INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 27 This chapter contains a prophecy of the subjection of the king of Judah, with five neighbouring kings, to the king of Babylon; signified by bonds and yokes on the prophet's neck, which they are exhorted patiently to bear, as being most for their good; and not to give hee... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF JEHOIAKIM THE SON OF JOSIAH KING OF JUDAH,.... This is the same date with the prophecy of the preceding chapter and some think that this verse should conclude that, as belonging to it; and by which they would reconcile a difficulty that arises here; the orders for ma... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD TO ME, MAKE THEE BONDS AND YOKES,.... The yokes were made of wood, as appears from Jeremiah 28:13; and the bonds were strings or thongs, which bound the yoke together, that it might not slip off the neck, on which it was put: AND PUT THEM UPON THY NECK; not all of them together,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SEND THEM TO THE KING OF EDOM, AND TO THE KING OF MOAB, AND TO THE KING OF THE AMMONITES, AND TO THE KING OF TYRUS, AND TO THE KING OF ZIDON,.... All neighbouring kings and states, to whom the wine cup of God's wrath was to be sent, and they made to drink of it, Jeremiah 25:21; and against who... [ Continue Reading ]
AND COMMAND THEM TO SAY UNTO THEIR MASTERS,.... The prophet is sent with authority, and ordered to speak in a very high strain, having his orders from the King of kings and Lord of lords; a greater master than those messengers had; and to enjoin them to tell their several masters in his master's nam... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE MADE THE EARTH, THE MAN AND THE BEAST THAT [ARE] UPON THE GROUND,.... The earth was made by him on the first day, and man and beast on the sixth day, of the creation; the earth is still supported in its being, and man and beast are continued on it in succession: this is mentioned to show his... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW I HAVE GIVEN ALL THESE LANDS,.... Before mentioned; of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, Zidon, and Judea: INTO THE HAND OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING OF BABYLON, MY SERVANT; whom God used as an instrument in correcting and chastising the nations; and who obeyed his will, though he knew it not; nor did... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL NATIONS SHALL SERVE HIM,.... That is, all those, all above mentioned; though there were others also that were tributary to him, but not every nation under heaven: AND HIS SON, AND HIS SON'S SON; their Scripture names were Evilmerodach and Belshazzar, Jeremiah 52:31; and by Ptolemy, in his c... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, [THAT] THE NATION AND KINGDOM WHICH WILL NOT SERVE THE SAME NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING OF BABYLON,.... Will not, upon his approaching to them, invading and besieging them, submit and become tributary to him, as is more fully expressed in the next clause: AND THAT WILL NOT PU... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE HEARKEN NOT YE TO YOUR PROPHETS,.... False prophets, as the Targum. These words are not directed to the Jews, but are a continuation of what the messengers of the nations should say to their masters from the God of Israel, by the mouth of his prophet; for they had their prophets as well as... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY PROPHESY A LIE UNTO YOU,.... That which was vain and false, and proved so; though they might not know it was when delivered: TO REMOVE YOU FAR FROM YOUR LAND; not that they designed it by their prophecies, but so it was eventually; for, standing it out against Nebuchadnezzar, encouraged by... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE NATIONS THAT BRING THEIR NECK UNDER THE YOKE OF THE KING OF BABYLON, AND SERVE HIM,.... That at once, and readily, submit unto him, and pay him tribute: THOSE WILL I LET REMAIN STILL IN THEIR OWN LAND, SAITH THE LORD; undisturbed by any other enemy; peaceably dwelling in their own habitatio... [ Continue Reading ]
I SPAKE ALSO TO ZEDEKIAH KING OF JUDAH,.... At the same time that he delivered the above message from the Lord to the ambassadors of several nations, who were then residents in Zedekiah's court, or however in Jerusalem: ACCORDING TO ALL THESE WORDS; the same things, and much in the same language, h... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY WILL YE DIE, THOU AND THY PEOPLE, THE SWORD, BY THE FAMINE, AND BY THE PESTILENCE,.... Through a blockade of the Chaldean army, which would invade their land, and besiege their city, upon a refusal to be subject to their yoke: AS THE LORD HATH SPOKEN AGAINST THE NATION THAT WILL NOT SERVE THE K... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE HEARKEN NOT UNTO THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS,.... The false prophets, as the Targum; such bad kings always had about them, to whom they listened, and which often proved of bad consequence to them: THAT SPEAK UNTO YOU, SAYING; as follows: YE SHALL NOT SERVE THE KING OF BABYLON; ye ought not... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I HAVE NOT SENT THEM, SAITH THE LORD,.... See Jeremiah 23:21; yet they prophesy a lie in my name; to deliver out a lie was a very wicked thing, sinful in them, and fatal to others; but to make use of the name of the Lord, and cover it with that, and back it with his authority, was much more wic... [ Continue Reading ]
ALSO I SPAKE TO THE PRIESTS, AND TO ALL THIS PEOPLE, SAYING,.... From the court he went to the temple, and spoke to the priests that were ministering there, and to all the people that were assembled for divine worship; either at the ordinary time of it, or at some one of the solemn feasts: this was... [ Continue Reading ]
HEARKEN NOT UNTO THEM,.... The false prophets: SERVE THE KING OF BABYLON, AND LIVE; pay homage and tribute to him; which is the way to live in your own land, and enjoy the benefits of that, and of the temple worship; which, if not, you will be utterly deprived of: WHEREFORE SHOULD THIS CITY BE LAI... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THEY BE PROPHETS, AND IF THE WORD OF THE LORD BE WITH THEM,.... The true prophets of the Lord are sent by him, and have his word put into them: LET THEM NOW MAKE INTERCESSION TO THE LORD OF HOSTS: use their interest with him, as they must have one, if they are true prophets; let them pray un... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS CONCERNING THE PILLARS,.... The pillars of brass that stood in the temple; the one called Boaz, and the other Jachin, 1 Kings 7:15; AND CONCERNING THE SEA; the sea of molten brass, which stood upon twelve oxen, 1 Kings 7:23; AND CONCERNING THE BASES: the ten bases,... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF BABYLON TOOK NOT,.... For he seems only to have taken the vessels of gold, and left the vessels of brass, as the above were; see 2 Kings 24:13; WHEN HE CARRIED AWAY CAPTIVE JECONIAH, THE SON OF JEHOIAKIM, KING OF JUDAH, FROM JERUSALEM TO BABYLON, AND ALL THE NOBLES OF J... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, CONCERNING THE VESSELS THAT REMAIN [IN] THE HOUSE OF THE LORD,.... Which are mentioned in Jeremiah 27:19; together with others: AND [IN] THE HOUSE OF THE KING OF JUDAH, AND OF JERUSALEM; see Jeremiah 27:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL BE CARRIED TO BABYLON,.... As they were; and of which, with others, there is a particular account in 2 Kings 25:13; AND THERE SHALL THEY BE UNTIL THE DAY THAT I VISIT THEM, SAITH TO THE LORD; the Chaldeans in a way of wrath, and the Jews in a way of grace and favour; which was at the end... [ Continue Reading ]