21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear:
21 "Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.
21 Listen to this, you scatterbrains, airheads, With eyes that see but don't really look, and ears that hear but don't really listen.
21 'Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not:
21 Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear.
2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
2 "Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.
2 "Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.
2 "Son of man, you're living with a bunch of rebellious people. They have eyes but don't see a thing, they have ears but don't hear a thing. They're rebels all.
2 "Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house.
2 "Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people.
(Read Ezekiel 12:1-16)
By the preparation for removal, and his breaking through the wall of his house at evening, as one desirous to escape from the enemy, the prophet signified the conduct and fate of Zedekiah. When God has delivered us, we must glorify him and edify others, by acknowledging our sins. Those who by afflictions are brought to this, are made to know that God is the Lord, and may help to bring others to know him.
11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
11 "But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.
11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.
11 "But did your ancestors listen? No, they set their jaws in defiance. They shut their ears.
11 "But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.
11 "Your ancestors refused to listen to this message. They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing.
(Read Zechariah 7:8-14)
God's judgements upon Israel of old for their sins, were written to warn Christians. The duties required are, not keeping fasts and offering sacrifices, but doing justly and loving mercy, which tend to the public welfare and peace. The law of God lays restraint upon the heart. But they filled their minds with prejudices against the word of God. Nothing is harder than the heart of a presumptuous sinner. See the fatal consequences of this to their fathers. Great sins against the Lord of hosts, bring great wrath from his power, which cannot be resisted. Sin, if regarded in the heart, will certainly spoil the success of prayer. The Lord always hears the cry of the broken-hearted penitent; yet all who die impenitent and unbelieving, will find no remedy or refuge from miseries which while here they despised and defied, but which they then will not be able to bear.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,
57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together
57 Yelling and hissing, the mob drowned him out. Now in full stampede,
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him
(Read Acts 7:54-60)
Nothing is so comfortable to dying saints, or so encouraging to suffering saints, as to see Jesus at the right hand of God: blessed be God, by faith we may see him there. Stephen offered up two short prayers in his dying moments. Our Lord Jesus is God, to whom we are to seek, and in whom we are to trust and comfort ourselves, living and dying. And if this has been our care while we live, it will be our comfort when we die. Here is a prayer for his persecutors. Though the sin was very great, yet if they would lay it to their hearts, God would not lay it to their charge. Stephen died as much in a hurry as ever any man did, yet, when he died, the words used are, he fell asleep; he applied himself to his dying work with as much composure as if he had been going to sleep. He shall awake again in the morning of the resurrection, to be received into the presence of the Lord, where is fulness of joy, and to share the pleasures that are at his right hand, for evermore.
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
4 They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.
4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
(Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5)
People will turn away from the truth, they will grow weary of the plain gospel of Christ, they will be greedy of fables, and take pleasure in them. People do so when they will not endure that preaching which is searching, plain, and to the purpose. Those who love souls must be ever watchful, must venture and bear all the painful effects of their faithfulness, and take all opportunities of making known the pure gospel.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 5:21
Commentary on Jeremiah 5:19-31
(Read Jeremiah 5:19-31)
Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge God with being unjust in their afflictions. But they may read their sin in their punishment. If men will inquire wherefore the Lord doeth hard things unto them, let them think of their sins. The restless waves obeyed the Divine decree, that they should not pass the sandy shores, which were as much a restraint as lofty mountains; but they burst all restraints of God's law, and were wholly gone into wickedness. Neither did they consider their interest. While the Lord, year after year, reserves to us the appointed weeks of harvest, men live on his bounty; yet they transgress against him. Sin deprives us of God's blessings; it makes the heaven as brass, and the earth as iron. Certainly the things of this world are not the best things; and we are not to think, that, because evil men prosper, God allows their practices. Though sentence against evil works is not executed speedily, it will be executed. Shall I not visit for these things? This speaks the certainty and the necessity of God's judgments. Let those who walk in bad ways consider that an end will come, and there will be bitterness in the latter end.