Jeremiah 26:9-11

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!” ¹  Then all the people crowded around Jeremiah.

26:10 However, some of the officials ²  of Judah heard about what was happening ³  and they rushed up to the Lord’s temple from the royal palace. They set up court ⁴  at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s temple. ⁵  26:11 Then the priests and the prophets made their charges before the officials and all the people. They said, ⁶  “This man should be condemned to die ⁷  because he prophesied against this city. You have heard him do so ⁸  with your own ears.”

[26:9]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ tn Heb “these things.”

[26:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “they sat” or “they took their seats.” However, the context is one of judicial trial.

[26:10]  ⁵ 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]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “a sentence of death to this man.”

[26:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “it.”