1Thus saithH559 the LORDH3068; Go downH3381 to the houseH1004 of the kingH4428 of JudahH3063, and speakH1696 there this wordH1697, 2And sayH559, HearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068, O kingH4428 of JudahH3063, that sittestH3427 upon the throneH3678 of DavidH1732, thou, and thy servantsH5650, and thy peopleH5971 that enterH935 in by these gatesH8179: 3Thus saithH559 the LORDH3068; ExecuteH6213 ye judgmentH4941 and righteousnessH6666, and deliverH5337 the spoiledH1497 out of the handH3027 of the oppressorH6216: and do no wrongH3238, do no violenceH2554 to the strangerH1616, the fatherlessH3490, nor the widowH490, neither shedH8210 innocentH5355 bloodH1818 in this placeH4725. 4For if ye doH6213 this thingH1697 indeedH6213, then shall there enter inH935 by the gatesH8179 of this houseH1004 kingsH4428 sittingH3427 upon the throneH3678 of DavidH1732, ridingH7392 in chariotsH7393 and on horsesH5483, he, and his servantsH5650, and his peopleH5971. 5But if ye will not hearH8085 these wordsH1697, I swearH7650 by myself, saithH5002 the LORDH3068, that this houseH1004 shall become a desolationH2723. 6For thus saithH559 the LORDH3068 unto the king'sH4428 houseH1004 of JudahH3063; Thou art GileadH1568 unto me, and the headH7218 of LebanonH3844: yet surely I will makeH7896 thee a wildernessH4057, and citiesH5892 which are not inhabitedH3427 H3427 . 7And I will prepareH6942 destroyersH7843 against thee, every oneH376 with his weaponsH3627: and they shall cut downH3772 thy choiceH4005 cedarsH730, and castH5307 them into the fireH784. 8And manyH7227 nationsH1471 shall passH5674 by this cityH5892, and they shall sayH559 every manH376 to his neighbourH7453, Wherefore hath the LORDH3068 doneH6213 thus unto this greatH1419 cityH5892? 9Then they shall answerH559, Because they have forsakenH5800 the covenantH1285 of the LORDH3068 their GodH430, and worshippedH7812 otherH312 godsH430, and servedH5647 them. 10WeepH1058 ye not for the deadH4191, neither bemoanH5110 him: but weepH1058 soreH1058 for him that goeth awayH1980 : for he shall returnH7725 no more, nor seeH7200 his nativeH4138 countryH776. 11For thus saithH559 the LORDH3068 touchingH413 ShallumH7967 the sonH1121 of JosiahH2977 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, which reignedH4427 instead of JosiahH2977 his fatherH1, which went forthH3318 out of this placeH4725; He shall not returnH7725 thither any more: 12But he shall dieH4191 in the placeH4725 whither they have led him captiveH1540, and shall seeH7200 this landH776 no more. 13WoeH1945 unto him that buildethH1129 his houseH1004 byH3808 unrighteousnessH6664, and his chambersH5944 by wrongH4941; that useth his neighbour'sH7453 serviceH5647 without wagesH2600, and givethH5414 him not for his workH6467; 14That saithH559, I will buildH1129 me a wideH4060 houseH1004 and largeH7304 chambersH5944, and cutteth him outH7167 windowsH2474; and it is cieledH5603 with cedarH730, and paintedH4886 with vermilionH8350. 15Shalt thou reignH4427, because thou closestH8474 thyself in cedarH730? did not thy fatherH1 eatH398 and drinkH8354, and doH6213 judgmentH4941 and justiceH6666, and then it was wellH2896 with him? 16He judgedH1777 the causeH1779 of the poorH6041 and needyH34; then it was wellH2896 with him: was not this to knowH1847 me? saithH5002 the LORDH3068. 17But thine eyesH5869 and thine heartH3820 are not but for thy covetousnessH1215, and for to shedH8210 innocentH5355 bloodH1818, and for oppressionH6233, and for violenceH4835, to doH6213 it. 18Therefore thus saithH559 the LORDH3068 concerning JehoiakimH3079 the sonH1121 of JosiahH2977 kingH4428 of JudahH3063; They shall not lamentH5594 for him, saying, AhH1945 my brotherH251! or, AhH1945 sisterH269! they shall not lamentH5594 for him, saying, AhH1945 lordH113! or, AhH1945 his gloryH1935! 