Can anyone break iron, the northern iron and the bronze?
All Commentaries on Jeremiah 15:12 Go To Jeremiah 15
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Iron. Shall the iron (that is, the strength of Juda) stand against the stronger iron of the north, (that is, of Babylon) or enter into an alliance upon equal footing with it? No, certainly; but it must be broken by it. (Challoner)
Iron is not easily united with brass, though Pliny ( xxxiv. 4.) mentions a statue of this nature. Neither iron nor brass can stand against steel, which is meant by the iron from the north. The Jews shall not hurt Jeremias, ver. 20., and chap. i. 17. (Calmet)
Protestants, "shall iron break the northern iron and the steel? "The riches of Juda shall become a prey, ver. 13. (Haydock)
Stronger kingdoms easily oppress their weak allies. (Worthington)