Jer. 26 The prophet, by God’s command, in the court of the temple, threateneth that the temple shall be as Shiloh, and the land a curse: exhorteth to repentance, Jer. 26:1–7. He is apprehended and arraigned, Jer. 26:8–11. His apology, Jer. 26:12–15.

The prophecy, Jer. 25:0, is said to have been revealed in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, this in the beginning of his reign, which makes learned men think it ought to have been placed before that.

Stand in the court of the Lord’s house; in the largest court of the temple, where the most may hear what thou sayest, and there speak to all those that dwell in any of the cities of Judah (from whence they were wont to come up, more especially thrice in a year to the temple to worship, Ps. 122:4).

Not that God was ignorant of their obstinacy and the hardening of their hearts, which was the future event; but to let us know that their destruction would be of themselves, he would give them both a time and space, and also means, for repentance, and the prevention of the judgments of God coming…

A course of actions in Scripture is ordinarily called a way; in which sense we often read of the way of the Lord, the way of the wicked, the way of the righteous, & c.; and a motion in this course is usually called walking, Ps. 1:1, Ezek. 18:9, and applied both to God and men.

My servants the prophets; those prophets who in prophesying were my servants, revealing my will unto you. Hearkening here is the same with hearkening unto God’s laws mentioned Jer. 26:4.

Shiloh was the city where the tabernacle was pitched, and the ark, the symbol of God’s presence, was, Judg. 18:31, Judg. 21:19, 1 Sam. 1:3, 1 Sam. 1:9, 1 Sam. 1:24, 1 Sam. 3:21. Out of it the ark was carried, 1 Sam.

All the people present at that time heard the prophet, who, according to the command of God, came into the court of the Lord’s house, and discharged his office, speaking these words.

Either they had a reverence for the prophet, or the terror of God fell upon them, so as they did not interrupt him till he had fully despatched his errand. Then the chief of the priests, with the assistance of the people, apprehend him, and tell him he should be put to death.

They charge him with being a false prophet, speaking false things in the name of God; their pretence seemeth to have been from the promises of God; such as that, Ps. 132:13–14, For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

When the nobles and other civil magistrates heard of the tumult, occasioned by Jeremiah’s unpleasing prophecy, they came from the king’s court, where the nobles and great officers in nations usually are, to the temple; and sat down at the entry of the new gate in the Lord’s house.

In the corrupt state of all kingdoms and cities, the ecclesiastical officers always were the greatest enemies to the faithful ministers of God, as we shall find in the whole story both of the Old and New Testament.

The priests having given Jeremiah his charge, he makes his defence. The sum of which was, he acknowledgeth that he had prophesied against the temple, and against the city, and tacitly acknowledgeth their power to take cognizance of seditious persons and false prophets, and doth not deny but such…

It is not I that have pronounced evil against you, but the Lord, who made both you and me: you rage against me, who am but God’s instrument, by whom he lets you know his mind and will; it were more advisable for you to reform your wicked lives and practices; and that by a full obedience to what the…

I am in your hand; that is, I am in your prover (as hand often signifieth in Scripture). Jeremiah doth not by this acknowledge any power they had justly thus to restrain and question him.

If you make this sedition, and put me to death for it, you have a natural power to do it, but you will get nothing by it, but further bring down the vengeance of God upon you by shedding my blood without a cause, the guilt of which will be added to your other guilt, and lie upon you, and upon your…

The judges in this case, with the assent of the people, acquit the prophet, and vindicate him from the charge of sedition given against him by the corrupt priests and false prophets, distinguishing betwixt one who of his own head spreadeth false news, and threateneth evil to a place, and one who…

Probably these elders were some of the court, or else advocates, for they were wont to rise up, either to plead or to judge, Isa. 3:13, Acts 5:34. They rise up and apply themselves to the people to justify their absolutory sentence.

This was that Micah whose prophecies are part of holy writ, as appeareth by Mic. 1:1, Mic. 3:12, where are the very words of the prophecy here mentioned.

The interrogation here hath the force of a negation; that is, Hezekiah, and the sanhedrim in his time, did not go about to call him in question for his life, nor put him to death; his prophecy had a quite contrary effect on him; it begat in him an awe and dread of that God in whose name the prophet…

This is a piece of story which we have recorded in no other part of Scripture. Some judge these words were the words of the same that spake before; but this is not likely, for then they had brought one instance for acquitting him, another for the condemning of him.

When Jehoiakim, our present king, and all his great men, heard of it, (probably by the information of others,) they judged it a capital crime, and used means to apprehend him, in order to the putting him to death, upon which the prophet being advertised of it, and fearing the issue, fled into Egypt.

The innocent prophet considered not the king of Judah’s alliance with the king of Egypt, (obliging him upon demand to deliver up any of his subjects who, being charged with capital crimes, should flee into his country for sanctuary,) and fled thither; but the king sent after him one of his great…

These persons sent by Jehoiakim brought back the prophet by force; he was tried and cast, judged worthy to die, and put to death, and ignominiously buried, not in the sepulchres of the prophets, or any men of repute and fashion, but amongst the vulgar people; which, as also his diligence to send…

Though Jeremiah’s enemies pleaded this instance of Urijah, which had this advantage of the other, because it was matter of fact done lately, and a case judged in this very king’s reign; yet the hand, that is, the power and interest, of one Ahikam, who, as appears from 2 Kings 22:12, was one of…