Coniah - By Coniah he means Jehoiakim, whose name was Jeconiah, 1Chron 3:13, (for all Josiah's sons had two names, and so had his grandchild Jeconiah) here in contempt called Coniah. The signet - Tho' he were as dear as a signet, which every man keeps safe.
Is this - The prophet speaks this in the person of God, affirming that this prince, who was the idol of the people, was now become like a broken idol. A vessel - So cracked, or so tainted, that they can make no use of it.
Childless - He is said to be childless, either because all his children died before their father; or because he had no child that sat upon the throne, or ever had any ruler's place in Judah.
That feed - They are said to have fed this people, because it was their duty so to do.
Behold - Even the Jewish doctors, as well as the Christian interpreters, understand this as a prophecy of the Messiah who is called the branch, Isa 4:2 53:2. And here, he is called the righteous branch, not only because himself was righteous, but because he maketh his people righteous. Shall execute - Protecting the innocent, and defending his people throughout the world, judging the prince of the world, and by his spirit governing his people.
Judah - During the reign and kingdom of the Messiah the people of God typified by Judah and Israel shall be saved with a spiritual salvation, and God will be a special protection to them. And this - The name wherewith this branch shall be called, shall be, The Lord our righteousness. This place is an eminent proof of the Godhead of Christ, he is here called Jehovah, and what is proper to God alone, namely to justify, is here applied to Christ. He who knew no sin, was made sin, (that is, a sacrifice for sin) for us, that we might be made, the righteousness of God in him.
They shall dwell - Possibly part of this prophecy remains yet to be accomplished for the Jews are not yet come to dwell in their own land.
Like a man - And he was even astonished and stupefied, and like a drunken man, at the apprehensions of the wrath of the Lord ready to be revealed against them, and considering also what words the holy God had put into his mouth, to speak against them.
Adulterers - Under this term all species of uncleanness are comprehended. Swearing - By false - swearing, or by idle and profane swearing. The pleasant places - The wrath of God was extended to all places whether more or less inhabited. Their courses - The prophets did not only err in single acts, but the whole course of their actions was evil, and particularly their power, rule and government, was not right.
They prophesied - Pretending they had their instructions from Baal, and so caused the ten tribes to err, which then were called Israel in contradistinction to Judah.
Hearken not - People are under no religious obligation to hear any thing but the revealed will of God, and are not to obey those that call to them for what that doth not call to them.
For who - Which of those prophets, that prophesy such terrible things against this city is a privy - counsellor to God? The words seem to be the words of the false prophets.
The anger - The prophet speaks of the judgment as of a messenger, which should not return till it had done its errand, and executed what God had resolved it should effect. Ye shall consider - And though you will not now believe it, yet hereafter when it shall be too late, you shall consider it perfectly.
What is the wheat - There is as much difference between my will and their dreams, as there is betwixt the chaff and the wheat.
That steal - That conspire together what to say to deceive the people, and so steal what they say one from another.
He - That is, the Lord saith.
What is - The false prophets, and corrupt priests, would ordinarily mock the true prophets; and ask them what was the burden of the Lord.
That shall say - That is, that shall in derision say thus, mocking at my threatenings. And his house - I will not only punish him, but his whole family.
Thus shall ye say - I will have you speak more reverently of me and my prophets.
Mention no more - Not in scorn and derision. For - These false and irreverent speeches which are in every man's mouth, shall be burdensome to them, shall bring down vengeance upon them. Perverted - Because you have derided, the words of God, the living God.
Thus shalt thou say - To my true prophet. You shall speak to them reverently.
Because - Because you go on in your scoffing.
And behold - Probably a vision.
Acknowledge - I will acknowledge them for their good; I will shew them favour, being of the number of those who were not leaders to sin, but led away by the ill example of others, and who being carried away grew sensible of their sins, and so accepted of the punishment of their iniquities.
Nebuchadnezzar - In this work shall be my servant; though you will not be my servants in obeying my commands.