19He shall be buriedH6912 with the burialH6900 of an assH2543, drawnH5498 and cast forthH7993 beyondH1973 the gatesH8179 of JerusalemH3389. 20Go upH5927 to LebanonH3844, and cryH6817 ; and lift upH5414 thy voiceH6963 in BashanH1316, and cryH6817 from the passagesH5676: for all thy loversH157 are destroyedH7665 . 21I spakeH1696 unto thee in thy prosperityH7962; but thou saidstH559, I will not hearH8085 . This hath been thy mannerH1870 from thy youthH5271, that thou obeyedstH8085 not my voiceH6963. 22The windH7307 shall eat upH7462 all thy pastorsH7462, and thy loversH157 shall goH3212 into captivityH7628: surely then shalt thou be ashamedH954 and confoundedH3637 for all thy wickednessH7451. 23O inhabitantH3427 of LebanonH3844, that makest thy nestH7077 in the cedarsH730, how graciousH2603 shalt thou be when pangsH2256 comeH935 upon thee, the painH2427 as of a woman in travailH3205 ! 24As I liveH2416, saithH5002 the LORDH3068, though ConiahH3659 the sonH1121 of JehoiakimH3079 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 were the signetH2368 upon my rightH3225 handH3027, yet would I pluckH5423 thee thence; 25And I will giveH5414 thee into the handH3027 of them that seekH1245 thy lifeH5315, and into the handH3027 of them whose faceH6440 thou fearestH3016, even into the handH3027 of NebuchadrezzarH5019 kingH4428 of BabylonH894, and into the handH3027 of the ChaldeansH3778. 26And I will cast thee outH2904, and thy motherH517 that bareH3205 thee, into anotherH312 countryH776, where ye were not bornH3205 ; and there shall ye dieH4191 . 27But to the landH776 whereunto they desireH5375 H5315 to returnH7725, thither shall they not returnH7725 . 28Is this manH376 ConiahH3659 a despisedH959 brokenH5310 idolH6089? is he a vesselH3627 wherein is no pleasureH2656? wherefore are they cast outH7993, he and his seedH2233, and are castH2904 into a landH776 which they knowH3045 not? 29O earthH776, earthH776, earthH776, hearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068. 30Thus saithH559 the LORDH3068, WriteH3789 ye this manH376 childlessH6185, a manH1397 that shall not prosperH6743 in his daysH3117: for no manH376 of his seedH2233 shall prosperH6743, sittingH3427 upon the throneH3678 of DavidH1732, and rulingH4910 any more in JudahH3063.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 EXHORTATION TO REPENTANCE; JUDGMENT ON SHALLUM, JEHOIAKIM, AND CONIAH. (Jer. 22:1-30)
Go down--The temple (where Jeremiah had been prophesying) was higher than the king's palace on Mount Zion (
Jer 36:10,
Jer 36:12;
2Chr 23:20). Hence the phrase, "Go down."
the king of Judah--perhaps including each of the four successive kings, to whom it was consecutively addressed, here brought together in one picture: Shallum,
Jer 22:11; Jehoiakim,
Jer 22:13-
Jer 22:18; Jeconiah,
Jer 22:24; Zedekiah, the address to whom (
Jer 21:1,
Jer 21:11-
Jer 21:12) suggests notice of the rest.
2 these gates--of the king's palace.
3 Jehoiakim is meant here especially: he, by oppression, levied the tribute imposed on him by Pharaoh-necho, king of Egypt (
2Chr 36:3), and taxed his people, and took their labor without pay, to build gorgeous palaces for himself (
Jer 22:13-
Jer 22:17), and shed innocent blood, for example, that of Urijah the prophet (
Jer 26:20-
Jer 26:24;
2Kgs 23:35;
2Kgs 24:4).
4 upon the throne of David--literally, "or David on his throne" (see on
Jer 13:13). This verse is repeated substantially from
Jer 17:25.
his servants--so the Keri. But Chetib, singular, "his servant;" that is, distributively, "each with his servants;"
Jer 17:25, "their princes."
