Jeremiah 26:1-24

Jeremiah Is Put on Trial as a False Prophet ¹ 

26:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah ²  at the beginning of the reign ³  of Josiah’s son, King Jehoiakim of Judah. 26:2 The Lord said, “Go stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. ⁴  Speak out to all the people who are coming from the towns of Judah to worship in the Lord’s temple. Tell them everything I command you to tell them. Do not leave out a single word! 26:3 Maybe they will pay attention and each of them will stop living the evil way they do. ⁵  If they do that, then I will forgo destroying them ⁶  as I had intended to do because of the wicked things they have been doing. ⁷  26:4 Tell them that the Lord says, ⁸  ‘You must obey me! You must live according to the way I have instructed you in my laws. ⁹  26:5 You must pay attention to the exhortations of my servants the prophets. I have sent them to you over and over again. ¹⁰  But you have not paid any attention to them. 26:6 If you do not obey me, ¹¹  then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh. ¹²  And I will make this city an example to be used in curses by people from all the nations on the earth.’”

26:7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah say these things in the Lord’s temple. 26:8 Jeremiah had just barely finished saying all the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people. All at once some ¹³  of the priests, the prophets, and the people grabbed him and shouted, “You deserve to die! ¹⁴  26:9 How dare you claim the Lord’s authority to prophesy such things! How dare you claim his authority to prophesy that this temple will become like Shiloh and that this city will become an uninhabited ruin!” ¹⁵  Then all the people crowded around Jeremiah.

26:10 However, some of the officials ¹⁶  of Judah heard about what was happening ¹⁷  and they rushed up to the Lord’s temple from the royal palace. They set up court ¹⁸  at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s temple. ¹⁹  26:11 Then the priests and the prophets made their charges before the officials and all the people. They said, ²⁰  “This man should be condemned to die ²¹  because he prophesied against this city. You have heard him do so ²²  with your own ears.”

26:12 Then Jeremiah made his defense before all the officials and all the people. ²³  “The Lord sent me to prophesy everything you have heard me say against this temple and against this city. 26:13 But correct the way you have been living and do what is right. ²⁴  Obey the Lord your God. If you do, the Lord will forgo destroying you as he threatened he would. ²⁵  26:14 As to my case, I am in your power. ²⁶  Do to me what you deem fair and proper. 26:15 But you should take careful note of this: If you put me to death, you will bring on yourselves and this city and those who live in it the guilt of murdering an innocent man. For the Lord has sent me to speak all this where you can hear it. That is the truth!” ²⁷ 

26:16 Then the officials and all the people rendered their verdict to the priests and the prophets. They said, ²⁸  “This man should not be condemned to die. ²⁹  For he has spoken to us under the authority of the Lord our God.” ³⁰  26:17 Then some of the elders of Judah ³¹  stepped forward and spoke to all the people gathered there. They said, 26:18 “Micah from Moresheth ³²  prophesied during the time Hezekiah was king of Judah. ³³  He told all the people of Judah,

‘The Lord who rules over all ³⁴  says,

“Zion ³⁵  will become a plowed field.

Jerusalem ³⁶  will become a pile of rubble.

The temple mount will become a mere wooded ridge.”’ ³⁷ 

26:19 King Hezekiah and all the people of Judah did not put him to death, did they? Did not Hezekiah show reverence for the Lord and seek the Lord’s favor? ³⁸  Did not ³⁹  the Lord forgo destroying them ⁴⁰  as he threatened he would? But we are on the verge of bringing great disaster on ourselves.” ⁴¹ 

26:20 Now there was another man ⁴²  who prophesied as the Lord’s representative ⁴³  against this city and this land just as Jeremiah did. His name was Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim. ⁴⁴  26:21 When the king and all his bodyguards ⁴⁵  and officials heard what he was prophesying, ⁴⁶  the king sought to have him executed. But Uriah found out about it and fled to Egypt out of fear. ⁴⁷  26:22 However, King Jehoiakim sent some men to Egypt, including Elnathan son of Achbor, ⁴⁸  26:23 and they brought Uriah back from there. ⁴⁹  They took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him executed and had his body thrown into the burial place of the common people. ⁵⁰ 

