1In the beginningH7225 of the reignH4468 of JehoiakimH3079 the sonH1121 of JosiahH2977 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 came this wordH1697 from the LORDH3068, sayingH559, 2Thus saithH559 the LORDH3068; StandH5975 in the courtH2691 of the LORD’SH3068 houseH1004, and speakH1696 to all the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063, which comeH935 to worshipH7812 in the LORD’SH3068 houseH1004, all the wordsH1697 that I commandH6680 thee to speakH1696 to them; diminishH1639 not a wordH1697: 3It may be they will hearkenH8085, and turnH7725 every manH376 from his evilH7451 wayH1870, that I may repentH5162 of the evilH7451, which I purposeH2803 to doH6213 to them becauseH6440 of the evilH7455 of their doingsH4611. 4And thou shalt sayH559 to them, Thus saithH559 the LORDH3068; If ye will not hearkenH8085 to me, to walkH3212 in my lawH8451, which I have setH5414 beforeH6440 you, 5To hearkenH8085 to the wordsH1697 of my servantsH5650 the prophetsH5030, whom I have sentH7971 to you, both rising earlyH7925, and sendingH7971 them, but ye have not hearkenedH8085; 6Then will I makeH5414 this houseH1004 like ShilohH7887, and will makeH5414 this cityH5892 a curseH7045 to all the nationsH1471 of the earthH776. 7So the priestsH3548 and the prophetsH5030 and all the peopleH5971 heardH8085 JeremiahH3414 speakingH1696 these wordsH1697 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068. 8Now it came to pass, when JeremiahH3414 had finishedH3615 speakingH1696 all that the LORDH3068 had commandedH6680 him to speakH1696 to all the peopleH5971, that the priestsH3548 and the prophetsH5030 and all the peopleH5971 tookH8610 him, sayingH559, Thou shalt surelyH4191 dieH4191. 9Why hast thou prophesiedH5012 in the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068, sayingH559, This houseH1004 shall be like ShilohH7887, and this cityH5892 shall be desolateH2717 without an inhabitantH3427? And all the peopleH5971 were gatheredH6950 against JeremiahH3414 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068. 10When the princesH8269 of JudahH3063 heardH8085 these thingsH1697, then they came upH5927 from the king’sH4428 houseH1004 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, and sat downH3427 in the entranceH6607 of the newH2319 gateH8179 of the LORD’SH3068 house. 11Then the priestsH3548 and the prophetsH5030 spokeH559 to the princesH8269 and to all the peopleH5971, sayingH559, This manH376 is worthyH4941 to dieH4194; for he hath prophesiedH5012 against this cityH5892, as ye have heardH8085 with your earsH241. 12Then JeremiahH3414 spokeH559 to all the princesH8269 and to all the peopleH5971, sayingH559, The LORDH3068 sentH7971 me to prophesyH5012 against this houseH1004 and against this cityH5892 all the wordsH1697 that ye have heardH8085. 13Therefore now amendH3190 your waysH1870 and your doingsH4611, and obeyH8085 the voiceH6963 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430; and the LORDH3068 will repentH5162 of the evilH7451 that he hath pronouncedH1696 against you. 14As for me, behold, I am in your handH3027: doH6213 with me as it seemethH5869 goodH2896 and rightH3477 to you. 15But knowH3045 ye for certainH3045, that if ye put me to deathH4191, ye shall surely bringH5414 innocentH5355 bloodH1818 upon yourselves, upon this cityH5892, and upon its inhabitantsH3427: for of a truthH571 the LORDH3068 hath sentH7971 me to you to speakH1696 all these wordsH1697 in your earsH241. 16Then saidH559 the princesH8269 and all the peopleH5971 to the priestsH3548 and to the prophetsH5030; This manH376 is not worthyH4941 to dieH4194: for he hath spokenH1696 to us in the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068 our GodH430. 17Then aroseH6965 certainH582 of the eldersH2205 of the landH776, and spokeH559 to all the assemblyH6951 of the peopleH5971, sayingH559, 18MicahH4320 the MorasthiteH4183 prophesiedH5012 in the daysH3117 of HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, and spokeH559 to all the peopleH5971 of JudahH3063, sayingH559, Thus saithH559 the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635; ZionH6726 shall be plowedH2790 like a fieldH7704, and JerusalemH3389 shall become heapsH5856, and the mountainH2022 of the houseH1004 as the high placesH1116 of the forestH3293. 19Did HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 and all JudahH3063 put himH4191 to deathH4191? did he not fearH3373 the LORDH3068, and besoughtH2470 the LORDH3068 H6440, and the LORDH3068 repentedH5162 of the evilH7451 which he had pronouncedH1696 against them? ThusH587 might we procureH6213 greatH1419 evilH7451 against our soulsH5315. 20And there was also a manH376 that prophesiedH5012 in the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068, UrijahH223 the sonH1121 of ShemaiahH8098 of KirjathjearimH7157, who prophesiedH5012 against this cityH5892 and against this landH776 according to all the wordsH1697 of JeremiahH3414: 21And when JehoiakimH3079 the kingH4428, with all his mighty menH1368, and all the princesH8269, heardH8085 his wordsH1697, the kingH4428 soughtH1245 to put him to deathH4191: but when UrijahH223 heardH8085 it, he was afraidH3372, and fledH1272, and wentH935 into EgyptH4714; 22And JehoiakimH3079 the kingH4428 sentH7971 menH582 into EgyptH4714, namely, ElnathanH494 the sonH1121 of AchborH5907, and certain menH582 with him into EgyptH4714. 23And they brought forthH3318 UrijahH223 from EgyptH4714, and broughtH935 him to JehoiakimH3079 the kingH4428; who slewH5221 him with the swordH2719, and castH7993 his dead bodyH5038 into the burial placeH6913 of the commonH1121 peopleH5971. 24Nevertheless the handH3027 of AhikamH296 the sonH1121 of ShaphanH8227 was with JeremiahH3414, that they should not giveH5414 him into the handH3027 of the peopleH5971 to put him to deathH4191.
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).