1Im Anfang der Regierung Jojakims, des Sohnes Josias, des Königs von Juda, geschah dieses Wort von seiten Jehovas also: 2So spricht Jehova: Tritt in den Vorhof des Hauses Jehovas und zu allen Städten Judas, welche kommen, um anzubeten im Hause Jehovas, rede alle die Worte, welche ich dir geboten habe, zu ihnen zu reden; tue kein Wort davon. 3Vielleicht werden sie hören und ein jeder von seinem bösen Wege umkehren: So werde ich mich des Übels gereuen lassen, welches ich ihnen zu tun gedenke wegen der Bosheit ihrer Handlungen. 4Und sprich zu ihnen: So spricht Jehova: Wenn ihr nicht auf mich höret, daß ihr in meinem Gesetz wandelt, welches ich euch vorgelegt habe, 5daß ihr auf die Worte meiner Knechte, der Propheten, höret, welche ich zu euch sende, früh mich aufmachend und sendend (ihr habt aber nicht gehört): 6so will ich dieses Haus wie Silo machen, und diese Stadt werde ich zum Fluche machen allen Nationen der Erde. 7Und die Priester und die Propheten und alles Volk hörten Jeremia diese Worte reden im Hause Jehovas. 8Und es geschah, als Jeremia alles zu Ende geredet, was Jehova geboten hatte, zu dem ganzen Volke zu reden, da ergriffen ihn die Priester und die Propheten und alles Volk und sprachen: Du mußt gewißlich sterben. 9Warum hast du im Namen Jehovas geweissagt und gesprochen: Dieses Haus wird wie Silo werden, und diese Stadt verwüstet, ohne Bewohner? Und alles Volk versammelte sich gegen Jeremia im Hause Jehovas. 10Und als die Fürsten von Juda diese Worte hörten, gingen sie hinauf aus dem Hause des Königs zum Hause Jehovas und setzten sich in den Eingang des neuen Tores Jehovas. 11Und die Priester und die Propheten redeten zu den Fürsten und zu allem Volke und sprachen: Diesem Manne gebührt die Todesstrafe , denn er hat wider diese Stadt geweissagt, wie ihr mit euren Ohren gehört habt. 12Und Jeremia redete zu den Fürsten und zu allem Volke und sprach: Jehova hat mich gesandt, um wider dieses Haus und wider diese Stadt all die Worte zu weissagen, welche ihr gehört habt. 13Und nun machet gut eure Wege und eure Handlungen, und höret auf die Stimme Jehovas, eures Gottes: so wird Jehova sich des Übels gereuen lassen, welches er über euch geredet hat. 14Ich aber, siehe, ich bin in eurer Hand; tut mir, wie es gut und wie es recht ist in euren Augen. 15Doch wisset bestimmt, daß ihr, wenn ihr mich tötet, unschuldiges Blut bringen werdet auf euch und auf diese Stadt und auf ihre Bewohner; denn in Wahrheit, Jehova hat mich zu euch gesandt, um alle diese Worte vor euren Ohren zu reden. 16Und die Fürsten und alles Volk sprachen zu den Priestern und zu den Propheten: Diesem Manne gebührt nicht die Todesstrafe; denn er hat im Namen Jehovas, unseres Gottes, zu uns geredet. 17Und es erhoben sich Männer von den Ältesten des Landes, und sie sprachen zu der ganzen Versammlung des Volkes und sagten: 18Micha, der Moraschtiter , hat in den Tagen Hiskias, des Königs von Juda, geweissagt und zu dem ganzen Volke von Juda gesprochen und gesagt: So spricht Jehova der Heerscharen: "Zion wird als Acker gepflügt werden, und Jerusalem wird zu Trümmerhaufen und der Berg des Hauses zu Waldeshöhen werden". 19Haben denn Hiskia, der König von Juda, und ganz Juda ihn getötet? Hat er nicht Jehova gefürchtet und Jehova angefleht, so daß Jehova sich des Übels gereuen ließ, welches er über sie geredet hatte? Und wir wollen eine so große Übeltat wider unsere Seelen begehen! 20Und es war auch ein Mann, der im Namen Jehovas weissagte, Urija, der Sohn Schemajas, aus Kirjath-Jearim; und er weissagte wider diese Stadt und wider dieses Land nach allen Worten Jeremias. 21Und als der König Jojakim und alle seine Helden und alle Fürsten seine Worte hörten, suchte der König ihn zu töten. Und als Urija es hörte, fürchtete er sich und floh, und er kam nach Ägypten. 22Da sandte der König Jojakim Männer nach Ägypten, Elnathan, den Sohn Akbors, und Männer mit ihm nach Ägypten. 23Und sie brachten Urija aus Ägypten und führten ihn zu dem König Jojakim; und er erschlug ihn mit dem Schwerte und warf seinen Leichnam auf die Gräber der Kinder des Volkes . 24Doch die Hand Achikams, des Sohnes Schaphans, war mit Jeremia, daß man ihn nicht in die Hand des Volkes gab, um 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).