Jeremiah 26:23

And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. GRAVES OF THE COMMON PEOPLE - literally, son of the people (cf. ; Josiah "cast the powder thereof (i:e., of the grove-idol) upon the graves of the children of the people"). The prophets seem to have had a separate cemetery (). Urijah's corpse was denied this honour, in order that he should not be regarded as a true prophet....

It is at length added, that they _led up Uriah from Egypt, and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people, _by way of dishonor; for Jeremiah here calls them the graves of the common people, as we in French call shambles _des charniers. _The rich are honorably and splendidly buried at this day, and every one has his own grave; but when there is a vast number, the bodies are thrown together, for it would be too expensive to dig a grave for each. It seems also that there was such a practice in Judea, and that God’s Prophet was buried in this ignominious manner. Thus they who spoke intimated that the king’s wrath so burned, that he not only put him to death, but followed up his vengeance, so that a new disgrace awaited the Prophet, even when dead, for he was cast among the obscure and ignoble common people. I have...

16-24 When secure sinners are threatened with taking away the Spirit of God, and the kingdom of God, it is what is warranted from the word of God. Hezekiah who protected Micah, prospered. Did Jehoiakim, who slew Urijah, prosper? The examples of bad men, and the bad consequences of their sins, should deter from what is evil. Urijah was faithful in delivering his message, but faulty in leaving his work. And the Lord was pleased to permit him to lose his life, while Jeremiah was protected in danger. Those are safest who most simply trust in the Lord, whatever their outward circumstances may be; and that He has all men's hearts in his hands, encourages us to trust him in the way of duty. He will honour and recompense those who show kindness to such as are persecuted for his sake....

OUT OF EGYPT - As Jehoiakim was a vassal of Egypt, he would easily obtain the surrender of a man accused of treason....

JEREMIAH'S TRIAL AND DELIVERANCE. EXPOSITION The prophecy in Jeremiah 26:2 is a summary of that contained in Jeremiah 7:1; the narrative, which stands in no connection either with Jeremiah 24:1 or Jeremiah 27:1, relates the consequences of that bold declaration of the word of the Lord. The present position of the chapter is only surprising to those who assume that the works of the prophets were necessarily arranged chronologically. How many violations of chronological order meet us in other books, e.g. in Isaiah. It is only reasonable to

AND THEY FETCHED FORTH URIJAH OUT OF EGYPT,.... Having found him, they seized him, and brought him away, with the leave of the king of Egypt: which, no doubt, was easily obtained: AND BROUGHT HIM TO JEHOIAKIM THE KING, WHO SLEW HIM WITH THE SWORD; very probably with his own hand; or however it was done by his order, and in his presence, most likely: AND CAST HIS DEAD BODY INTO THE GRAVES OF THE COMMON PEOPLE; either where they were buried in heaps promiscuously, as some think; or in the common burying ground; and not where persons of distinction were laid, as prophets, and others g; this he did to reflect dishonour upon the prophet. g Vid. Nicolai de Sepulchris Heb. c. 3. p. 126....

CHAPTER 26 Threatened with Death and His Deliverance _ 1. The temple like Shiloh, and Jerusalem to be a curse (Jeremiah 26:1) _ 2. Threatened with death (Jeremiah 26:8) 3. Jeremiah's defense (Jeremiah 26:12) 4. History remembered and the prophet's deliverance (Jeremiah 26:16) Jeremiah 26:1. We are now taken back to the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim. (Compare with chapter 7.) The Lord still waits in patience for their repentance. With holy boldness the prophet stands in a place w

JEREMIAH 26. DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE FORETOLD: JEREMIAH'S PERIL (608 B.C.). Jeremiah is told to proclaim in the Temple (_cf._ Jeremiah 19:14; probably at some festival) a perilous message (keep not back a word, Jeremiah 26:2), in the hope that it may produce a change (Jeremiah 18:8). Unless the people obey Yahweh, He will destroy the Temple, like that of Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:14) and make the city (an example of) a curse (Jeremiah 29:22). The priests and prophets declare that Jeremiah must die for this blasphemy ...

SLEW HIM WITH THE SWORD. Compare Hebrews 11:37. COMMON PEOPLE. Hebrew sons of the people....

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 _protégé_of 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...