Moreover - Nay, I will not only deprive you of your mirth, but of those things that are necessary for you, as necessary as bread and light, the millstone shall not move, you shall not have the light so much as of a candle.
Accomplished - Counted from the time that the Jews were carried away in the time of Jeconiah or Jehoiakim, 2Kings 24:15,16. Desolations - This was fulfilled by Darius, the king of Persia, Dan 4:31, of these seventy Nebuchadnezzar reigned thirty six, 2Kings 25:27. Evil - merodach thirty two, and Belshazzar at least two, Dan 8:1.
The cup - God made Jeremiah to see the appearance of such a cup in a vision.
Of Uz - Some part of Arabia Petraea, near to Idumaea. Of the Philistines - Uzzah, Ekron, Ashdod, and Askelon, were four of their cities, the fifth which was Gath is not here named. For before this time it was destroyed, either by Psammeticus, father to Pharaoh Necho, or by Tartan, captain general to Sargon, king of Assyria, of whom read, Isa 20:1, that he took Ashdod, which may be the reason that here mention is made of no more than the remnant of Ashdod.
Beyond the sea - Probably those parts of Syria that coasted upon the mid - land sea.
Tema - Tema descended from Ishmael, Gen 25:15, his posterity inhabited in Arabia, Isa 21:13,14, where they are joined with those of Dedan. Buz - Buz was one of the posterity of Nahor, Gen 22:21. These were people mixed with the Saracens or Arabians.
Zimri - Those descended from Zimran, Abraham's son by Keturah, Gen 25:2. Elam - The Persians. The Medes - The Medes came from Madai the son of Japhet.
The north - All under the government of the Chaldeans. Of Sheshach - And the king of Babylon, who was last of all to drink of this cup of the Lord's fury.
Shepherds - Shepherds and the principal of the flock, in this place mean civil rulers. A pleasant vessel - Like a crystal glass, or some delicate vessel, which breaks in pieces and cannot again be set together.
Because - The effects of this rising up of God out of his covert is the desolation of the land through the fierceness of the enemy, caused by the fierce anger of God.
When - When the nobles, and other civil magistrates, heard of the tumult, they came from the king's court, where the nobles and great officers of nations usually are, to the temple. At the entry - It was the place where their sanhedrim, who were to judge of false prophets, were wont to sit.
The priests - "In the corrupt state of all kingdoms, the ecclesiastical officers always were the greatest enemies to the faithful ministers of God." They speak to the members of the court who are called princes, and to the people who were in the court.
Micah - This was that Micah, whose prophecies are part of holy writ, as appears by Micah 1:1 3:12, where are the very words of the prophecy here mentioned, the substance of whose prophecy was the same with this, that Zion should be plowed up, and the place where the temple stood, should become so desolate that trees should grow there, as in a forest.
Thus - Now, if we should take a quite contrary course, and put this man to death, we should do ourselves no good, but procure great evil against our souls; that is against ourselves.
And there was - This is a story which we have recorded in no other part of scripture. They are probably the words of some others, who were enemies to Jeremiah.
Cast his body - Not in the sepulchers of the prophets, but amongst the vulgar people.
Nevertheless - Tho' Jeremiah's enemies pleaded this instance of Urijah, a case judged in this very king's reign; yet the hand, that is, the power and interest of Ahikam, one of Josiah's counsellors, and the father of Gedaliah, was with Jeremiah.
Thus saith - God commands the prophet to procure some yokes with bonds to make them more fast; and to put one of them upon his own neck, that therein he might be a type both to his own people, and also the people afterward mentioned, that they should be in bondage to the king of Babylon.
Of Edom - These nations were neighbours to the Jews, and their princes had their ambassadors resident in Jerusalem.
All nations - That is, all these nations. His son - And Evil - Merodach his son, and Belshazzar his grand - child. Until - Until the period of his kingdom shall come, which was after seventy years, according to chap.29:10.