Jeremiah 26

The prophet by command of God threatened all the people in the court of temple that god if they continue disobedience will make the temple like silo and the land a curse unto all nations verse 1 &c he is thereupon apprehended and pronounced to be guilty of death 8 but the princes c coming there and having heard the accusation as also Jeremiah’s answer clear him by the example of the prophet Micah 10 Ahikam is commanded is commanded in particular for delivering Jeremiah that is fared not with him as it did with another prophet named Uria 20.

1. In the beginning of the reign of Jojakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word saying :

2. Thus saith the Lord stand in the court of the Lords house and speak unto all cities of Judah which come to worship [Heb. Properly to how themselves or to how down see Genesis 24 on verse 26] in the Lords house all the words that I have commanded thee to speak unto them diminish not a word.

3. Peradventure they will hearken and turn a man from his evil way then would I repent me [see Genesis 6 on verse 6 so verse 13 and 19] of the evil [of punishment see Genesis 19 on verse 19]which I think to do unto them of the wickedness of their dealings.

4. Say then unto them thus saith the Lord if ye will not hearken unto me to walk in my law which I have given before your face.

5. Hearkening the words of my servants the prophets which I send unto ye even being up early and sending [see above chapter 7 on verse 13 and verse 25 chapter 11.7 and 5.3] but ye have not hearkened.

6. Then will I make this house a Silo [see above chapter 7.12,14] and I will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

7. And the priests and the prophets [meaning the false prophets and so in the sequel above chapter 2.13] and all the people heard Jeremiah speak [Heb. Speaking] these words in the house of the Lord.

8. So it came to pass when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto people that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him saying thou shalt die to death [Heb dying die]

9. Why hast thou prophesy in the name of the Lord saying this house shall be like Silo and this city shall be desolate so that none shall dwell there? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

10. Now when the princes of Judah heard these words [or things matters] they came up from the kings house unto the house of the Lord and they set themselves by the door of the new gate [being according of the opinion of some the greatest of all renewed and repaired by king Jotham otherwise the high gate also the gate of Sur and the foundation gate in the east end of the temple see 2 Chronicles 27 on verse3 and 2Kings 11 on verse 5 and 15 on verse 35 and compare chapter 20 on verse 2] of the Lord [that is which was before the house of the Lord]

11. Then spake the priest and the prophets unto the princes saying on this man is the judgment [or right] of death [that is he is guilty to be condemned to die or to be punished with death so below verse 16 see Deuteronomy 19 on verse 6 and 21.22 Luke 24:20] for he hath prophesied against this city according as ye have heard with your ears.

12. But Jeremiah spake unto all the princes and to all the people saying the Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard .

13. Now then make your ways and your dealings good and obey the voice of the Lord your God then the Lord will repent him of evil that he hath spoken against ye .

14. But I behold I am in your hands [that is power] do unto me as it is good and it is right in your eyes [that is so as ye judge it to be good and right.]

15. But know for certain [Heb knowing know] that if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring [properly give appoint see judges 9 on verse 24 Ezekiel 7 on verse 3,4,8] innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and upon the inhabitants thereof for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto ye to speak all these words before your ears .

16. Then said the princes and all the people unto the priest and to the prophets and this man there is no judgment of death for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.

17. Also they rose up men of the eldest [that is chiefest man in place of authority persons of note and quality see numbers 11 on verse 16 and compare genesis 50 on verse 7] of the land and spake to al congregation of the people saying:

18. Micah the Moraschitite [that is born at Morescheth which some conceive to be Morescha from Micah 1:14,15 because the original signification seemeth to be see the annotate there and likewise Josiah 15.44 but others conceive Moresceth to be a village lying not far off from the city of Moreschia on the west borders of Judah or an other city lying by Gath pertaining to be Philistines and perhaps taken by the Benjamites 1 Chronicles 8 on verse 13 see further Micah 1 on verse 14 and of another prophet Micah 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 18] prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah saying thus saith the Lord of Hosts [see 1 kings 18 on verse 15] Zion shall be ploughed like a field and Jerusalem shall become a heap of stones and the mountain of this house [mount Moria where the temple stood] the high place of forest [that is every wild dessert woody high place see Micah 3:12.]

19. Did also Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death?[or put him all to death Heb putting to death, put him to death] did he [name Hezekiah] not fear the Lord ? and besought the face of the Lord? so that he repented the Lord [as above chapter 18.8 elsewhere often] of the evil which he had spoken against them ? we then commit great evil against our souls [that is we commit a great sin whereby we bring a great destruction on ourselves compare Numbers 16. on verse 38c.]

20. There was also a man [or there hath or hath been also a man] that prophesied in the name of the Lord Uriah the son of Semaja [Heb Urijabu shimajabu of this man there nowhere else mention made] of Kiriath Jiarim[see Judges 18 on verse 12] he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah [that is in the like manner just so as Jeremiah hath done all this in the relation of the prophet Jeremiah himself serving to take notice of Gods gracious providence in protecting of Jeremy by Ahikam without him Jojakim likely would have rewarded him as h had this Uriah .]

21. And when king Jojakim together with his almighty man and all the princes heard his word the king sought to put him to death when Uriah heard this he afraid and fled and came into Egypt.

22. But king Jojakim sent men to Egypt Elnathan the son of Achhor [compare 2Kings 22.12,14 and below chapter 36.12] and other man with him into Egypt.

23. They set Uriah out of Egypt and brought him unto king Jojakim and he smote him with the sword and he cast his dead body [that is caused him to smitten that is slain and his body to be cast c.] into the graves of the children of people [that is in one of the grave of the common people see judges 12 on verse 7 without yielding him as the prophet of the Lord as well worthy of the outward honor or funeral solemnity .]

24. But the hand of Ahikam the son of Saphan was with Jeremiah so that they delivered him not into the hand of the people to put him to death[that is he defended Jeremiah by his power and authority that he had see of this Ahikim 2Kings 22.12,14 and 25.2 also below chapter39.14.]