Please read the passage first.
Across the River Jordan, not far from Jerusalem, was a land called Gilead. It was famous for its spices, ointments, and herbal remedies. The merchants to whom Joseph was sold "had come from Gilead with camels bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt" (Gen 37:25).
Now that is one of the lovely ironies of the Bible story, that Joseph was thrown in with the spices and the balm, as just another piece of merchandise. Yet his children would one day come to possess the land of Gilead, and its balm would be theirs to make their fortunes from (Jsh 17:1).
But we come back to Jerusalem in Jeremiah's time, as the Lord contemplates the spiritual sickness there:
Of course, the literal balm of Gilead could not heal the spiritual sores of Jerusalem. But just as they could go to Gilead for balm to heal sores upon their bodies, so they could go to the physician in the spiritual Gilead (heaven) to find healing for their spiritual ills.
God's question, "Is there no balm in Gilead?" means "Why haven't you come to me for healing for your souls?" The implied answer to the question is affirmative. Yet, the people have not experienced healing. Why do people, perhaps even you and I, not come to the heavenly physician for spiritual healing?
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