26:24 However, Ahikam son of Shaphan ⁵¹  used his influence to keep Jeremiah from being handed over and executed by the people. ⁵² 

[26:1]  ¹ sn Beginning with Jer 26 up to Jer 45 the book narrates in third person style incidents in the life of Jeremiah and prophecies (or sermons) he gave in obedience to the Lord’s commands. Baruch is the probable narrator, passing on information gleaned from Jeremiah himself. (See Jer 36:4, 18, 32; 45:1 and also 32:13-14 where it is clear that Baruch is Jeremiah’s scribe or secretary.) Chapters 26-29 contain narratives concerning reactions to Jeremiah’s prophecies and his conflict with the prophets who were prophesying that things would be all right (see, e.g., 14:14-15; 23:21).

[26:1]  ² tn The words “to Jeremiah” are not in the Hebrew text. They are added by the Old Latin (not the Vulgate) and the Syriac versions. They are implicit, however, to the narrative style which speaks of Jeremiah in the third person (cf. vv. 7, 12). They have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[26:1]  ³ tn It is often thought that the term here is equivalent to a technical term in Akkadian (reshsharruti) which refers to the part of the year remaining from the death or deposing of the previous king until the beginning of the calendar year when the new king officially ascended the throne. In this case it would refer to the part of the year between September, 609 b.c. when Jehoiakim was placed on the throne as a puppet king by Pharaoh Necho (2 Kgs 23:34-35) and April, 608 b.c. when he would have been officially celebrated as king. However, it will be suggested below in conjunction with the textual problems in 27:1 and 28:1 that the term does not necessarily refer to this period.

[26:2]  ⁴ sn It is generally agreed that the incident recorded in this chapter relates to the temple message that Jeremiah gave in 7:1-15. The message there is summarized here in vv. 3-6. The primary interest here is in the response to that message.

[26:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “will turn from his wicked way.”

[26:3]  ⁶ tn For the idiom and translation of terms involved here see 18:8 and the translator’s note there.

[26:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “because of the wickedness of their deeds.”

[26:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “thus says the Lord, ‘…’.” The use of the indirect quotation in the translation eliminates one level of embedded quotation to avoid confusion.

[26:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “by walking in my law which I set before you.”

[26:5]  ¹⁰ tn See the translator’s note on 7:13 for the idiom here.

[26:6]  ¹¹ tn 26:4-6 are all one long sentence containing a long condition with subordinate clauses (vv. 4-5) and a compound consequence in v. 6: Heb “If you will not obey me by walking in my law…by paying attention to the words of the prophets which…and you did not pay heed, then I will make…and I will make…” The sentence has been broken down in conformity to contemporary English style but an attempt has been made to reflect all the subordinations in the English translation.

[26:6]  ¹² sn See the study note on Jer 7:13.

[26:8]  ¹³ tn The translation again represents an attempt to break up a long complex Hebrew sentence into equivalent English ones that conform more to contemporary English style: Heb “And as soon as Jeremiah finished saying all that…the priests…grabbed him and said…” The word “some” has been supplied in the translation, because obviously it was not all the priests, the prophets, and all the people, but only some of them. There is, of course, rhetorical intent here to show that all were implicated, although all may not have actually participated. (This is a common figure called synecdoche where all is put for a part – all for all kinds or representatives of all kinds. See E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 614-19, and compare usage in Acts 10:12; Matt 3:5.)

[26:8]  ¹⁴ tn Or “You must certainly die!” The construction here is again emphatic with the infinitive preceding the finite verb (cf. Joüon 2:423 §123.h, and compare usage in Exod 21:28).

