Jeremiah 6:26

“O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, etc.] Either as a token of repentance for sin; so the king of Nineveh and his subjects did, to show their repentance, (Jon 3:6,8) or as a sign of mourning, for the calamities coming on them, (<013734>Genesis 37:34) and wallow thyself in ashes; or roll thyself in them, as a token of the same. The Targum is, “cover your heads with ashes.” Make thee mourning as for an only son; which of all is the most bitter: and therefore it is added, most bitter lamentation; (see <381210>Zechariah 12:10). For the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us; namely, Nebuchadnezzar, that would spoil their cities, towns, villages, and houses, and them of all their…”

“wallow . . . in ashes-- (Jer 25:34; Mic 1:10). As they usually in mourning only "cast ashes on the head," wallowing in them means something more, namely, so entirely to cover one's self with ashes as to be like one who had rolled in them (Eze 27:30). as for an only son-- (Amo 8:10; Zac 12:10). lamentation--literally, "lamentation expressed by beating the breast."”

“Wallow thyself in ashes - Violent distress is accustomed to find relief in eccentric actions, and thus the wallowing in ashes shows that Jerusalem’s grief is unbearable. The spoiler - Nebuchadnezzar. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Gird thee - The prophet calls upon them to mourn in the deepest manner. Jeremiah 6:27”

“6:26 Jeremiah advised the people to put on burlap and sit among the ashes to show remorse for their sin and to beg for God’s mercy (Isa 58:5; Amos 8:10; Jon 3:6; Mic 1:10).”

“daughter: Jer 6:14, Jer 4:11, Jer 8:19, Jer 8:21, Jer 8:22, Jer 9:1, Jer 14:17; Isa 22:4; Lam 2:11, Lam 3:48, Lam 4:3, Lam 4:6, Lam 4:10 gird: Jer 4:8, Jer 25:33, Jer 25:34; Isa 32:11; Eze 27:30, Eze 27:31; Mic 1:8-10 make thee: Jer 9:1, Jer 9:10, Jer 9:17-22, Jer 13:17; Isa 22:12; Lam 1:2, Lam 1:16; Eze 7:16-18; Zac 12:10; Luk 7:12; Jam 4:9, Jam 5:1 for the: Jer 4:20, Jer 12:12, Jer 15:8; Isa 30:13 Jeremiah 6:27”

“Sorest affliction will seize the inhabitants of Jerusalem. As to "daughter of my people," cf. Jer 4:11; on "gird thee with sackcloth," cf. Jer 4:8. To bestrew the head with ashes is a mode of expressing the greatest affliction; cf. Eze 27:30; Mic 1:10. אבל as in Amo 8:10; Zac 12:10. The closing verses of this discourse ( Jer 6:27-30) are regarded by Hitz. as a meditation upon the results of his labours. "He was to try the people, and he found it to be evil." But in this he neglects the connection of these verses with the preceding. From the conclusion of Jer 6:30, "Jahveh hath rejected them," we may see that they stand connected in matter with the threatening of the spoiler; and the fact is…”