Jeremiah 26:6

26:1-6 God's ambassadors must not seek to please men, or to save themselves from harm. See how God waits to be gracious. If they persisted in disobedience, it would ruin their city and temple. Can any thing else be expected? Those who will not be subject to the commands of God, make themselves subject to the curse of God.

Then will I make this house like Shiloh,.... Where the ark was until it was taken by the Philistines; and then the Lord forsook his tabernacle there, Psalm 78:60 ; and so he threatens to do the like to the temple at Jerusalem, should they continue in their disobedience to him; See Gill on Jeremiah 7:12 and See Gill on Jeremiah 7:14 ; and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth; that is, the city of Jerusalem, which should be taken up, and used proverbially in all countries; who, when they would curse anyone, should say, the Lord make thee as Jerusalem, or do unto thee as he has done to Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 26 is a narrative of the danger to which Jeremiah was exposed by reason of the prophecy contained in Jeremiah 7 and should be read in connection with it. Jeremiah 26:4-6 contain a summary of the prediction contained in Jeremiah 7 , and that again is but an outline of what was a long address.

(6) I will make this house like Shiloh. —See Notes on Jeremiah 7:14 . The surprise and anger with which the announcement was received indicate that it was now heard for the first time, and so far confirms the view that we have here a summary of the discourse given in extenso, and probably edited, as it were, with many additions, in Jeremiah 7-10

Shiloh was the city where the tabernacle was pitched, and the ark, the symbol of God’s presence, was, Judges 18:31 21:19 1 Samuel 1:3,9,24 3:21 . Out of it the ark was carried, 1 Samuel 4:3 , when it was taken by the Philistines, and was carried no more thither, but rested in Kirjath-jearim, 1 Samuel 7:2 , where it rested twenty years. David fetched it from thence, 2 Samuel 6:2 . So that, as the psalmist tells us, Psalm 78:60,61 , God forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh ; here he threateneth to do the like as to the temple, because of which they had such a confidence. Jeremiah, Jeremiah 7:12 , had spoken much the same thing; it is a threatening that God would deprive them of his ordinances. To which he addeth a threatening of destruction to the city, to that degree, that when men should curse any place, they should say, God do unto thee as he did to Jerusalem. We had the like phrase Jeremiah 24:9 , and have it again Jeremiah 29:18,22 , &c.

Accusation and Acquittal of Jeremiah. - Jeremiah 26:1-7 . His prophecy that temple and city would be destroyed gave occasion to the accusation of the prophet. - Jeremiah 26:1 . "In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah, came this word from Jahveh, saying: Jeremiah 26:2 . Thus said Jahveh: Stand in the court of the house of Jahveh, and speak to all the cities of Judah which come to worship in Jahveh's house, all the words that I have commanded thee to speak to them; take not a word therefrom. Jeremiah 26:3 . Perchance they will hearken and turn each from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do unto them for the evil of their doings. Jeremiah 26:4 . And say unto them: Thus saith Jahveh: If ye hearken not to me, to walk in my law which I have set before you, Jeremiah 26:5 . To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets whom I sent unto you, from early morning on sending, but ye have not hearkened. Jeremiah 26:6 . Then I make this house like Shiloh, and this city a curse to all the peoples of the earth. Jeremiah 26:7 . And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Jahveh." In the discourse of Jeremiah 7, where he was combating the people's false reliance upon the temple, Jeremiah had already threatened that the temple should share the fate of Shiloh, unless the people turned from its evil ways.

Now, since that discourse was also delivered in the temple, and since Jeremiah 26:2-6 of the present chapter manifestly communicate only the substance of what the prophet said, several comm. have held these discourses to be identical, and have taken it for granted that the discourse here referred to, belonging to the beginning of Jehoiakim's reign, was given in full in Jeremiah 7, while the history of it has been given in the present chapter by way of supplement (cf. the introductory remarks to Jeremiah 7). But considering that it is a peculiarity of Jeremiah frequently to repeat certain of the main thoughts of his message, the saying of God, that He will do to the temple as He has done to Shiloh, is not sufficient to warrant this assumption. Jeremiah frequently held discourses in the temple, and more than once foretold the destruction of Jerusalem; so that it need not be surprising if on more than one occasion he threatened the temple with the fate of Shiloh.