[26:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “Why have you prophesied in the Lord’s name, saying, ‘This house will become like Shiloh and this city will become a ruin without inhabitant?’” It is clear from the context here and in 7:1-15 that the emphasis is on “in the Lord’s name” and that the question is rhetorical. The question is not a quest for information but an accusation, a remonstrance. (For this figure see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 953-54, who calls a question like this a rhetorical question of remonstrance or expostulation. For good examples see Pss 11:1; 50:16.) For the significance of “prophesying in the Lord’s name” see the study note on 14:14. The translation again utilizes the indirect quote to eliminate one level of embedded quotation.

[26:10]  ¹⁶ sn These officials of Judah were officials from the royal court. They may have included some of the officials mentioned in Jer 36:12-25. They would have been concerned about any possible “illegal” proceedings going on in the temple.

[26:10]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “these things.”

[26:10]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “they sat” or “they took their seats.” However, the context is one of judicial trial.

[26:10]  ¹⁹ tn The translation follows many Hebrew mss and ancient versions in reading the word “house” (= temple) here. The majority of Hebrew mss do not have this word. It is, however, implicit in the construction “the New Gate of the Lord.”

[26:11]  ²⁰ tn Heb “the priests and prophets said to the leaders and the people….” The long sentence has been broken up to conform better with contemporary English style and the situational context is reflected in “laid their charges.”

[26:11]  ²¹ tn Heb “a sentence of death to this man.”

[26:11]  ²² tn Heb “it.”

[26:12]  ²³ tn Heb “Jeremiah said to all the leaders and all the people….” See the note on the word “said” in the preceding verse.

[26:13]  ²⁴ tn Heb “Make good your ways and your actions.” For the same expression see 7:3, 5; 18:11.

[26:13]  ²⁵ tn For the idiom and translation of terms involved here see 18:8 and the translator’s note there.

[26:14]  ²⁶ tn Heb “And I, behold I am in your hand.” Hand is quite commonly used for “power” or “control” in biblical contexts.

[26:15]  ²⁷ tn Heb “For in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak in your ears all these words/things.”

[26:16]  ²⁸ tn Heb “Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets…”

[26:16]  ²⁹ sn Contrast v. 11.

[26:16]  ³⁰ tn Heb “For in the name of the Lord our God he has spoken to us.” The emphasis is on “in the name of…”

[26:17]  ³¹ tn Heb “elders of the land.”

[26:18]  ³² sn Micah from Moresheth was a contemporary of Isaiah (compare Mic 1:1 with Isa 1:1) from the country town of Moresheth in the hill country southwest of Jerusalem. The prophecy referred to is found in Mic 3:12. This is the only time in the OT where an OT prophet is quoted verbatim and identified.

[26:18]  ³³ sn Hezekiah was co-regent with his father Ahaz from 729-715 b.c. and sole ruler from 715-686 b.c. His father was a wicked king who was responsible for the incursions of the Assyrians (2 Kgs 16; 2 Chr 28). Hezekiah was a godly king, noted for his religious reforms and for his faith in the Lord in the face of the Assyrian threat (2 Kgs 18–19; 2 Chr 32:1-23). The deliverance of Jerusalem in response to his prayers of faith (2 Kgs 19:14-19, 29-36) was undoubtedly well-known to the people of Jerusalem and Judah and may have been one of the prime reasons for their misplaced trust in the inviolability of Zion/Jerusalem (see Ps 46, 76) though the people of Micah’s day already believed it too (Mic 3:11).

[26:18]  ³⁴ tn Heb “Yahweh of armies.”

[26:18]  ³⁵ sn Zion was first of all the citadel that David captured (2 Sam 5:6-10), then the city of David and the enclosed temple area, then the whole city of Jerusalem. It is often in poetic parallelism with Jerusalem as it is here (see, e.g., Ps 76:2; Amos 1:2).

