people to put him to death--Princes often, when they want to destroy a good man, prefer it to be done by a popular tumult rather than by their own order, so as to reap the fruit of the crime without odium to themselves ([Mt 27:20]).
Chapter 27
Jr 27:1-22. The Futility of Resisting Nebuchadnezzar Illustrated to the Ambassadors of the Kings, Desiring to Have the King of Judah Confederate with Them, under the Type of Yokes. Jeremiah Exhorts Them and Zedekiah to Yield
1. Jehoiakim--The prophecy that follows was according to this reading given in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, fifteen years before it was published in the reign of Zedekiah to whom it refers; it was thus long deposited in the prophet's bosom, in order that by it he might be supported under trials in his prophetic career in the interim [Calvin]. But "Zedekiah" may be the true reading. So the Syriac and Arabic Versions. [Jr 27:3], ; [Jr 28:1], confirm this; also, one of Kennicott's manuscripts. The English Version reading may have originated from [Jr 26:1]. "Son of Josiah" applies to Zedekiah as truly as to "Jehoiakim" or "Eliakim." The fourth year may, in a general sense here, as in [Jr 28:1], be called "the beginning of his reign," as it lasted eleven years ([2Ki 24:18]). It was not long after the fourth year of his reign that he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar ([Jr 51:59]; ; [2Ki 24:20]), in violation of an oath before God ([2Ch 36:13]).
2. bonds--by which the yoke is made fast to the neck ([Jr 5:5]).
yokes--literally, the carved piece of wood attached at both ends to the two yokes on the necks of a pair of oxen, so as to connect them. Here the yoke itself. The plural is used, as he was to wear one himself, and give the others to the ambassadors; ([Jr 27:3]; , ) proves that the symbolical act was in this instance (though not in others, [Jr 25:15]) actually done (compare [Is 20:2], &c.; [Eze 12:3], [11, 18]).
3. And send them to the king of Edom, &c.--Appropriate symbol, as these ambassadors had come to Jerusalem to consult as to shaking off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar. According to Pherecydes in Clement of Alexandria [Miscellanies, 567], Idanthura, king of the Scythians, intimated to Darius, who had crossed the Danube, that he would lead an army against him, by sending him, instead of a letter, a mouse, a frog, a bird, an arrow, and a plough. The task assigned to Jeremiah required great faith, as it was sure to provoke alike his own countrymen and the foreign ambassadors and their kings, by a seeming insult, at the very time that all were full of confident hopes grounded on the confederacy.
5. God here, as elsewhere, connects with the symbol doctrine, which is as it were its soul, without which it would be not only cold and frivolous, but even dead [Calvin]. God's mention of His supreme power is in order to refute the pride of those who rely on their own power ([Is 45:12]).
given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me--([Psa 115:15], ; [Da 4:17], 25, 32). Not for his merits, but of My own sole good pleasure [Estius].
6. beasts of the field--not merely the horses to carry his Chaldean soldiers, and oxen to draw his provisions [Grotius]; not merely the deserts, mountains, and woods, the haunts of wild beasts, implying his unlimited extent of empire [Estius]; but the beasts themselves by a mysterious instinct of nature. A reproof to men that they did not recognize God's will, which the very beasts acknowledged (compare [Is 1:3]). As the beasts are to submit to Christ, the Restorer of the dominion over nature, lost by the first Adam (compare [Ge 1:28]; 2:19, 20; [Psa 8:6-8]), so they were appointed to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, the representative of the world power and prefigurer of Antichrist; this universal power was suffered to be held by him to show the unfitness of any to wield it "until He come whose right it is" ([Eze 21:27]).
7. son ... son's son--([2Ch 36:20]). Nebuchadnezzar had four successors--Evil-merodach, his son; Neriglissar, husband of Nebuchadnezzar's daughter; his son, Labosodarchod; and Naboned (with whom his son, Belshazzar, was joint king), son of Evil-merodach. But Neriglissar and Labosodarchod were not in the direct male line; so that the prophecy held good to "his son and his son's son," and the intermediate two are omitted.
time of his land--that is, of its subjugation or its being "visited" in wrath ([Jr 27:22]; [Jr 25:12]; ; ; [Da 5:26]).
serve themselves of him--make him their servant ([Jr 25:14]; [Is 13:22]). So "his day" for the destined day of his calamity ([Job 18:20]).
8. until I have consumed them by his hand--until by these consuming visitations I have brought them under his power.
9. ye--the Jews especially, for whom the address to the rest was intended.
enchanters--augurs [Calvin], from a root, the "eyes," that is, lookers at the stars and other means of taking omens of futurity; or another root, a "fixed time," observers of times: forbidden in the law ([Le 19:26]; [De 18:10], [11, 14]).
10. to remove you--expressing the event which would result. The very thing they profess by their enchantments to avert, they are by them bringing on you. Better to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, and remain in your land, than to rebel, and be removed from it.
11. serve ... till it--The same Hebrew root expresses "serve" and "till," or "cultivate." Serve ye the king of Babylon, and the land will serve you [Calvin].
12. I spake also--translate, "And I spake," &c. Special application of the subject to Zedekiah.
13. Why ... die--by running on your own ruin in resisting Nebuchadnezzar after this warning ([Eze 18:31]).
14. lie--([Jr 14:14]).
15. in my name--The devil often makes God's name the plea for lies ([Mt 4:6]; , ; [Jr 27:15-20], the test whereby to know false prophets).