5 I swear by myself-- (
Heb 6:13,
Heb 6:17). God swears because it seemed to them incredible that the family of David should be cast off.
this house--the king's, where Jeremiah spake (
Jer 22:4).
6 Though thou art as beautiful as Gilead, and as majestic in Mine eyes (before Me) as the summit of Lebanon, yet surely (the Hebrew is a formula of swearing to express certainly: "If I do not make thee . . . believe Me not ever hereafter": so "as truly as I live,"
Num 14:28; "surely,"
Num 14:35). The mention of Gilead may allude not only to its past beauty, but covertly also to its desolation by the judgment on Israel; a warning now to Judah and the house of "David." "Lebanon" is appropriately mentioned, as the king's house was built of its noble cedars.
cities--not other cities, but the different parts of the city of Jerusalem (
2Sam 12:27;
2Kgs 10:25) [MAURER].
7 prepare--literally, "sanctify," or solemnly set apart for a particular work (compare
Isa 13:3).
thy choice cedars-- (
Isa 37:24). Thy palaces built of choice cedars (
Song 1:17).
8 (
Deut 29:24-
Deut 29:25). The Gentile nations, more intelligent than you, shall understand that which ye do not, namely, that this city is a spectacle of God's vengeance [CALVIN].
9 (
2Kgs 22:17).
10 Weep . . . not for--that is, not so much for Josiah, who was taken away by death from the evil to come (
2Kgs 22:20;
Isa 57:1); as for Shallum or Jehoahaz, his son (
2Kgs 23:30), who, after a three months' reign, was carried off by Pharaoh-necho into Egypt, never to see his native land again (
2Kgs 23:31-34). Dying saints are justly to be envied, while living sinners are to be pitied. The allusion is to the great weeping of the people at the death of Josiah, and on each anniversary of it, in which Jeremiah himself took a prominent part (
2Chr 35:24-25). The name "Shallum" is here given in irony to Jehoahaz, who reigned but three months; as if he were a second Shallum, son of Jabesh, who reigned only one month in Samaria (
2Kgs 15:13;
2Chr 36:1-4). Shallum means "retribution," a name of no good omen to him [GROTIUS]; originally the people called him Shallom, indicative of peace and prosperity. But Jeremiah applies it in irony.
1Chr 3:15, calls Shallum the fourth son of Josiah. The people raised him to the throne before his brother Eliakim or Jehoiakim, though the latter was the older (
2Kgs 23:31,
2Kgs 23:36;
2Chr 36:1); perhaps on account of Jehoiakim's extravagance (
Jer 22:13,
Jer 22:15). Jehoiakim was put in Shallum's (Jehoahaz') stead by Pharaoh-necho. Jeconiah, his son, succeeded. Zedekiah (Mattaniah), uncle of Jeconiah, and brother of Jehoiakim and Jehoahaz, was last of all raised to the throne by Nebuchadnezzar.
He shall not return--The people perhaps entertained hopes of Shallum's return from Egypt, in which case they would replace him on the throne, and thereby free themselves from the oppressive taxes imposed by Jehoiakim.
13 Not only did Jehoiakim tax the people (
2Kgs 23:35) for Pharaoh's tribute, but also took their forced labor, without pay, for building a splendid palace; in violation of
Lev 19:13;
Deut 24:14-
Deut 24:15. Compare
Mic 3:10;
Hab 2:9;
Jas 5:4. God will repay in justice those who will not in justice pay those whom they employ.
14 wide--literally, "a house of dimensions" ("measures"). Compare
Num 13:32, Margin, "men of statures."
large--rather, as Margin, "airy" from Hebrew root, "to breathe freely." Upper rooms in the East are the principal apartments.
cutteth him out windows--The Hebrew, if a noun, is rather, "my windows"; then the translation ought to be, "and let my windows (Jehoiakim speaking) be cut out for it," that is, in the house; or, "and let (the workman) cut out my windows for it." But the word is rather an adjective; "he cutteth it (the house) out for himself, so as to be full of windows." The following words accord with this construction, "and (he makes it) ceiled with cedar," &c. [MAURER]. Retaining English Version, there must be understood something remarkable about the windows, since they are deemed worthy of notice. GESENIUS thinks thinks the word dual, "double windows," the blinds being two-leaved.
vermilion--Hebrew, shashar, called so from a people of India beyond the Ganges, by whom it is exported [PLINY, 6.19]. The old vermilion was composed of sulphur and quicksilver; not of red lead, as our vermilion.