[26:18]  ³⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[26:18]  ³⁷ sn There is irony involved in this statement. The text reads literally “high places of a forest/thicket.” The “high places” were the illicit places of worship that Jerusalem was supposed to replace. Because of their sin, Jerusalem would be like one of the pagan places of worship with no place left sacrosanct. It would even be overgrown with trees and bushes. So much for its inviolability!

[26:19]  ³⁸ tn This Hebrew idiom (חָלָה פָּנִים, khalah panim) is often explained in terms of “stroking” or “patting the face” of someone, seeking to gain his favor. It is never used in a literal sense and is found in contexts of prayer (Exod 32:11; Ps 119:158), worship (Zech 8:21-22), humble submission (2 Chr 3:12), or amendment of behavior (Dan 9:13). All were true to one extent or another of Hezekiah.

[26:19]  ³⁹ tn The he interrogative (הַ)with the negative governs all three of the verbs, the perfect and the two vav (ו) consecutive imperfects that follow it. The next clause has disjunctive word order and introduces a contrast. The question expects a positive answer.

[26:19]  ⁴⁰ tn For the translation of the terms involved here see the translator’s note on 18:8.

[26:19]  ⁴¹ tn Or “great harm to ourselves.” The word “disaster” (or “harm”) is the same one that has been translated “destroying” in the preceding line and in vv. 3 and 13.

[26:20]  ⁴² sn This is a brief parenthetical narrative about an otherwise unknown prophet who was executed for saying the same things Jeremiah did. It is put here to show the real danger that Jeremiah faced for saying what he did. There is nothing in the narrative here to show any involvement by Jehoiakim. This was a “lynch mob” instigated by the priests and false prophets which was stymied by the royal officials supported by some of the elders of Judah. Since it is disjunctive or parenthetical it is unclear whether this incident happened before or after that in the main narrative being reported.

[26:20]  ⁴³ tn Heb “in the name of the Lord,” i.e., as his representative and claiming his authority. See the study note on v. 16.

[26:20]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “Now also a man was prophesying in the name of the Lord, Uriah son of…, and he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.” The long Hebrew sentence has been broken up in conformity with contemporary English style and the major emphasis brought out by putting his prophesying first, then identifying him.

[26:21]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “all his mighty men/soldiers.” It is unlikely that this included all the army. It more likely was the palace guards or royal bodyguards (see 2 Sam 23 where the same word is used of David’s elite corps).

[26:21]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “his words.”

[26:21]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “But Uriah heard and feared and fled and entered Egypt.”

[26:22]  ⁴⁸ sn Elnathan son of Achbor was one of the officials who urged Jeremiah and Baruch to hide after they heard Jeremiah’s prophecies read before them (Jer 36:11-19). He was also one of the officials who urged Jehoiakim not to burn the scroll containing Jeremiah’s prophecies (Jer 36:25). He may have been Jehoiakim’s father-in-law (2 Kgs 24:6, 8).

[26:23]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “from Egypt.”

[26:23]  ⁵⁰ sn The burial place of the common people was the public burial grounds, distinct from the family tombs, where poor people without any distinction were buried. It was in the Kidron Valley east of Jerusalem (2 Kgs 23:6). The intent of reporting this is to show the ruthlessness of Jehoiakim.

[26:24]  ⁵¹ sn Ahikam son of Shaphan was an official during the reign of Jehoiakim’s father, Josiah (2 Kgs 22:12, 14). He was also the father of Gedaliah who became governor of Judah after the fall of Jerusalem (Jer 40:5). The particle at the beginning of the verse is meant to contrast the actions of this man with the actions of Jehoiakim. The impression created by this verse is that it took more than just the royal officials’ opinion and the elders’ warnings to keep the priests and prophets from swaying popular opinion to put Jeremiah to death.

[26:24]  ⁵² tn Heb “Nevertheless, the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he would not be given (even more literally, ‘so as not to give him’) into the hand of the people to kill him.” “Hand” is often used for “aid,” “support,” “influence,” “power,” “control.”