwind shall burst upon the head of the wicked.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

A severe judgment of God, that should resemble a whirlwind, for the sudden and utter destruction that it shall bring. See Jer 30:23,24. The same word is elsewhere translated a storm, Psa 83:15; Amo 1:14; Jon 1:4. It is called a whirlwind of the Lord, either to denote the greatness of it, as Psa 36:6, or to let us know that the judgment came forth from God, and was of his sending. And whatever these flattering teachers said, it should fall upon wicked men, so as they should have no peace, but evil should most certainly come upon them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. A whirlwind — So far from this vision of peace and prosperity being true, the tempest of Jehovah — even fury — goeth forth, and a whirlwind shall hurl itself upon the head of the wicked.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 19, 20. These two verses seem to be connected with ver. 17. The false prophets say, "Ye shall have peace." How different the message of the true! (A duplicate of these verses occurs in Jer_30:23, Jer_30:24)

A whirlwind of the Lord, etc.; rather, A storm of the Lord, even fury, is gone forth, and a whirling storm upon the head of the wicked shall it whirl. The hurricane has already broken out; it will soon reach Jerusalem. This seems to be the force of Jeremiah"s expressive figure.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Connecting Statement:

Jeremiah continues to deliver Yahweh's message about the false prophets and priests that he began in Jeremiah 23:9.

there is a storm coming from Yahweh ... His fury is going out ... a tempest is whirling about

These three phrases all refer to a great storm that is a metaphor for Yahweh's anger. This can be stated as a simile. AT: "Yahweh's anger is coming like a great storm, going out with fury and whirling like a tempest" (See: Metaphor and Simile)

a tempest

a violent windstorm

It is whirling around the heads of the wicked

Yahweh's anger is spoken of as if it were a windstorm whirling around the wicked. AT: "It is coming upon the wicked like a windstorm" (See: Metaphor and Simile)

Yahweh's wrath will not return until it

Yahweh's wrath is spoken of as if it were alive and could act on its own. AT: "Yahweh will not stop being angry until he" (See: Personification)

carried out and brought into being his heart's intentions

Here "heart's intentions" refers to the things that Yahweh wanted to happen. AT: "completed and accomplished all the punishment that he had planned" (See: Metonymy)

the final days

"the future"

translationWords

wrath

last day

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

a whirling A resting storm, a storm which seeks to rest, and it shall rest on the heads of the wicked.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.