_In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim_, &c. The preceding chapter is dated in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, but ascribed, with probability, to the early part of that year. This chapter is dated in the beginning of the same reign. Hence it has been concluded, that this must have pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Stand in the court of the Lord's house_ The great court where both men and women ordinarily worshipped, says Dr. Lightfoot, when they brought no sacrifice; for when they did so, they were to bring it into the inner court, otherwise called the court of Israel, or of the priests, as the same learned... [ Continue Reading ]
_So the priests and the prophets_ Namely, the false prophets; they who pretended to be prophets, though they had received no divine commission. _And all the people_ Who were present at that time; _heard Jeremiah, &c., in the house of the Lord_ That is, “In the court before the Lord's house. The oute... [ Continue Reading ]
_The priests and prophets took him_, &c. As a disturber of the government, and a discourager of the people from defending their country against the enemy, in prophesying that the temple and city of Jerusalem should become a desolation. _When the princes of Judah heard these things_ That is, the king... [ Continue Reading ]
_Amend your ways, and the Lord will repent_, &c. It appears here again that God's determination to give up Jerusalem to destruction was conditional: see note on Jeremiah 18:7. If the people had repented of their sins, and reformed their conduct, their ruin would have been prevented, and they would h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then rose up certain of the elders_ Either the princes before mentioned, or the more intelligent men of the people, stood up, and put the assembly in mind of a former case, as is usual with us in giving judgment, the wisdom of our predecessors being a direction to us. The case referred to is that o... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there was also a man_ There are three different opinions respecting the following passage. The first ascribes it to an opposite party, who, by a contrary precedent to the foregoing, urged the condemnation of Jeremiah, a precedent in which the speaking such words as he had spoken was adjudged tr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nevertheless, the hand of Ahikam, &c., was with Jeremiah_ Both he and his father Shaphan were chief ministers under Josiah, 2 Kings 22:12. And the brothers of Ahikam, Gemariah, Elasah, and Jaazaniah were considerable men in those days, with Ahikam, and members of the great council; Jeremiah 29:3; E... [ Continue Reading ]