Jeremiah Threatened with Death
Jer 26:1 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the LORD:
Jer 26:2 “This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard of the LORD’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD. Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word.
Jer 26:3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.
Jer 26:4 Say to them, ‘This is what the LORD says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you,
Jer 26:5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened),
Jer 26:6 then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city a curse among all the nations of the earth.'”
Jer 26:7 The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.
Jer 26:8 But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, “You must die!
Jer 26:9 Why do you prophesy in the LORD’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?” And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
Jer 26:10 When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the LORD and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD’s house.
Jer 26:11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”
Jer 26:12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard.
Jer 26:13 Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.
Jer 26:14 As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right.
Jer 26:15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
Jeremiah Spared from Death
Jer 26:16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.”
Jer 26:17 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people,
Jer 26:18 “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: “‘Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.’
Jer 26:19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the LORD and seek his favor? And did not the LORD relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!”
Jer 26:20 (Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim was another man who prophesied in the name of the LORD; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did.
Jer 26:21 When King Jehoiakim and all his officers and officials heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death. But Uriah heard of it and fled in fear to Egypt.
Jer 26:22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men.
Jer 26:23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)
Jer 26:24 Furthermore, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
1 Jeremiah by promises and threatening exhorted 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.
Jeremiah Threatened with Death
Jer 26:1 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the LORD
This is not a definite date (see on ch. 28:1), but may safely be considered to be at some time approximately between 609 and 605 b.c. Certainly it was before the first siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (see on Dan. 1:1), for the Babylonians are not mentioned in the chapter and Jehoiakim is pictured as being friendly toward Egypt.
The message of the Temple Discourse of Jer. 7–10 is summarized here in ch. 26. The reactions to the discourse by the people and the leaders and the outcome of the entire incident is recorded only here (see on ch. 7:1; see also PK 415–419).
Jer 26:2 “This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard of the LORD’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD. Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word.
Stand in the courtyard. See on ch. 7:2. Verses 2–6 of ch.26 are a summary of ch. 7:1–15. Very likely this incident took place at one of the feasts that drew together worshipers from all parts of the nation.
Do not omit a word. Evidently the divine message was to contain something that Jeremiah would shrink from delivering to the people.
Jer 26:3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.
Perhaps. So severe is the threat that follows (see v. 6) that it is expressed with the hope that it may not have to be carried out.
Jer 26:4 Say to them, ‘This is what the LORD says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you,
Follow my law. It was a prophet’s responsibility to teach the people the demands the law of God made upon them, and to endeavour to make it plain to their understanding (see chs. 7:25–28; 25:4–7).
Jer 26:5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened),
See on ch. 7:13.
Jer 26:6 then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city a curse among all the nations of the earth.'”
6. Make this house like Shiloh. The site of the ancient sanctuary was destroyed (see on ch. 7:12, 14).
Jer 26:7 The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.
Jeremiah was commissioned by God to bring a warning in a special way to the two orders to which he himself belonged, to the former by birth (see on ch. 1:1) and to the latter by divine appointment (see on ch. 1:5). The false prophets were especially hostile to Jeremiah (ch. 23:9–40).
Jer 26:8 But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, “You must die!
In their iniquity and self-deception the priests, prophets, and “all the people” determined to silence the accusing voice of the one who was faithful in pointing out their iniquities.
Jer 26:9 Why do you prophesy in the LORD’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?” And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
That the Temple, which was the Israelites’ pride and glory (see on ch. 7:4), should suffer the fate of the old sanctuary of Shiloh was an unbearable thought that rallied “all the people” against the prophet. The people had placed their entire confidence in a strict observance of the outward religious services of the Temple.
Jer 26:10 When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the LORD and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD’s house.
Apparently, these royal rulers were not present when Jeremiah delivered the divine warning, but were in “the king’s house,” possibly in counsel with the king. When they now came to the Temple, they “sat down” to hear what Jeremiah would say next.
Jer 26:11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”
Here we have a good example of the kind of vicious initiative and method so characteristic of the Dark Ages, which turned over those falsely charged with heresy and blasphemy to the secular arm of the state for punishment and death.
