1Gegen Anfang der Königschaft Jojakims Sohns Joschijahus, Königs von Jehuda, geschah diese Rede von IHM her, es sprach: 2So hat ER gesprochen: Tritt in den Hof MEINES Hauses, rede an alle Städte Jehudas - die kommen, sich in MEINEM Hause niederzuwerfen - alle Rede, die ich dir zu ihnen zu reden gebiete, kürze nimmer ein Redewort! 3Vielleicht hören sie doch und sie kehren um, von seinem bösen Weg jedermann, dann lasse ich mirs leid sein des Bösen, das an ihnen zu tun ich plane um die Bosheit ihrer Geschäfte. 4Sprich zu ihnen: So hat ER gesprochen: Hört ihr nicht auf mich, in meiner Weisung zu gehen, die ich vor euch hin gab, 5zu hören auf die Reden meiner Diener, der Künder, - die ich zu euch sende, Sendung vom Frühmorgen an, und ihr wollt nicht hören, - 6will ich dieses Haus hingeben wie Schilo, und hingeben will ich diese Stadt zur Verwünschung allen Stämmen der Erde. 7Sie hörten zu, die Priester, die Künder, alles Volk, dem Jirmejahu, der diese Rede redete in SEINEM Haus. 8Es geschah, als Jirmejahu allgeendet hatte zu reden alles, was ER ihm zu allem Volk zu reden geboten hatte, ergriffen ihn die Priester, die Künder und alles Volk, sprechend: Sterben mußt du, sterben! 9weshalb kündest du mit SEINEM Namen, sprichst: Schilo gleich soll dieses Haus werden, diese Stadt veröden, insassenlos! Alles Volk sammelte sich um Jirmejahu in SEINEM Haus. 10Als aber die Obern von Jehuda von all dieser Rede hörten, stiegen sie vom Königshaus zu SEINEM Haus auf, sie setzten sich im Einlaß SEINES neuen Tors. 11Da sprachen die Priester und die Künder zu den Obern und zu allem Volk, sprachen: Rechtspruch auf Tod ist für diesen Mann, denn gegen diese Stadt hat er gekündet, wie ihrs gehört habt mit euren Ohren. 12Jirmejahu sprach zu allen Obern und zu allem Volk, sprach: ER ists, der mich gesandt hat, gegen dieses Haus, gegen diese Stadt zu künden all die Rede, die ihr gehört habt. 13Jetzt also bessert eure Wege und eure Geschäfte, hört auf SEINE eures Gottes Stimme, und leidsein will ER sichs lassen des Bösen, das wider euch er geredet hat. 14Ich aber, hier bin ich in eurer Hand, tut an mir, wies euren Augen gut und gerad dünkt, 15nur wissen sollt ihr es, wissen, daß, tötet ihr mich, daß unsträfliches Blut ihr dann gebt über euch, an diese Stadt, an ihre Insassen, denn, in Treuen: ER hat mich an euch hergesandt, in eure Ohren all diese Rede zu reden. 16Da sprachen die Obern und alles Volk zu den Priestern und zu den Kündern: Keinesfalls ist für diesen Mann Rechtspruch auf Tod, denn mit SEINEM, unsres Gottes, Namen durfte er zu uns reden. 17Männer von den Ältesten des Landes standen auf, die sprachen zu aller Versammlung des Volkes, sprachen: 18Micha der Moraschtit hat in den Tagen Chiskijahus Königs von Jehuda gekündet, er sprach zu allem Volk von Jehuda, sprach: So hat ER der Umscharte gesprochen: Zion wird als Feld gepflügt, Jerusalem wird eine Schutthalde, der Berg des Hauses zum Kuppenhain. 19Hat ihn etwa töten lassen, töten Chiskijahu, König von Jehuda, und alles Jehuda?! fürchtet er nicht IHN, sänftete IHM das Antlitz?! da ließ ER sichs leidsein des Bösen, das wider sie er geredet hatte! wir aber wollen ein Großböses tun - wider unsre eigenen Seelen! 20Auch war dann ein Mann, der kündete mit SEINEM Namen, Urijahu Sohn Schmajahus aus Kirjat Jearim, der kündete wider diese Stadt und wider dieses Land allwie die Reden Jirmejahus. 