Jeremiah 21:1

The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,

Written probably when, after having repulsed the Egyptians who brought assistance to the Jews (Jeremiah 37:5; ), the Chaldees were a second time advancing against Jerusalem, but were not yet closely besieging it (; ). (Rosenmuller.) This chapter, in point of time, stands between Jeremiah 37:1; Jeremiah 38:1; since what the "princes," in , represent Jeremiah as having said is exactly what we find in . Moreover, the same persons as here () are mentioned in ; - namely, Pashur and Zephaniah. What is here more fully related is there simply referred to in the historical narrative. (Compare ; , where "Zephaniah the second priest" is mentioned as put to death by Nebuchadnezzar, along with "Seraiah, the chief priest," after the capture of the city.)

Zedekiah - a prince having some reverence for sacred things, for which reason he sends an honourable embassy to Jeremiah; but not having moral courage to obey his better impulses.

Pashur - son of Melchiah, of the 5th order of priests, distinct from Pashur, son of Immer (), of the 16th order (; ).

Zephaniah - of the twenty-fourth order. They are designated, not by their father, but by their family ().