Jeremiah 44:22

Jer 44:22 So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, [and] because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.

Ver. 22. So that the Lord could no longer bear.] His abused mercy turned into fury. See Jer 15:6.

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.

Verse 22. Therefore is your land a desolation] I grant that ye and your husbands have joined together in these abominations; and what is the consequence? "The Lord could no longer bear because of your evil doings; and therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, this day."

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

And hence he adds, Jehovah could not endure the wickedness of your works and the abominations which ye have done: therefore, he says, your land has been reduced to a waste The Prophet, in short, shews that had they not been justly exposed to God’s judgment, they would not have been destroyed. For he assumes this principle, that God is not angry without reason; and then he assumes another principle, that as God had chosen the seed of Abraham, and had been always propitious even to the unworthy, they would have been made partakers of his kindness, had not God been wholly alienated from them. It then follows, that God’s vengeance had not been thus kindled by some slight offense, but by many and daily offenses, so that it could no longer be deferred: for the atrocity of punishment shews the atrocity of sin; and hence he says, Jehovah could not endure the wickedness of your works, and the abominations which ye have done: therefore, he adds, your land has been made a waste, an astonishment, and a curse, or execration, so that there is no inhabitant

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.

22. could no longer bear] These words contain the pith of the answer to the people’s argument that they had been more prosperous while openly practising idolatry than afterwards. Jeremiah points out that even though their national misfortunes were subsequent to Josiah’s reformation, and therefore after what they might have called the golden age of idolatry had ceased, yet it was owing to the idolatry so long rampant, and even afterwards cherished and practised as far as its votaries dared, that the overthrow came. The long-suffering of God was at last exhausted.

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.

So that the Lord could no longer forbear,.... He did forbear a long time, and did not stir up all his wrath, but waited to see if these people would repent of their sins, and turn from them; during which time of his forbearance, things might be well with them, as they had said, and they enjoyed peace and plenty; but persisting in their sins, and growing worse and worse, he could bear with them no longer, but brought down his judgments upon them. The reason is expressed,

because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; the incense they had burnt; the drink offerings they had poured out to idols; and such like idolatrous practices, which were evil in themselves, contrary to the law and will of God, and abominable unto him:

therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse,

without an inhabitant, as at this day; the land of Israel, wasted by the Chaldeans, and left uncultivated, was like a barren wilderness, to the astonishment of all that passed through it, who had known what a fruitful country it had been; the curse of God being apparently on it, and scarce an inhabitant left in it; which was the case at this present instant, as the Jews, to whom the prophet directs his discourse, well knew; and to whom he appeals for the truth of it: now all this was for the sins, particularly the idolatry, they had been guilty of; as is further explained in Jer 44:23.

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

Could no longer bear - The prophet corrects in these words the error of their argument in Jer 44:17. God is long-suffering, and therefore punishment follows slowly upon sin.

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

22. Therefore is your land a desolation — This is the substance of Jeremiah’s answer. That to which they attributed their prosperity was the one cause of their ruin. The Lord had borne with them for many years, and this explains the prosperity mentioned in Jer_44:17; but when he could no longer bear, calamity and destruction came.

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

The limit of God"s forbearance.

I GOD"S FORBEARANCE IS LIMITED. There is no limit to his love. His mercy "endureth forever." There is no limit to his patience, his endurance of the most provoking wickedness. But there is a limit to God"s forbearance. Consider what determines this.

1. Justice. There is a point where necessary justice must interfere to prevent further wrong and punish what is already done.

2. The good of the community. Mercy to the criminal may involve injustice to the victim. There are abandoned wretches whom the world would find inestimable advantage in caging up out of the power of doing further mischief. There must be a point where their rights cease and the rights of others step in. In the Divine government this must be noted and acted on.

3. The advantage of the offender. It is a curse to a man to leave him forever unchecked and unpunished. He may be left for a season to give all necessary scope for the operation of milder measures and for his own free repentance. But when the gentleness has failed, the only chance lies in some drastic treatment.

II IT IS POSSIBLE TO REACH THE LIMIT OF GOD"S FORBEARANCE. It was reached by the antediluvians, by the cities of the plain, by the Jews at the time of the Captivity, by the Jews when Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus, by many a nation and many a man since. It may be reached by us, This subject, therefore, is not a question of abstract theology, touching only the ideal relations of Divine attributes. It is tremendously practical.

1. The limit may be reached in our lifetime. Men presume on their prosperity till God providentially strikes them down in desolation, and they learn in their anguish the folly of their long abuse of God"s long suffering mercy.

2. It will come to the impenitent in the next life. Death will bring it if it has been stayed during all the earthly life. The longer it is delayed the more fearful will be its consequences to those who "treasure up to themselves wrath in the day of wrath.

III IT MUST BE UNSPEAKABLY TERRIBLE TO REACH THE LIMIT OF GOD"S FORBEARANCE. Then all the vials of wrath will be outpoured. The horror of the judgment ensuing can only be measured by the greatness of the forbearance which restrains it. If that were not very fearful, why should God hesitate so long in letting it loose? Why should he use all other possible means to prevent the necessity of resorting to it? Why should he urge and plead with us to hear his voice today and harden not our hearts?

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

was no longer able to bear it

"was no longer able to tolerate it"

because of the abominations that you did

The abstract noun "abominations" can be stated as "things he hated." AT: "because you did things that he hated" (See: Abstract Nouns)

Then your land became a desolation, a horror, and a curse so there was no longer an inhabitant as at this present day

This can be restated to remove the abstract nouns "a desolation," "a horror," and "a curse." AT: "Then Yahweh caused it so that no one lives in the land. He made it a desolate and horrifying place. People use its name to curse others. And this is how it is even to this day" (See: Abstract Nouns)

burned incense

Why people burn incense can be stated clearly. AT: "burned incense to false gods" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

you would not listen to his voice

Here "voice" refers to Yahweh's commands. AT: "you would not obey his commands" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

evil

abomination

desolate

curse

sin

voice

law, laws

statute

covenant

decree

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

And He could no longer bear Heb. ולא יוּכַל, like ולא יָכוֹל, and He could not.

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.