Here Jeremiah complains of the obstinate contempt of the people; he found them not only uncourteous but even petulant towards God, so that they hesitated not to discredit all prophecies, to despise the promises, and boldly to reject all threatenings. The Prophet had often threatened them; and when God delayed the time, they made a wrong use of his forbearance, as it is commonly the case with the reprobate. Nor did they deem it enough even to add sins to sins, but they openly and petulantly provoked God, "Where is the word? many years have now elapsed since thou hast continually spoken of war, of famine, and of pestilence; but we still remain quiet, and God spares us; where then is the word of Jehovah, which thou hast announced?" We now then see how great was the wilfulness of this people, for the teaching of Jeremiah became not only useless but was treated with ridicule. They had however heard much before from the mouth of Isaiah, "Alas! when the Lord calls you to ashes and sackcloth, ye say, "Let us eat and drink, to-morrow we shall die." "As I live, saith the Lord, not forgiven to you shall be this iniquity." (Isaiah 22:12-14.) God then had sworn by his own glory that their sin would be inexpiable, because they continued obstinately in their vices, and were in no degree terrified by the threatenings of the prophets. We however see that they ever became worse and worse. Isaiah was dead when they thus spoke in contempt and mockery, Where is the word of Jehovah? let it now come, as though they designedly provoked God, like one who despises his enemy, and says, "Oh! thou art indeed to be dreaded, if thou art to be believed; let us now see thy power, shew to us what thou canst do." Thus contemptibly did they utter their scoffs, when God by his servants made known to them the approaching ruin which they deserved. We see, in short, that the Prophet shews here that they had come to a hopeless state. [1] It follows --

Footnotes

1 - The Targum thus paraphrases the verse, -- Behold they say to me "Where is what thou hast prophesied in the name of the Lord? let it be now confirmed." Their language was similar to that of those mentioned in 2-Peter 3:4. -- Ed.

This taunt shows that this prophecy was written before any very signal fulfillment of Jeremiah's words had taken place, and prior therefore to the capture of Jerusalem at the close of Jehoiakim's life. "Now" means "I pray," and is ironical.

Where is the word of the Lord? - Where is the accomplishment of his threatenings? Thou hast said that the city and the temple should both be destroyed. No such events have yet taken place. But they did take place, and every tittle of the menace was strictly fulfilled.

Behold, (o) they say to me, Where [is] the word of the LORD? let it come now.
(o) The wicked say that my prophecy will not come to pass, because you deferred the time of your vengeance.

Behold, they say unto me,.... Or, "they are saying unto me" (y), continually; these were their daily flouts and jeers:
Where is the word of the Lord? that thou hast so often talked of? thou hast for a long time threatened us with a siege, and famine, pestilence, and the sword, and captivity, but none of these come to pass; where is the accomplishment of them? thou hast pretended to have the word of the Lord for all this; but where is it, or the fulfilment of it? so the Targum,
"where is that which thou hast prophesied in the name of the Lord?''
the judgments, as punishments for sin, he prophesied of. This has been always usual in all ages, that when God's judgments threatened have not been immediately executed, scoffers and mockers have rose up, suggesting they would never come; see Malachi 2:17;
let it come now; immediately, or we shall not believe it ever will; a very impudent, daring, and wicked expression: this is like that in Isaiah 5:19. The Targum is,
"let it now be confirmed;''
or fulfilled; declaring as their impiety, so their infidelity; not believing it ever would be fulfilled.
(y) "ecce illi sunt dicentes ad me", Schmidt.

Where is the word?-- (Isaiah 5:19; Amos 5:18). Where is the fulfilment of the threats which thou didst utter as from God? A characteristic of the last stage of apostasy (2-Peter 3:4).

Where - Daring the vengeance of God.