Jer 26:12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard.
Jer 26:15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
Always the response of true prophets and preachers of the Word is that their message is not of their own choosing and devising, but comes through them directly from God (see 2 Sam. 23:1–3; Amos 3:7, 8; 2 Peter 1:20, 21).
Jer 26:13 Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.
Jeremiah’s defence was simply and only the message God had given him. If God’s people reformed their ways, the threatened destruction could even yet be averted.
Jer 26:14 As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right.
By this bold disregard of his own personal safety Jeremiah added to the force of his message, and, in fact, by this means preserved his life. The princes were satisfied as to Jeremiah’s sincerity and took measures to protect his life (see PK 418
Jer 26:15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
The prophet appeals, not to the priests and prophets, from whom he can expect no justice, but “unto all the princes and to all the people” (see v. 12). It was the princes especially who hesitated to shed the innocent blood of one who spoke not for himself but for God.
Jeremiah Spared from Death
Jer 26:16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.”
Through his straightforward message Jeremiah evidently swung the balance of public opinion over in his favor, and his life was therefore spared.
Jer 26:17 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people,
The elders. So called either because of their official eminence (see 1 Kings 8:1; 20:7) or because of their age. Great respect was given to the opinion of those who possessed both age and wisdom.
Jer 26:18 “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: “‘Zion will be ploughed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.’
Identical with the author of the book of Micah (see Micah 1:1; p. 22).
Jer 26:19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the LORD and seek his favor? And did not the LORD relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves
While there is no other reference to this specific experience in the Scriptures, it accords with Hezekiah’s character (see 2 Chron. 29:4–10; 32:26).
The Lord repented. See on Gen. 6:6; Ex. 32:14; Num. 23:19; Judges 2:18; Joel 2:13.
The thought of the Hebrew is that they were, or might be, doing great evil against themselves, if they should take the life of an innocent prophet. This verse parallels the advice of Gamaliel as he stood before the council, “But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God” (see Acts 5:34–39).
The result of this counsel given by the elders was to open the way for Jeremiah to continue his ministry. Owing largely to the support given the prophet by Ahikam (see Jer. 26:24), this advice of the elders was acted upon by the rulers of the nation.
Jer 26:20 (Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim was another man who prophesied in the name of the LORD; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did.
This incident was probably recorded to show that the experience of Jeremiah was not unique.
Jer 26:21 When King Jehoiakim and all his officers and officials heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death. But Uriah heard of it and fled in fear to Egypt.
See the parallel cases of Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:40), Hadad (1 Kings 11:17, 18), and Joseph and Mary (Matt. 2:13–15). The country along the Nile was frequently an asylum for refugees from Judea.
Jer 26:22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men.
Ancient treaties contained a clause in which both parties promised to return political prisoners to their country of origin.
Elnathan. Probably the king’s father-in-law (see 2 Kings 24:8). Elnathan was one of the princes favourable to Jeremiah (Jer. 36:12).
Jer 26:23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)
23. Fetched forth Urijah. For earlier instances of the martyrdom of prophets, see 1 Kings 19:10, 14; 2 Chron. 24:19–22. According to Jewish tradition Isaiah was “sawn asunder” by Manasseh (see Heb. 11:37; EGW, Supplementary Material, on Isa. 1:1). Urijah was treated most shamefully.
“His dead body” was denied burial with his fathers and was “cast … into the graves of the common people” in the Kidron Valley. Later the king who committed this dishonour was himself “buried with the burial of an ass,” without customary funeral honours or mourning (Jer. 22:18, 19).
Jer 26:24 Furthermore, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death. Ahikam’s father was probably the Shaphan who was a well-known scribe in Josiah’s reformation, the one who superintended the restoration of the Temple (see 2 Kings 22:3, 8–14; 2 Chron. 34:8, 14–21). Ahikam’s brothers, Gemariah (Jer. 36:12, 25) and Elasah (ch. 29:3), were of like noble character. It was with Ahikam’s son, Gedaliah (see ch. 40:6), “governor over the cities of Judah,” that Jeremiah found refuge after Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Judea (ch. 40:5, 6).