Jeremiah 15:8

“Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas, etc.] Their husbands being slain; not in the times of Ahaz, when a hundred and twenty thousand men were slain in one day in Judah, by Pekah the son of Remaliah, (<142806>2 Chronicles 28:6), as Kimchi thinks; but in the times of Zedekiah, at the siege of Jerusalem, and the taking of it, and in the Babylonish captivity before predicted. The children of Israel were to be as the sand of the sea, and were very numerous; and here the widows are said to be so too, their husbands, who were numerous, being dead; and this, as it was of the Lord, so it was in his sight, and according to his counsel and will. Mention is made of “seas”, in the…”

“Their widows--My people's (Jer 15:7). have brought--prophetical past: I will bring. mother of the young men--"mother" is collective; after the "widows," He naturally mentions bereavement of their sons ("young men"), brought on the "mothers" by "the spoiler"; it was owing to the number of men slain that the "widows" were so many [CALVIN]. Others take "mother," as in Sa2 20:19, of Jerusalem, the metropolis; "I have brought on them, against the 'mother,' a young spoiler," namely, Nebuchadnezzar, sent by his father, Nabopolassar, to repulse the Egyptian invaders (Kg2 23:29; Kg2 24:1), and occupy Judea. But Jer 15:7 shows the future, not the past, is referred to; and "widows" being literal,…”

“Translate, “I have brought upon them, even upon the mother of the young man, a spoiler etc.” The word rendered “young man” means a picked warrior. The mother has borne a valiant champion; but neither his prowess nor the numerous offspring of the other can avail to save those who gave them birth; war bereaves both alike. At noonday - i. e., unexpectedly, as armies used to rest at noon (see Jeremiah 6:4 note). I have caused him ... - Rather, “I have brought suddenly upon her,” the mother of the young warrior, “anguish and terrors.” return to 'Top of Page'”

“Their widows - The prophet still speaks of things to come as if present. In Jehoiakim's time we read of no such plenty of widows; they were multiplied when the city was besieged and taken in Zedekiah's time, to a great number, hyperbolically compared to the sands of the sea. The mother - Jerusalem was the mother of the Jewish people, against whom, Nebuchadnezzar the spoiler, at noon - day, was sent. Jeremiah 15:9”

“15:8-9 Both the old and the young men would die.”

“widows: Isa 3:25, Isa 3:26, Isa 4:1 the mother: etc. or, the mother city a young man spoiling, etc. or, the mother and the young men. a spoiler. Jer 4:16, Jer 5:6, Jer 6:4, Jer 6:5; Luk 21:35 Jeremiah 15:9”