Jeremiah 29:21-23

6. The fate of two notorious false prophets (Jeremiah 29:21-23)

TRANSLATION

(21) Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are continuing to prophesy to you a falsehood in My name: Behold, I am about to give them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will smite them before your eyes. (22) A curse shall be derived from them by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab which the king of Babylon roasted in the fire, (23) because they have done folly in Israel, and. have committed adultery with the wives of their neighbors, and they have spoken a word in My name falsely, which I had not commanded them. But I know this, and am a witness to it (oracle of the LORD).

COMMENTS

Two of the leading prophets in Babylon are singled out for special attention by Jeremiah. Nothing more is known of Ahab and Zedekiah than what is here recorded. Jeremiah makes two serious accusations against them. First, he accuses them of prophesying lies in the name of the LORD (Jeremiah 29:21). Then he accuses them of committing adultery (Jeremiah 29:23). Loose theology often is accompanied by loose morality. Jeremiah indicates that these two scoundrels would be delivered into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar who would roast them in a fiery furnace. The Babylonian king no doubt regarded their oracles as treasonous. This allusion to execution by fire brings to mind three brave Hebrew young men whom Nebuchadnezzar attempted to execute in this manner when they refused to bow to a golden image (Daniel 3:6 ff.). Ahab and Zedekiah would be remembered, but not as prophets. Their names would become part of a gruesome formula of imprecation which angry men would hurl at one another (Jeremiah 29:22). God Himself has taken note of the sins of these two hypocrites and He will see to it that they receive their just due (Jeremiah 29:23),