The Prophet speaks first without a figure, then he illustrates the simple truth by a metaphor. He says that there was no one to undertake the cause of the people; as though he had said, that they were destitute of every aid. This was, indeed, in a measure already evident; but so supine was the security of the people, that they daily formed for themselves some new hopes. Then Jeremiah declared what had already in part happened and was still impending; and thus he proved the folly of the people, who still flattered themselves while they were involved in evils almost without a remedy. "Thou seest," he says, "that there is no one to stretch forth a hand to thee, or who is ready to help thee; and yet thou thinkest that thou wilt soon be free: whence is this vain expectation?" He then comes to a metaphor, There is no one to apply medicine for thy healing In one sentence he includes the whole first chapter of Isaiah, who handles the subject, but explains more fully his meaning. There is, however, nothing obscure when the Prophet says that there was no one to heal the evils of the people. [1] We must ever bear in mind his object, that is, that the people were too easily deceived, when they hoped to return shortly to their own country. But we may hence gather a general truth, -- that men never understand the favor of God until they are subdued by many and severe reproofs: for they always shun God's judgment, and then they become blind to their own sins, and foolishly flatter themselves. And, further, when they only in words confess that they have sinned, they think that they have done abundantly enough. They ought therefore to be urged to the practice and duty of repentance. It afterwards follows --

Footnotes

1 - According to Calvin, the verse reads thus, -- No one undertakes thy cause; For a cure, medicines and healing thou hast not. This division is made by the Sept., though not by the other versions, nor the Targ. Venema adopts it. The word mzvr, rendered above "cure," means evidently a wound. It only occurs here, and Obadiah 7, and twice in Hosea 5:13, where it is rendered "wound." It comes from zvr, in the sense of compressing or binding up; but the noun taken passively, signifies what is compressed or bound up, and that is a wound. Then the literal rendering would be -- None is pleading thy cause; As to the wound, medicatives, binding up, none to thee; or in other words, -- As to the wound, thou hast no medicatives, no binding up. The word rph'vt means medicatives or medicaments, rather than medicines, as it designates here, and in most places, outward applications to wounds and bruises. The order, as in the foregoing verse, is reversed, the medicaments are put before the binding up. See Ezekiel 30:21. -- Ed.

That thou mayest be bound up - Others put a stop after "cause," and translate, For binding thy wound, healing plaster thou hast none.

There is none to plead thy cause - All thy friends and allies have forsaken thee.

There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up,.... None that will give themselves the trouble to look into their wound to judge of it; to consult, and reason, and debate about the nature of it; and what methods are most advisable to take for the healing and binding of it up: or, as others, "for the compression" (w) of it; the squeezing out the corrupt matter, in order to bring it to a cure:
thou hast no healing medicines; either of thine own, or of others, preparing for thee: the design of all these expressions is to show the helpless and hopeless state of the people of Israel, before their call, conversion, and restoration; by which it will appear to be the Lord's work, and his only; and since he was able to do it, and would do it, therefore Jacob and Israel had no reason to be afraid and dismayed, though their case might seem desperate.
(w) "compressioni", Junius & Tremellius; "ad compressionem", Gataker.

none to plead--a new image from a court of justice.
bound up--namely, with the bandages applied to tie up a wound.
no healing medicines--literally, "medicines of healing," or else applications, (literally, "ascensions") of medicaments.

No medicine - The prophet's design was to convince them, that there was no present remedy, but patience, though their false prophets might promise a cure.