16. The "vessels" had been carried away to Babylon in the reign of Jeconiah ([2Ki 24:13]); also previously in that of Jehoiakim ([2Ch 36:5-7]).
18. at Jerusalem--that is, in other houses containing such vessels, besides the house of God and the king's palace. Nebuzara-dan, captain of the guard under Nebuchadnezzar, carried all away ([2Ki 25:13-17]; [2Ch 36:18]). The more costly vessels had been previously removed in the reigns of Jehoiakim and Jeconiah.
19. ([Jr 52:17], 20, 21).
22. until ... I visit them--in wrath by Cyrus ([Jr 32:5]). In seventy years from the first carrying away of captives in Jehoiachin's reign ([Jr 29:10]; [2Ch 36:21]).
restore them--by the hand of Cyrus ([Ezr 1:7]). By Artaxerxes ([Ezr 7:19]).
Chapter 28
Jr 28:1-17. Prophecies Immediately Following Those in the Twenty-seventh Chapter. Hananiah Breaks the Yokes to Signify that Nebuchadnezzar's Yoke Shall Be Broken. Jeremiah Foretells that Yokes of Iron Are to Succeed Those of Wood, and that Hananiah Shall Die
1. in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah--The Jews often divided any period into two halves, the beginning and the end. As Zedekiah reigned eleven years, the fourth year would be called the beginning of his reign, especially as during the first three years affairs were in such a disturbed state that he had little power or dignity, being a tributary; but in the fourth year he became strong in power.
Hananiah--Another of this name was one of the three godly youths who braved Nebuchadnezzar's wrath in the fear of God ([Da 1:6], ; ). Probably a near relation, for Azariah is associated with him; as Azur with the Hananiah here. The godly and ungodly are often in the same family ([Eze 18:14-20]).
Gibeon--one of the cities of the priests, to which order he must have belonged.
2. broken the yoke--I have determined to break: referring to Jeremiah's prophecy ([Jr 27:12]).
3. two full years--literally, "years of days." So "a month of days," that is, all its days complete ([Ge 29:14], Margin; [Ge 41:1]). It was marvellous presumption to speak so definitely without having any divine revelation.
4. bring again ... Jeconiah--not necessarily implying that Hananiah wished Zedekiah to be superseded by Jeconiah. The main point intended was that the restoration from Babylon should be complete. But, doubtless, the false prophet foretold Jeconiah's return ([2Ki 24:12-15]), to ingratiate himself with the populace, with whom Jeconiah was a favorite (see on [Jr 22:24]).
5. the prophet Jeremiah--the epithet, "the prophet," is prefixed to "Jeremiah" throughout this chapter, to correspond to the same epithet before "Hananiah"; except in [Jr 28:12], where "the prophet" has been inserted in English Version. The rival claims of the true and the false prophet are thus put in the more prominent contrast.
6. Amen--Jeremiah prays for the people, though constrained to prophesy against them ([1Ki 1:36]). The event was the appointed test between contradictory predictions ([De 18:21], ). "Would that what you say were true!" I prefer the safety of my country even to my own estimation. The prophets had no pleasure in announcing God's judgment, but did so as a matter of stern duty, not thereby divesting themselves of their natural feelings of sorrow for their country's woe. Compare [Ex 32:32]; [Ro 9:3], as instances of how God's servants, intent only on the glory of God and the salvation of the country, forgot self and uttered wishes in a state of feeling transported out of themselves. So Jeremiah wished not to diminish aught from the word of God, though as a Jew he uttered the wish for his people [Calvin].
8. prophets ... before me--Hosea, Joel, Amos, and others.
evil--a few manuscripts, read "famine," which is more usually associated with the specification of war and pestilence ([Jr 15:2]; ; , ). But evil here includes all the calamities flowing from war, not merely famine, but also desolation, &c. Evil, being the more difficult reading, is less likely to be the interpolated one than famine, which probably originated in copying the parallel passages.
9. peace--Hananiah had given no warning as to the need of conversion, but had foretold prosperity unconditionally. Jeremiah does not say that all are true prophets who foretell truths in any instance (which [De 13:1], , disproves); but asserts only the converse, namely, that whoever, as Hananiah, predicts what the event does not confirm, is a false prophet. There are two tests of prophets: (1) The event, [De 18:22]. (2) The word of God, [Is 8:20].
10. the yoke--([Jr 27:2]). Impious audacity to break what God had appointed as a solemn pledge of the fulfilment of His word. Hence Jeremiah deigns no reply ([Jr 28:11]; [Mt 7:6]).
11. neck of all nations--opposed to [Jr 27:7].
13. Thou hast broken ... wood ... thou shalt make ... iron--Not here, "Thou hast broken ... wood," and "I will make ... iron" (compare [Jr 28:16]). The same false prophets who, by urging the Jews to rebel, had caused them to throw off the then comparatively easy yoke of Babylon, thereby brought on them a more severe yoke imposed by that city. "Yokes of iron," alluding to [De 28:48]. It is better to take up a light cross in our way, than to pull a heavier on our own heads. We may escape destroying providences by submitting to humbling providences. So, spiritually, contrast the "easy yoke" of Christ with the "yoke of bondage" of the law ([Ac 15:10]; [Ga 5:1]).
14. I have put--Though Hananiah and those like him were secondary instruments in bringing the iron yoke on Judea, God was the great First Cause ([Jr 27:4-7]).
15. makest ... trust in a lie--([Jr 29:31]; [Eze 13:22]).