15 closest thyself--rather, "thou viest," that is, art emulous to surpass thy forefathers in the magnificence of thy palaces.
eat and drink--Did not Josiah, thy father, enjoy all that man really needs for his bodily wants? Did he need to build costly palaces to secure his throne? Nay, he did secure it by "judgment and justice"; whereas thou, with all thy luxurious building, sittest on a tottering throne.
then--on that account, therefore.
16 was not this to know me--namely, to show by deeds that one knows God's will, as was the case with Josiah (compare
John 13:17; contrast
Titus 1:16).
17 thine--as opposed to thy father, Josiah.
18 Ah my brother! . . . sister!--addressing him with such titles of affection as one would address to a deceased friend beloved as a brother or sister (compare
1Kgs 13:30). This expresses, They shall not lament him with the lamentation of private individuals [VATABLUS], or of blood relatives [GROTIUS]: as "Ah! lord," expresses public lamentation in the case of a king [VATABLUS], or that of subjects [GROTIUS]. HENDERSON thinks, "Ah! sister," refers to Jehoiakim's queen, who, though taken to Babylon and not left unburied on the way, as Jehoiakim, yet was not honored at her death with royal lamentations, such as would have been poured forth over her at Jerusalem. He notices the beauty of Jeremiah's manner in his prophecy against Jehoiakim. In
Jer 22:13-
Jer 22:14 he describes him in general terms; then, in
Jer 22:15-
Jer 22:17, he directly addresses him without naming him; at last, in
Jer 22:18, he names him, but in the third person, to imply that God puts him to a distance from Him. The boldness of the Hebrew prophets proves their divine mission; were it not so, their reproofs to the Hebrew kings, who held the throne by divine authority, would have been treason.
Ah his glory!--"Alas! his majesty."
19 burial of an ass--that is, he shall have the same burial as an ass would get, namely, he shall be left a prey for beasts and birds [JEROME]. This is not formally narrated. But
2Chr 36:6 states that "Nebuchadnezzar bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon"; his treatment there is nowhere mentioned. The prophecy here, and in
Jer 36:30, harmonizes these two facts. He was slain by Nebuchadnezzar, who changed his purpose of taking him to Babylon, on the way thither, and left him unburied outside Jerusalem.
2Kgs 24:6, "Jehoiakim slept with his fathers," does not contradict this; it simply expresses his being gathered to his fathers by death, not his being buried with his fathers (
Ps 49:19). The two phrases are found together, as expressing two distinct ideas (
2Kgs 15:38;
2Kgs 16:20).
20 Delivered in the reign of Jehoiachin (Jeconiah or Coniah), son of Jehoiakim; appended to the previous prophecy respecting Jehoiakim, on account of the similarity of the two prophecies. He calls on Jerusalem, personified as a mourning female, to go up to the highest points visible from Jerusalem, and lament there (see on
Jer 3:21) the calamity of herself, bereft of allies and of her princes, who are one after the other being cast down.
Bashan--north of the region beyond Jordan; the mountains of Anti-libanus are referred to (
Ps 68:15).
from the passages--namely, of the rivers (
Judg 12:6); or else the borders of the country (
1Sam 13:23;
Isa 10:29). The passes (
1Sam 14:4). MAURER translates, "Abarim," a mountainous tract beyond Jordan, opposite Jericho, and south of Bashan; this accords with the mention of the mountains Lebanon and Bashan (
Num 27:12;
Num 33:47).
lovers--the allies of Judea, especially Egypt, now unable to help the Jews, being crippled by Babylon (
2Kgs 24:7).
