Jeremiah 24:17

Jeremiah 18:1 INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 18 This chapter expresses the sovereign power of God ever his creatures, and his usual methods of dealing with them; it threatens destruction to the Jews for their idolatry; and is closed with the prophet's complaint of his persecutors, and with imprecations upon them.

Micah and Isaiah, a little later, speak of such opposition, in Judah, as habitual Micah 2:6; Isaiah 30:10-11; much more in Israel, where the opposition to God's law was more fundamental, and where God's prophet's had been all but exterminated. Even Asa, in his degenerate days, imprisoned Hanani for prophesying that he would "have wars" 2 Chronicles 16:7, 2 Chronicles 16:10; Joash killed Zechariah son of Jehoiada 2 Chronicles 24:20-21; Amaziah silenced the prophet who rebuked him, "Art thou made of the king's council? forbear. Why shouldest thou be smitten?" 2 Chronicles 25:15-16. Jehoiakim sent even into Egypt to fetch Uriah and killed him Jeremiah 26:20-23. Jeremiah's life was one continuous encounter with false accusations Jeremiah 20:10; Jeremiah 37:13; Jeremiah 38:4, contradictions by false prophets (Jeremiah 23:17 ff; Jeremiah 27:9-10, Jeremiah 27:14-16; Jeremiah 28; Jeremiah 29), hatred Jeremiah 15:10, mockery Jeremiah 17:15; Jeremiah 20:7-8; Jeremiah 23:33, persecution Jeremiah 17:18, imprisonment Jeremiah 20:2; Jeremiah 32:3; Jeremiah 33:1; Jeremiah 37:15-21; Jeremiah 38:6-13, attempts to destroy him (Jeremiah 11:18-21; Jeremiah 18:18, Jeremiah 18:20-23; Jeremiah 26:8 ff; Jeremiah 36:26). The complaint was, as here, "wherefore dost thou prophesy?" Jeremiah 32:3.

In the latter sense sôd occurs in two passages illustrating the present one, Jeremiah 23:18 ; Jeremiah 23:22 , where Jeremiah implies that the true prophets have access to the “council” of Jehovah, and preach the principles which are there approved (cf. Job 15:8 , R.V. marg. ; also Psalm 89:7 ). his servants the prophets ] An expression otherwise used chiefly by writers of the age of Jeremiah ( 2 Kings 17:13 ; 2 Kings 17:23 ; 2 Kings 21:10 ; 2 Kings 24:2 ; Jeremiah 7:25 ; Jeremiah 25:4 ; Jeremiah 26:5 ; Jeremiah 29:19 ; Jeremiah 35:15 ; Ezekiel 38:17 ; also Zechariah 1:6 ; Daniel 9:10 ).

13 . the king’s seed ] the royal seed, lit. seed of the kingdom. See on Ezekiel 17:5 ; cf. 2 Kings 24:17 ; Jeremiah 37:1 . an oath of him ] Cf. 2 Chronicles 36:13 . he hath also taken ] he took also . On “mighty of the land,” cf. Ezekiel 17:12 . Probably the more influential classes are included, those who if left might be uneasy under the yoke and likely to stir up revolt; cf. 2 Kings 24:14-15 ; Jeremiah 29:1-2 . Ezekiel 17:13

19 . curse ] Rather oath , for it is on the strength of Jehovah’s oath to be Israel’s God and so to protect them, that this Israelite flatters himself he is secure, no matter how he may behave. In the history of religion such a delusion has been lamentably frequent, and believers in extreme doctrines of election have presumed on these and recklessly indulged in evil. bless himself in his heart ] Flatter himself! Found only here. stubbornness ] Heb. sherirûth , firmness but always in a bad sense; only here, Jeremiah 3:17 ; Jeremiah 7:24 ; Jeremiah 9:13 ; Jeremiah 11:8 ; Jeremiah 13:10 ; Jeremiah 16:12 ; Jeremiah 18:12 ; Jeremiah 23:17 , and in Psalm 81:12 (13). This of course is not the man’s own, but the writer’s, view of him. to destroy the moist with the dry ] An unmeaning translation. The construction is elliptic and we should render: so as to sweep away the moist (herbage?) with the dried up ; bring down a hurricane of destruction that would uproot the whole people, so fatal is the infectiousness, and so universal will be God’s punishment, of idolatry.

