Jeremiah 26:1-24. Solemn warning addressed to the people and its
results
This ch. as a whole gives us a rapid sketch of the circumstances
under which Jeremiah had uttered the prophecies that went before. The
more definite he had become in his warnings, the more he excited the
wrath of the false pro... [ Continue Reading ]
For a discussion as to the relation of these _vv_. to chs. 7 10 see
introductory note there.
Gi. points out that the use of the 3rd person with reference to
Jeremiah as well as other features of the ch. indicate the probability
that it is a compilation made by Baruch, upon which the following chs.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the court of the Lord's house_ probably the outer court, as that in
which the people would assemble; so ch. Jeremiah 19:14.
_the cities of_ LXX omit; introduced perhaps to harmonize with
Jeremiah 11:6.
_keep not back a word_ The temptation in the way of suppression would
be through natural shrink... [ Continue Reading ]
_repent_ See on Jeremiah 18:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
_my law_ See on Jeremiah 8:8. Here the reference, as the following
clause indicates, is to the doctrinal rather than the ritual teaching.
_I have set before you_ See on Jeremiah 9:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
_rising up early and sending_ See Jeremiah 7:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shiloh_ See on Jeremiah 7:12.
_will make this city a curse to_ will make all nations use it as an
example when imprecating curses on their enemies. Cp. Jeremiah 24:9
and contrast Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_prophets_ The LXX, in order to make the sense clearer, render the
Hebrew here, as in Jeremiah 26:8_; Jeremiah 26:11; Jeremiah 26:16_,
"_false_prophets.... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to ch.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt surely die_ That prophet who spoke without God's command
was according to Deuteronomy 18:20 to be put to death. The charge
against Jeremiah then was of this nature, and the alleged proof, that
it was impossible in the nature of things that such a calamity could
be allowed to happen to th... [ Continue Reading ]
_the princes of Judah … came up from the king's house_ The powers of
these persons are not clear. Evidently, however, their employment
about the court and the constantly increasing weakness of the monarchy
would help them to the acquisition of such authority as we find them
here exercising.
_came u... [ Continue Reading ]
_hath prophesied against this city_ Cp. Acts 6:12 ff.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah's defence is that the message is from God and therefore true.
His conviction is unshaken. Let his accusers beware, lest in putting
him to death they be really fighting against God. Cp. Gamaliel in Acts
5:39.... [ Continue Reading ]
_your ways and your doings_ See on Jeremiah 7:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
The princes, not being prejudiced as were Jeremiah's accusers, give a
fair decision and carry the people with them.... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to ch.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the elders of the land_ Certain elders support this proceeding by the
precedent of Micah. We find frequent mention of the employment of
leading men for administrative or judicial purposes (Deuteronomy
19:12; Deuteronomy 21:2 ff.; 1Sa 16:4; 1 Kings 21:8; 1 Kings 21:11),
or simply as representatives... [ Continue Reading ]
_Micaiah_ So MT. reads in its text. _Micah_in its mg. is of course the
Minor Prophet.
_Morashtite_ native of Morésheth, a small town near Gath, about 23
miles S.W. of Jerusalem.
_Zion shall be plowed_, etc.] Micah 3:12; the only citation by name of
another prophet's utterance in the whole of proph... [ Continue Reading ]
_Did Hezekiah … put him at all to death_? [The words of Micah had
been to the full as harsh-sounding as any that had been uttered by
Jeremiah. Jeremiah was attacked for predicting the fall of the Temple
and city; but Micah had said the same thing and no action was taken
against him. The precedent su... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kiriath-jearim_ perhaps _Karyet-el-Enab_seven miles N.W. of Jerusalem
on the road to Joppa (Jaffa).... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to ch. The story is introduced by the compiler
(probably Baruch) to illustrate the risk to which Jeremiah was
exposed; perhaps also to contrast Jeremiah's courage and Uriah's
cowardice. Du. suggests that the occurrence took place at the same
Feast, but at a moment when the king w... [ Continue Reading ]
_with all his mighty men_ The LXX omit, and the expression is not
found elsewhere in the Book.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Elnathan … into Egypt_ omitted by LXX and perhaps a gloss. Gi.
points out that what we read of him in Jeremiah 36:12; Jeremiah 36:25
would make such an act as this on his part unlikely. On the other hand
it is difficult for this very reason to understand his name being
inserted here by a copyist. I... [ Continue Reading ]
_they fetched forth Uriah out of Egypt_ As Jehoiakim was a vassal of
Egypt (2 Kings 23:34), the extradition of a man accused of treason was
easily effected.
_common people_ For mg. _sons of the people_cp. Jeremiah 17:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ahikam the son of Shaphan_ He was one of the five sent by Josiah (2
Kings 22:12) to consult Huldah. His son Gedaliah, as governor of the
land (Jeremiah 39:14; Jeremiah 40:5), stood the prophet's friend
subsequently. It was in the chamber of another son of Shaphan,
Gemariah, that Baruch read Jeremia... [ Continue Reading ]