Jeremiah 26:16-17

26:16 Then the officials and all the people rendered their verdict to the priests and the prophets. They said, ¹  “This man should not be condemned to die. ²  For he has spoken to us under the authority of the Lord our God.” ³  26:17 Then some of the elders of Judah ⁴  stepped forward and spoke to all the people gathered there. They said,

Jeremiah 26:24

26:24 However, Ahikam son of Shaphan ⁵  used his influence to keep Jeremiah from being handed over and executed by the people. ⁶ 

[26:16]  ¹ tn Heb “Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets…”

[26:16]  ² sn Contrast v. 11.

[26:16]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “elders of the land.”

[26:24]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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.”