Jeremiah 26:20-24

See introd. summary to ch. The story is introduced by the compiler (probably Baruch) to illustrate the risk to which Jeremiah was exposed; perhaps also to contrast Jeremiah's courage and Uriah's cowardice. Du. suggests that the occurrence took place at the same Feast, but at a moment when the king was himself present, and that Uriah's words may have specially pointed at him as the protégéof Egypt. Co. holds that, as the incident can hardly have occurred before Jeremiah's prophecy otherwise the latter would not have produced such an excitement it must be considered to have been subsequent to it. He places Jeremiah 26:24, as being the natural ending of the narrative concerning Jeremiah himself, before Jeremiah 26:20; but against such transposition we may hold that the point of Jeremiah 26:24 is the contrast between the case of the friendless Uriah and that of Jeremiah. In 21 23 the LXX omit various names and otherwise abbreviate.