阅读经文 

想一想当你看到你所爱的人拒绝接受有助于使他们康复的药物或治疗的时刻，这真的很痛苦，虽然有时除了向神呼求外，也没有别的办法。

这就是耶利米在这段经文中所做的。耶利米是神差遣的先知，叫他的百姓接受只有神才能提供的医治，但百姓不愿意回转向神求告。

作为哀伤的一部份，耶利米问了一个充满悲伤的问题：“基列没有乳香吗？在那里岂没有医生呢？” 尽管耶利米问了这个问题，但他知道答案：医治之道是有的。

古代以色列的基列地区以当地树上的医治乳香而闻名。我们今天使用的许多药物也是从树叶和树皮中提取的，例如，阿司匹林就来自柳树中的水杨酸，但耶利米也在说，即使基列到处都是医治的树，但真正的医治者是神自己。

在一首古老的属灵赞美诗《基列有乳香》中，作者将耶利米的问题反转为陈述，这首歌的结论是：不仅有医治的乳香，而且这乳香就是神的灵，他使我们的灵魂再次复苏。

Think of a time when you have seen someone you love reject the medicine or treatment that would help to make them well. It's really painful to watch, though sometimes not much can be done except to cry out to God.

That is what Jeremiah is doing in this passage. Jeremiah was a prophet sent by God to call his people to receive the healing that only God could provide. But the people would not turn back to God.

As part of the lament, Jeremiah asks a question full of sadness: "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?" Even though Jeremiah asks this question, he knows the answer: there is a cure.

The area of Gilead in ancient Israel was famous for its healing balm that came from the local trees. Much of the medicine we use today is also derived from leaves and bark. For example, aspirin comes from salicylic acid, which is found in willow trees. But Jeremiah is also saying that even though Gilead is full of healing trees, the real healer is God himself.

In an old spiritual hymn, "There Is a Balm in Gilead," the writer reverses Jeremiah's question into a statement, and the conclusion of the song is that not only is there a healing balm, but the balm is the Spirit of God, who revives our souls again.