Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 17:20
And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:
20. kings ] The plural is certainly strange. Cp. the sing, in Jer 22:2. As Co. says, we have here not a concrete situation but a model and abstraction.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 20. Ye kings of Judah, and all Judah] This last clause is wanting in eight of Kennicott’s and De Rossi’s MSS., in the Arabic, and some copies of the Septuagint.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The word of the Lord equally concerneth the highest and the lowest, the greatest princes as well as the meanest subjects.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. kingsHe begins with thekings, as they ought to have repressed such a glaring profanation.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And say unto them, hear ye the word of the Lord,…. Concerning the sanctification of the sabbath; for this was not of human, but of divine institution:
ye kings of Judah; which must be understood either, as Kimchi thinks, of the then present king and his sons, so called because they would reign after him; for, there was but one king at a time; and who, perhaps, at this time, was Josiah: or else the king and his nobles, the princes of the land, are meant:
and all Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates; the people in the several parts of the land of Judea, that came to Jerusalem either for trade and merchandise, or for worship, and all that dwelt in the metropolis; for the business the prophet had to charge them with concerned them all.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He then adds, Thou shalt say to them, Hear the word of Jehovah, ye kings of Judah, and let all the people hear, and let all the citizens of Jerusalem hear, who enter in at these gates. The Prophet was commanded to begin with the king himself, who ought to have repressed so great a licentiousness. It was therefore an intolerable indifference in the king silently to bear this contempt of religion, especially in a matter so easy and so evident; for he could not have pretended that he was unacquainted with it: it was indeed the same as though the Jews intended to triumph against God, and to shew that his law was deemed of no value. Hence the profanation of the Sabbath was a proof of their shamelessness, as they thereby shewed that they cared nothing either for God or for his law. We shall hereafter see how great that wickedness was; but; I shall defer the subject, as I cannot now discuss it at large, and a more convenient opportunity will offer itself.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Jer 17:20 And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:
Ver. 20. Ye kings of Judah. ] Magistrates, being lord keepers of both the tables of the law, should carefully see to it that both be duly observed. Our King Edgar made laws for the sanctification of the Lord’s day, Sabbath, as have also our present governors, to their lasting renown. The first blow given to the German churches was on the Lord’s day, which they carelessly observed; for on that day was Prague lost; as was likewise Constantinople on Whitsunday, as they called it. a
a Jer. Dike, Of Conscience. – Estius in lib. Sentent. Distinc., xi. cap. 2.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 13:18, Jer 19:3, Jer 22:2, Psa 49:1, Psa 49:2, Eze 2:7, Eze 3:17, Hos 5:1, Amo 4:1, Mic 3:1, Rev 2:29
Reciprocal: 2Ki 21:8 – only if they Jer 7:2 – that enter Jer 7:7 – will I Jer 21:11 – General Jer 35:15 – Return Mar 2:24 – that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 17:20. The people in general were to be addressed, but the kings were referred to especially because a military situation was about to take place and the diplomatic exchanges would be made through them. Judah was the country or kingdom and Jerusalem was the capital hence the mention of the two. The word of the Lord was to be delivered to these inhabitants through the prophets, and they were to listen to its utterance.