The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah
Jeremiah 26
Chapter XXVI · Vol. III, pp. 1262–1265
1 Jeremiah, by promises and threatenings, exhorteth to repentance. 8 He is therefore apprehended, 10 and arraigned. 12 His apology. 16 He is quit in judgment, by the example of Micah, 20 and of Urijah, 24 and by the care of Ahikam.
1 In thea beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,
B.C. cir. 608.
a ch.25.1. 2 Ki.23.36. 2 Ch.36.5.
2 Thus saith the LORD, Stand bin the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which ccome to worship1 in the LORD's house, dall the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:
b ch.19.14. 2 Ch.20.5; 23.2,5. Eze.46.21.
A.M. cir. 3396. B.C. cir. 608.
c Ex.23.14-17. De.12.5,6.
1 This they did at the three great feasts, the passover, the feast of weeks, and of tabernacles, when all the males appeared before the Lord.—C.
d ch.23.28. Eze.3.10,11,17. Ac.20.27. Mat.28.20. ch.1.17; 42.4. Is.58.1.
3 Ife so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.
e 1 Ki.21.27,29. Is.1.16-19. ch.18.8; 36.3. Jonah 3.8-10. Eze.xviii.xxxiii.
4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, gIf ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,
5 Toh hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early,2 and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;
h ch.7.13,25; 25.3,4; 11.7; 44.4. 2 Ch.30.14-16. Is.42.23,24. Zec.7.7-13.
2 See note * below.
* Early in word and doctrine, to instruct, exhort, and rebuke, to reform; early in warning and threatening, to deter from sin; early in promise and encouragement, to allure to obedience; early, while the memory of mercies was yet fresh, and the wounds of judgment yet unhealed; early, before wicked alliances were formed, and idolatry nationalized; early, before evil inclinations were fostered into habits, and confirmed into principles—before God was forgotten and conscience seared; never omitting an opportunity of revealing truth, or enforcing duty; of denouncing sin, or of calling to repentance.—C.
6 Then will I make this house ilike Shiloh, and will make this city ja curse3 to all the nations of the earth.
i 1 Sa.4.10-12. Ps.78.60. ch.7.12,14.
j ch.24.9; 29.18. Is.65.15.
3 Men shall imprecate judgment, saying, 'The curse of Jerusalem, its misery, plagues, and desolation, be upon you.'—Note, This gives no countenance to angry imprecations against persons or places; it merely states a fact—an utterance that must be judged, not by the words in which it is embodied, but by the feeling of good or evil, justice or injustice, in which it has originated. See Ju.5.23. Ro.12.14.—C.
7 So kthe priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.
k Is.56.10-12. ch.5.31. Mi.3.11. Zep.3.4. Eze.22.25,26.
8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that lthe priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.
l ch.11.19,21; 17.18; 18.18; 20.1,2,10. 2 Ch.36.16. Mat.21.35; 22.6; 23.31,34,35,37; 26.66. Ac.12.1-3. 1 Th.2.15. Re.18.24.
9 Whyn hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? oand all the people were gathered against Jeremiah pin the house of the LORD.
10 When qthe princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry4 of the rnew gate of the LORD's house.
q ver.16,17; ch.29.2; 34.19; 19.1. Eze.8.11. Mat.27.1. Lu.22.66. Ac.5.21.
4 Or, at the door.
r 2 Ki.15.35.
11 Then sspake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die;5 fort he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.
12 Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes, and to all the people, saying, uThe LORD sent me to prophesy against this house, and against this city, all the words that ye have heard.
13 Therefore now vamend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.
v ch.3.12;7.3-7;18.8; 36.3. Is.1.16-19; 55.7. Ho.14.1-4. Jonah 3.8,9. ver.19. Eze.33.11. Le.26.40-45. De.30.1-3.
15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, yye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.7
7 Jeremiah here delivers a simple but masterly defence, embracing the following topics:—(1) An open assertion of his divine commission, ver.12. (2) An exhortation to repentance, touching the consciences of his judges and accusers, ver. 13. (3) Perfect readiness for life or death, ver. 14. (4) Yet warning his judges of the guilt that would be incurred by his legal murder, ver.15. (5) A reassertion of his authority from God, ver. 15: thus forming a wonderful example of the power of truth and integrity over the most inveterate malice.—C.
16 Thenz said athe princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.
z Ge.22.14. 1 Sa.23.26. De.32.36.
a ver.17; ch.36.12; 37.15; 38.4. Pr.21.1, with ver.12,15.
17 Then rose up certain of bthe elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,
b ver.10,16, with Ac.5.33,34.
18 Micahc the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, dZion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and ethe mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.8
19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? gdid he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD,9 and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might1 we procure great evil against our souls.2, and the: Heb. the face of the LORD, etc
20 And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of hKirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city, and against this land, according to all the words of Jeremiah:
21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, ithe king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and jfled. and went into Egypt;
i ch.xxxvi. 2 Ch.24.21;16.10.
22 And Jehoiakim the king sent kmen into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of lAchbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.
23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king, who nslew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the 3common people.4
n Mat.14.10;23.31,34. 1 Th.2.15. Mar.12.5.
3 Heb. sons of the people.
4 This act of Jehoiakim, as opposed to that of Hezekiah, seems to intimate that this case was urged against Jeremiah by some of his accusers; a view that seems confirmed by the opposition to Jeremiah implied in the word 'nevertheless' in the succeeding verse.—C.
24 Nevertheless, the hand of oAhikam5 the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, pthat they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.
o 2 Ki.22.12,14. ch.39.14;40.5. Re.2.10;12.16. ch.1.18,19. 1 Ki.18.9.
5 This Anikam was the father of Gedaliah, who was afterwards made governor of the land under the Chaldeans, 2 Ki.25.22, and the son of Shaphan the scribe, who was chief minister of state under Josiah, 2 Ki.22.8-14, and brother to Gemariah, ch.31.10, Elasah, ch.29.3, and Jaazaniah, Eze.8.11, who were great men in those days (Prideaux).—I.
A.M. cir. 3408. B.C. cir. 596.
p Is.37.32,33.
Notes
Reflections.—God patiently waits, and earnestly calls men to repentance. The dispensations of his providence are just and even similar. And if men will not be subject to his command, they must be subjected to his curse, and the execution of it. If they will not be warned, they must be condemned. Profane clergymen never fail to hate and persecute such as are faithful for their kind warnings. But to be bold in preaching, and patient in suffering, is truly worthy of a minister of Christ. And no damage or death ought to make them in the least recede from God's truth. If they be faithful, it is at their infinite peril who persecute and murder them. It is proper that men should deter themselves, or others, from sin, by the irreparable mischief it will do to our souls. And it is the wisdom of the greatest to regard the admonitions of Jehovah. More justice may be expected from profligate civil judges than from abandoned clergy. And yet many wicked princes eagerly draw down the judgment of God upon their heads by the persecution of their faithful admonishers. But it is beyond their power to cut off God's ministers or worshippers till their testimony be finished: and whenever it pleases God he can, in the very worst of times, raise up protectors to his servants. Let us then always attend to our duty, and commit our safety to God, who has the hearts of all men in his hand, and can raise us up friends in the day of trial where we least expected to find them.