10 . when the year was expired ] R.V. at the return of the year ; cp. 2 Samuel 11:1 = 1 Chronicles 20:1 , “at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle,” R.V. This would be in the spring. brought him to Babylon ] It was not the king only, but also all the best of the people, “the princes, … men of valour, the craftsmen and the smiths” who went into captivity; 2 Kings 24:14 ; Jeremiah 24:1 ; Jeremiah 24:5 ; Ezekiel 17:12-14 . Zedekiah ] A covenant-name like “Jehoiakim” ( 2 Chronicles 36:4 , note); it seems to mean “Righteousness of Jehovah”; cp. the significant title in Jeremiah 23:6 , “The Lord is our Righteousness.” Zedekiah’s original name was “Mattaniah”; 2 Kings 24:17 . his brother ] In 2 Kin. (more accurately) “his father’s brother”; cp. 1 Chronicles 3:15-16 , notes.

9 . work ] more precisely, business ,—the word regularly used of the ‘work’ or ‘business’ forbidden on the sabbath ( Exodus 31:14-15 , Jeremiah 17:22 ; Jeremiah 17:24 al. : cf. Genesis 2:2 ), or other sacred day ( Exodus 12:16 ). 9, 10 . Explanation how the sabbath is to be kept holy.

To avoid this, apparently, Shallum has been enumerated in the fourth place, along with his full brother Zedekiah. In 1 Chronicles 3:6 it is remarkable that a son of Jehoiakim's son Jeconiah is mentioned, named Zedekiah, while the sons of Jeconiah follow only in 1 Chronicles 3:17 and 1 Chronicles 3:18 . Jeconiah (cf. Jeremiah 24:1 ; shortened Coniah, Jeremiah 22:24 , Jeremiah 22:28 , and Jeremiah 37:1 ) is called, as kings, in 2 Kings 24:8 . and 2 Chronicles 36:9 , Jehoiachin, another form of the name, but having the same signification, "Jahve founds or establishes." Zedekiah can only be a son of Jeconiah, for the בּנו which is added constantly denotes that the person so called is the son of his predecessor. Many commentators, certainly, were of opinion that Zedekiah was the same person as the brother of Jehoiakim mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3:15 under the name Zidkijahu, and who is here introduced as son of Jeconiah, because he was the successor of Jeconiah on the throne. For this view support was sought in a reference to 1 Chronicles 3:10 ., in which all Solomon's successors in the kingship are enumerated in order with בּנו. But all the kings who succeeded each other from Solomon to Josiah were also, without exception, sons of their predecessors; so that there בּנו throughout denotes a proper son, while King Zedekiah, on the contrary, was not the son, but an uncle of Jeconiah (Jehoiachin).

To avoid this, apparently, Shallum has been enumerated in the fourth place, along with his full brother Zedekiah. In 1 Chronicles 3:6 it is remarkable that a son of Jehoiakim's son Jeconiah is mentioned, named Zedekiah, while the sons of Jeconiah follow only in 1 Chronicles 3:17 and 1 Chronicles 3:18 . Jeconiah (cf. Jeremiah 24:1 ; shortened Coniah, Jeremiah 22:24 , Jeremiah 22:28 , and Jeremiah 37:1 ) is called, as kings, in 2 Kings 24:8 . and 2 Chronicles 36:9 , Jehoiachin, another form of the name, but having the same signification, "Jahve founds or establishes." Zedekiah can only be a son of Jeconiah, for the בּנו which is added constantly denotes that the person so called is the son of his predecessor. Many commentators, certainly, were of opinion that Zedekiah was the same person as the brother of Jehoiakim mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3:15 under the name Zidkijahu, and who is here introduced as son of Jeconiah, because he was the successor of Jeconiah on the throne. For this view support was sought in a reference to 1 Chronicles 3:10 ., in which all Solomon's successors in the kingship are enumerated in order with בּנו. But all the kings who succeeded each other from Solomon to Josiah were also, without exception, sons of their predecessors; so that there בּנו throughout denotes a proper son, while King Zedekiah, on the contrary, was not the son, but an uncle of Jeconiah (Jehoiachin).