Jeremiah 21:1

JEREMIAH CHAPTER 21 King Zedekiah in the siege sendeth to Jeremiah to inquire of the event, Jeremiah 21:1,2. He foretelleth a hard siege and miserable captivity, Jeremiah 21:3. He counselleth the people to fall to the Chaldeans, Jeremiah 21:8; and upbraideth the king's house, Jeremiah 21:11. God at sundry times, and in diver's manners, spake in times past to the fathers by the prophets, Hebrews 1:1. The two principal were visions and dreams, Numbers 12:6. How the following word came to Jeremiah is not expressed, it is enough that he knew it came from the Lord. It is apparent some prophecies in this book are not put in the right order as they were delivered. Jer 25 $, we have an account of the word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, who was the second son of Josiah, made king by Pharaoh-necho, pursuing his victory mentioned 2 Chronicles 35:22 upon the battle, in which Josiah was killed, as we read there. The people made Jehoahaz king, but he reigned but three months; and the conqueror carrying him away, made Eliakim his brother king, changing his name to Jehoiakim, who reigned eleven years, that is, seven after the word of the Lord, mentioned Jer 25, came to Jeremiah; after whom Jehoiachin his son reigned three months and ten days: Zedekiah was his uncle, the son of Josiah, he reigned eleven years. So that it is plain that Jeremiah's prophecy mentioned Jer 25 was seven years and three months before this, besides the number of years that Zedekiah had reigned. But some think that Jer 23 Jer 24 Jer 25, doth but make a repetition to Zedekiah's messengers of what he had before prophesied. This message was (as appeareth by the next verse) when Nebuchadrezzar was come up to make war against Jerusalem, Jeremiah 39:1. Jeremiah was at liberty when the word of the Lord at this time came to him, so as it was some time before the city was taken. The fatal siege held about a year and half, as appears by Jeremiah 39:1,2. The Pashur mentioned here was another from him mentioned Jeremiah 20:1: he was the son of Immer, of the sixteenth course of the priests, and of a more rugged, ill temper; this was the son of Melchiah, and so of the fifth course. See 1 Chronicles 24:9,14.