Therefore pray not thou for this people,.... These are the words of the Lord to the Prophet Jeremiah, forbidding him to pray for the people of the Jews; which he either was doing, or about to do, and which, from the great affection he had for them, he was inclined unto; wherefore, to show how much the Lord was displeased with them, and how determined he was to punish them with captivity, he orders the prophet not to make any supplication for them:neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; referring to the gestures of lifting up the eyes and hands in prayer, and also to the frame of the heart, in the exercise of faith and holy confidence: "cry" and "prayer" are put together, because prayer is sometimes made, especially when persons are in great distress, with strong cryings and tears; see Heb 5:7:neither make intercession to me; or, "meet me" ; or come between him and this people, and so act the part of a mediator, of which office intercession is a branch; it properly belongs to Christ.
The Jews say there is no heygp, "meeting", but prayer, or that is always intended by it; for proof of which they cite this passage:for I will not hear thee; on the behalf of them, being so highly provoked by them, and determined they should go into captivity; see Jer 15:1.
yb egpt law "et ne oecurras mihi", Calvin; "et ne obsistas mihi", V. L. "et ne intervenias apud me", Tigurine version. T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 26. 2. Taanith, fol. 7. 2. & 8. 1. Sota, fol. 14. 1. & Sanhedrin, fol.
95.