21 I admonished thee in time. Thy sin has not been a sin of ignorance or thoughtlessness, but wilful.
prosperity--given thee by Me; yet thou wouldest not hearken to the gracious Giver. The Hebrew is plural, to express, "In the height of thy prosperity"; so "droughts" (
Isa 58:11).
thou saidst--not in words, but in thy conduct, virtually.
thy youth--from the time that I brought thee out of Egypt, and formed thee into a people (
Jer 7:25;
Jer 2:2;
Isa 47:12).
22 wind--the Chaldees, as a parching wind that sweeps over rapidly and withers vegetation (
Jer 4:11-
Jer 4:12;
Ps 103:16;
Isa 40:7).
eat up . . . pastors--that is, thy kings (
Jer 2:8). There is a happy play on words. The pastors, whose office it is to feed the sheep, shall themselves be fed on. They who should drive the flock from place to place for pasture shall be driven into exile by the Chaldees.
23 inhabitant of Lebanon--namely, Jerusalem, whose temple, palaces, and principal habitations were built of cedars of Lebanon.
how gracious--irony. How graciously thou wilt be treated by the Chaldees, when they come on thee suddenly, as pangs on a woman in travail (
Jer 6:24)! Nay, all thy fine buildings will win no favor for thee from them. MAURER translates, "How shalt thou be to be pitied!"
24 As I live--God's most solemn formula of oath (
Jer 46:18;
Jer 4:2;
Deut 32:40;
1Sam 25:34).
Coniah--Jeconiah or Jehoiachin. The contraction of the name is meant in contempt.
signet--Such ring seals were often of the greatest value (
Song 8:6;
Hag 2:23). Jehoiachin's popularity is probably here referred to.
right hand--the hand most valued.
I would pluck thee thence--(Compare
Obad 1:4); on account of thy father's sins, as well as thine own (
2Chr 36:9). There is a change here, as often in Hebrew poetry, from the third to the second person, to bring the threat more directly home to him. After a three months' and ten days' reign, the Chaldees deposed him. In Babylon, however, by God's favor he was ultimately treated more kindly than other royal captives (
Jer 52:31-
Jer 52:34). But none of his direct posterity ever came to the throne.
25 give . . . into . . . hand--"I will pluck thee" from "my right hand," and "will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life."
26 thy mother--Nehushta, the queen dowager (
2Kgs 24:6,
2Kgs 24:8,
2Kgs 24:15; see
Jer 13:18).
27 they--Coniah and his mother. He passes from the second person (
Jer 22:26) to the third person here, to express alienation. The king is as it were put out of sight, as if unworthy of being spoken with directly.
desire--literally, "lift up their soul" (
Jer 44:14;
Ps 24:4;
Ps 25:1). Judea was the land which they in Babylon should pine after in vain.
28 broken idol--Coniah was idolized once by the Jews; Jeremiah, therefore, in their person, expresses their astonishment at one from whom so much had been expected being now so utterly cast aside.
vessel . . . no pleasure-- (
Ps 31:12;
Hos 8:8). The answer to this is given (
Rom 9:20-
Rom 9:23; contrast
2Tim 2:21).
his seed--(See on
Jer 22:29).
29 O earth! earth! earth!--Jeconiah was not actually without offspring (compare
Jer 22:28, "his seed";
1Chr 3:17-18;
Matt 1:12), but he was to be "written childless," as a warning to posterity, that is, without a lineal heir to his throne. It is with a reference to the three kings, Shallum, Jehoiakim, and Jeconiah, that the earth is thrice invoked [BENGEL]. Or, the triple invocation is to give intensity to the call for attention to the announcement of the end of the royal line, so far as Jehoiachin's seed is concerned. Though Messiah (Mat. 1:1-17), the heir of David's throne, was lineally descended from Jeconiah, it was only through Joseph, who, though His legal, was not His real father. Matthew gives the legal pedigree through Solomon down to Joseph; Luke the real pedigree, from Mary, the real parent, through Nathan, brother of Solomon, upwards (
Luke 3:31).
no man of his seed . . . upon the throne--This explains the sense in which "childless" is used. Though the succession to the throne failed in his line, still the promise to David (
Ps 89:30-
Ps 89:37) was revived in Zerubbabel and consummated in Christ.
This forms the epilogue to the denunciations of the four kings, in Jer. 21:1-22:30.