Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 8:14

14 Why do we sit still? Assemble your selves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there, for the Lord our GOD hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

The people at length seem to bethink themselves, and thus to bespeak each other.

In their scattered Villages, there is no safety for us, let us retire into places of greater security, Matth. 24.16, 17, 18. possibly they thought they might be secured there, as they had been before in the time of Sennacherib.

Keep close within our walls, say or do nothing to provoke the Enemy but sit down, and bewail the desperateness of our condition, Lam. 3.28, 29. or tremblingly expect the issue of this sad war for there is no possibility of making head against such an Enemy, that bears down all before them.

They now begin to perceive, that the hand of God is in all this, and that therefore they have not a word to say, as if they were wronged, God hath put them to shame, much less courage to oppose the Babylonians, their heart fails them, they are as men in a great terror and consternation, God hath put us to silence, let us be silent.

Or Poison probably the name of some poisonous Herb, with the juice or infusion whereof they were wont to kill persons, as Hemlock, Nightshade, &c. See Hos. 10.4. it notes those bitter destructive judgments that God was bringing upon them, chap. 9.15. which did spring from that bitter root of their sinning against him, as in the next words.

Marginal references: chap. 4.5.; chap. 23.15.; Or, poison.