21Der König Jojakim hörte seine Reden, samt all seinen Helden und all seinen Obern. Nun trachtete der König ihn zu töten. Urijahu hörte davon, er fürchtete sich, entwich, kam nach Ägypten. 22Aber der König Jojakim sandte Männer nach Ägypten, Elnatan Sohn Achbors und Mannschaft mit ihm nach Ägypten, 23sie holten Urijahu aus Ägypten, ließen ihn zum König Jojakim kommen, der hieß ihn mit dem Schwert erschlagen, seinen Leichnam aber auf die Gräberstätte des Pöbelvolks werfen. 24Fortan jedoch war mit Jirmejahu die Hand Achikams Sohns Schafans, daß man ihn nicht in die Hand des Volks gäbe, ihn zu töten.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 JEREMIAH DECLARED WORTHY OF DEATH, BUT BY THE INTERPOSITION OF AHIKAM SAVED; THE SIMILAR CASES OF MICAH AND URIJAH BEING ADDUCED IN THE PROPHET'S FAVOR. (Jer. 26:1-24)
in the court--the largest court, from which he could be heard by the whole people.
come to worship--Worship is vain without obedience (
1Sam 15:21-22).
all the words-- (
Ezek 3:10).
diminish not a word-- (
Deut 4:2;
Deut 12:32;
Pro 30:6;
Acts 20:27;
2Cor 2:17;
2Cor 4:2;
Rev 22:19). Not suppressing or softening aught for fear of giving offense; nor setting forth coldly and indirectly what can only by forcible statement do good.
3 if so be--expressed according to human conceptions; not as if God did not foreknow all contingencies, but to mark the obstinacy of the people and the difficulty of healing them; and to show His own goodness in making the offer which left them without excuse [CALVIN].
5 prophets--the inspired interpreters of the law (
Jer 26:4), who adapted it to the use of the people.
6 like Shiloh--(see on
Jer 7:12;
Jer 7:14;
1Sam 4:10-12;
Ps 78:60).
curse-- (
Jer 24:9;
Isa 65:15).
8 priests--The captain (or prefect) of the temple had the power of apprehending offenders in the temple with the sanction of the priests.
prophets--the false prophets. The charge against Jeremiah was that of uttering falsehood in Jehovah's name, an act punishable with death (
Deut 18:20). His prophecy against the temple and city (
Jer 26:11) might speciously be represented as contradicting God's own words (
Ps 132:14). Compare the similar charge against Stephen (
Acts 6:13-
Acts 6:14).
10 princes--members of the Council of State or Great Council, which took cognizance of such offenses.
heard--the clamor of the popular tumult.
came up--from the king's house to the temple, which stood higher than the palace.
sat--as judges, in the gate, the usual place of trying such cases.
new gate--originally built by Jotham ("the higher gate,"
2Kgs 15:35) and now recently restored.
12 Lord sent me--a valid justification against any laws alleged against him.
against . . . against--rather, "concerning." Jeremiah purposely avoids saying, "against," which would needlessly irritate. They had used the same Hebrew word (
Jer 26:11), which ought to be translated "concerning," though they meant it in the unfavorable sense. Jeremiah takes up their word in a better sense, implying that there is still room for repentance: that his prophecies aim at the real good of the city; for or concerning this house . . . city [GROTIUS].
13 (
Jer 26:3,
Jer 26:19).
14 Jeremiah's humility is herein shown, and submission to the powers that be (
Rom 13:1).
15 bring . . . upon yourselves--So far will you be from escaping the predicted evils by shedding my blood, that you will, by that very act, only incur heavier penalties (
Matt 23:35).
