Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 6:26

26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth and wallow thy self in ashes: make thee mourning; as for an only son; most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

i. e. O my people, that art beloved as a daughter.

He calls upon them to mourning in the deepest manner, wherein they can express it, girding with sackcloth, close mourning, chap. 4.8. wallowing in Ashes, chap. 25.34. Mic. 1.10. lying low in humiliation, and prostrating themselves before him, he further describes the Nature of it in the following expression, such as is for the death of a Child, a Son, an onely Son, Amos 8.10. and then seems to sum it up in this bitter, most bitter Lamentation, Heb. wailing of bitternesses noting the highest degrees of Lamentation, he seems to want words to express it. See chap. 9.17, 18. and it is likely the Prophet doth not so designedly exhort them to repent, as rather describe the state of persons in a lost, and despairing condition. For here the Prophet takes upon himself the person of one denouncing war: And sack-cloth, and ashes is often mentioned where there is no hope of Conversion, or Repentance.

The King of Babylon and his Army, chap. 4.8.

Marginal references: chap. 25.34.; Zech. 12.10.