Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 2:30

30 In vain have I smitten your children ; they received no correction : your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion .

Either your posterity, that you breed up like your selves, or rather, your inhabitants in every City, they being frequently called the Children of such a City, or such a Place, Children of S[illegible: 1 letter]ir, 2 Chron. 25.14. Children of the Province, Ezra 2.1. and Children of this People, Lev. 19.18. and abundance more the like, and thus it is comprehensive both of Parents and Children.

i. e. The fruit of correction, viz. instruction the same word is rendred correction, Pro. 23.13. which signifies instruction, Pro. 5.12. and other places, & so to be taken here, it notes their refractoryness, that tho they were corrected, yet they would not be instructed, thoughGod did smite them, yet the rod prevailed as little with them, as the word.

Either the sword, that I have sent to destroy you hath destroyed your False-Prophets together with you, Hos. 4.5. and so it is, both a Prophesie, and a threatning: or rather, you have been so far from receiving counsel, and instruction, that you have by the sword, and other wayes of destruction, which is to be understood by the Sword, murdered those, that I sent to reprove your follies in the dayes of Asa, Ioash, Manasseh, &c. Neh. 9.26. See Matth. 23.34, 35.

Or eaten up, a Metaphor, hence we read of the edge of the Sword, which both in Hebrew and Greek is called the mouth of the Sword, chap. 21.7. Luk. 21.24.

Without respect, or pity, with all manner of savage usage. See Psal. 7.2. laying aside all humanity.

Marginal references: Isa. 1.5. and 9.13. chap 5.3.; Matth. 23.29. &c.