Jeremiah 29:22

And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; OF THEM SHALL BE TAKEN UP A CURSE - i:e., a formula of imprecation. LORD MAKE THEE LIKE ZEDEKIAH - (cf. ; , "Ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen"). ROASTED IN THE FIRE - a Chaldean punishment ()....

Here we are to notice the circumstances; for if Jeremiah had only spoken of their death, the Jews might still have been doubtful whether he had delivered a prophecy; but when now is added what kind of punishment was inflicted on them, Jeremiah points out as by the finger what was as yet unknown, and even incredible. It might indeed have happened to the captives that the king should order them to be slain, but it could not have occurred to any man to suppose what Jeremiah declares, that they would be _roasted _(220) _in the fire _We hence see that God here obviates the evasions of perverse minds, so that there would be no room for evading, when he specifies the very kind of death which they were to undergo. But he says first, _Taken from them shall be a curse, _that is, the form of cursing. Mentioned yesterday was אלה, _ale, _an oath; he puts down now קללה

20-32 Jeremiah foretells judgments upon the false prophets, who deceived the Jews in Babylon. Lying was bad; lying to the people of the Lord, to delude them into a false hope, was worse; but pretending to rest their own lies upon the God of truth, was worst of all. They flattered others in their sins, because they could not reprove them without condemning themselves. The most secret sins are known to God; and there is a day coming when he will bring to light all the hidden works of darkness. Shemaiah urges the priests to persecute Jeremiah. Their hearts are wretchedly hardened who justify doing mischief by having power to do it. They were in a miserable thraldom for mocking the messengers of the Lord, and misusing his prophets; yet in their distress they trespass still more against the Lord. Afflictions will not of themselves cure men of their sins, unless the grace of God works with th...

A CURSE - There is a play here of words. which probably was the cause why the death of these men passed into a proverb. One of them was named ben-Kolaiah; and they are to be made a curse (קללה _q__e__lâlâh_), because Nebuchadnezzar had roasted (קלה _qâlâh_) them. Compare the marginal reference note....

EXPOSITION Despised and rejected at home, Jeremiah turned his thoughts to those distant brethren in captivity, whom he had already likened to "good figs, very good" (Jeremiah 24:3, Jeremiah 24:5). He had heard with sorrow that they could not readily submit to their altered circumstances; Judah, with its consecrated associations, was still too near to them in spirit. Probably a rumor of the expected confederacy (Jeremiah 27:3) had troubled their minds, and the discontent was increased by the pernicious discourses of prophets and sooth sayers similar to that Hananiah of whom we have just heard. Two of these in particular are mentioned, and a terrible fate is held out to them. The appendix (verses 24-32) de

AND OF THEM SHALL BE TAKEN UP A CURSE BY ALL THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH WHICH [ARE] IN BABYLON,.... A form of cursing; when they cursed anyone, or wished him ill, it should be in such like manner as follows; so odious and detestable would these men be afterwards to them, whom they, at least some of them, took to be the prophets of the Lord: SAYING, THE LORD MAKE THEE LIKE ZEDEKIAH, AND LIKE AHAB, WHOM THE KING OF BABYLON ROASTED IN THE FIRE; or "burnt them" d; not at once, but with a slow fire; so the Maccabees were roasted, "Then the king, being in a rage, commanded pans and caldrons to be made hot: '' (2 Maccabees. 7:3) Burning persons with fire, and casting them into a fiery furnace, were ways used by the Chaldeans in putting persons to death, Daniel 3:6; and roasting men at a fire was used by the Chinese e. d קלם "combussit", Pagninus; "us

JEREMIAH 29. THE FUTURE OF THE EXILES IN BABYLON (_c_. 595). Jeremiah sends a letter by royal messengers to tell the exiles in Babylon to settle down there for a lengthy stay, and not to be deceived by those who say otherwise (Jeremiah 29:1). After seventy years (see on Jeremiah 25:11), they shall be restored in accordance with Yahweh's declared purpose (Jeremiah 24:4) and goodwill (Jeremiah 29:1). At this point, an insertion seems to have been made in the original letter. Most of 14 (after I will be found of you) is rightly omitted in LXX; the reference to all the nations does not suit the destination of this particula

A CURSE. a curse formula....

The prophets in Babylonia, of whom the exiles speak in Jeremiah 29:15, shall perish by a cruel death....

ROASTED IN THE FIRE— This horrid punishment was frequent in the East, especially among the Chaldeans, as appears from Daniel 3:6 and Amos 2:1 and was often practised in the persecution of the Christians in Dioclesian's time. Under Antiochus Epiphanes, the seven brethren were tried by this torture. See 2 Maccabees 7 :...