16 princes . . . all the people--The fickle people, as they were previously influenced by the priests to clamor for his death (
Jer 26:8), so now under the princes' influence require that he shall not be put to death. Compare as to Jesus, Jeremiah's antitype, the hosannas of the multitude a few days before the same people, persuaded by the priests as in this case, cried, Away with Him, crucify Him (
Matt 21:1-
Matt 21:11;
Matt 27:20-
Matt 27:25). The priests, through envy of his holy zeal, were more his enemies than the princes, whose office was more secular than religious. A prophet could not legally be put to death unless he prophesied in the name of other gods (therefore, they say, "in the name of the Lord"), or after his prophecy had failed in its accomplishment. Meanwhile, if he foretold calamity, he might be imprisoned. Compare Micaiah's case (1Ki. 22:1-28).
17 Compare Gamaliel's interposition (
Acts 5:34, &c.).
elders--some of the "princes" mentioned (
Jer 26:16) those whose age, as well as dignity, would give weight to the precedents of past times which they adduce.
18 (
Mic 3:12).
Morasthite--called so from a village of the tribe Judah.
Hezekiah--The precedent in the reign of such a good king proved that Jeremiah was not the only prophet, or the first, who threatened the city and the temple without incurring death.
mountain of the house--Moriah, on which stood the temple (peculiarly called "the house") shall be covered with woods instead of buildings. Jeremiah, in quoting previous prophecies, never does so without alteration; he adapts the language to his own style, showing thereby his authority in his treatment of Scripture, as being himself inspired.
19 Hezekiah, so far from killing him, was led "to fear the Lord," and pray for remission of the sentence against Judah (
2Chr 32:26).
Lord repented-- (
Exod 32:14;
2Sam 24:16).
Thus--if we kill Jeremiah.
20 As the flight and capture of Urijah must have occupied some time, "the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim" (
Jer 26:1) must not mean the very beginning, but the second or third year of his eleven years' reign.
And . . . also--perhaps connected with
Jer 26:24, as the comment of the writer, not the continuation of the speech of the elders: "And although also a man that prophesied . . . Urijah . . . (proving how great was the danger in which Jeremiah stood, and how wonderful the providence of God in preserving him), nevertheless the hand of Ahikam," &c. [GLASSIUS]. The context, however, implies rather that the words are the continuation of the previous speech of the elders. They adduce another instance besides that of Micah, though of a different kind, namely, that of Urijah: he suffered for his prophecies, but they imply, though they do not venture to express it, that thereby sin has been added to sin, and that it has done no good to Jehoiakim, for that the notorious condition of the state at this time shows that a heavier vengeance is impending if they persevere in such acts of violence [CALVIN].
22 Jehoiakim sent . . . into Egypt--He had been put on the throne by Pharaoh of Egypt (
2Kgs 23:34). This explains the readiness with which he got the Egyptians to give up Urijah to him, when that prophet had sought an asylum in Egypt. Urijah was faithful in delivering his message, but faulty in leaving his work, so God permitted him to lose his life, while Jeremiah was protected in danger. The path of duty is often the path of safety.
23 graves of the common people--literally, "sons of the people" (compare
2Kgs 23:6). The prophets seem to have had a separate cemetery (
Matt 23:29). Urijah's corpse was denied this honor, in order that he should not be regarded as a true prophet.
24 Ahikam--son of Shaphan the scribe, or royal secretary. He was one of those whom King Josiah, when struck by the words of the book of the law, sent to inquire of the Lord (
2Kgs 22:12,
2Kgs 22:14). Hence his interference here in behalf of Jeremiah is what we should expect from his past association with that good king. His son, Gedaliah, followed in his father's steps, so that he was chosen by the Babylonians as the one to whom they committed Jeremiah for safety after taking Jerusalem, and on whose loyalty they could depend in setting him over the remnant of the people in Judea (
Jer 39:14;
2Kgs 25:22).
people to put him to death--Princes often, when they want to destroy a good man, prefer it to be done by a popular tumult rather than by their own order, so as to reap the fruit of the crime without odium to themselves (
Matt 27:20).
