Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 26:7

So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

7. prophets ] The LXX, in order to make the sense clearer, render the Hebrew here, as in Jer 26:8 ; Jer 26:11 ; Jer 26:16, “ false prophets.”

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7 16. See introd. summary to ch.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

All the people present at that time heard the prophet, who, according to the command of God, came into the court of the Lords house, and discharged his office, speaking these words.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

So the priests, and the prophets, and all the people,…. As it was in the temple, in one of the courts of it, that Jeremiah was, and said the above things, it is no wonder to hear of the “priests”, since they were there about their work and service; the “prophets” were the false prophets, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions expressly call them; and “all the people” were all the males out of the several cities of Judah, who were come up to the temple on the account of the feast; see Jer 26:2; now these

heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord; in the temple; in the court of Israel; they heard him out, and did not interrupt him while he was speaking; and having heard him, they were angry with him, and were witnesses against him; they did not hear him so as to obey his words, receive his instructions, and follow, his directions; but they heard him with indignation, and were determined to prosecute him unto death.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

      7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.   8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.   9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.   10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king’s house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD‘s house.   11 Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.   12 Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.   13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.   14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.   15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

      One would have hoped that such a sermon as that in the foregoing verses, so plain and practical, so rational and pathetic, and delivered in God’s name, would work upon even this people, especially meeting them now at their devotions, and would prevail with them to repent and reform; but, instead of awakening their convictions, it did but exasperate their corruptions, as appears by this account of the effect of it.

      I. Jeremiah is charged with it as a crime that he had preached such a sermon, and is apprehended for it as a criminal. The priests, and false prophets, and people, heard him speak these words, v. 7. They had patience, it seems, to hear him out, did not disturb him when he was preaching, nor give him any interruption till he had made an end of speaking all that the Lord commanded him to speak, v. 8. So far they dealt more fairly with him than some of the persecutors of God’s ministers have done; they let him say all he had to say, and yet perhaps with a bad design, in hopes to have something worse yet to lay to his charge; but, having no worse, this shall suffice to ground an indictment upon: He hath said, This house shall be like Shiloh, v. 9. See how unfair they are in representing his words. He had said, in God’s name, If you will not hearken to me, then will I make this house like Shiloh; but they leave out God’s hand in the desolation (I will make it so) and their own hand in it in not hearkening to the voice of God, and charge it upon him that he blasphemed this holy place, the crime charged both on our Lord Jesus and on Stephen: He said, This house shall be like Shiloh. Well might he complain, as David does (Ps. lvi. 5), Every day they wrest my words; and we must not think it strange if we, and what we say and do, be thus misrepresented. When the accusation was so weakly grounded, no marvel that the sentence passed upon it was unjust: Thou shalt surely die. What he had said agreed with what God had said when he took possession of the temple (1 Kings ix. 6-8), If you shall at all turn from following after me, then this house shall be abandoned; and yet he is condemned to die for saying it. It is not out of any concern for the honour of the temple that they appear thus warm, but because they are resolved not to part with their sins, in which they flatter themselves with a conceit that the temple of the Lord will protect them; therefore, right or wrong, Thou shalt surely die. This outcry of the priests and prophets raised the mob, and all the people were gathered together against Jeremiah in a popular tumult, ready to pull him to pieces, were gathered about him (so some read it); they flocked together, some crying one thing and some another. The people that were at first present were hot against him (v. 8), but their clamours drew more together, only to see what the matter was.

      II. He is arraigned and indicted for it before the highest court of judicature they had. Here, 1. The princes of Judah were his judges, v. 10. Those that filled the thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David, the elders of Israel, they, hearing of this tumult in the temple, came up from the king’s house, where they usually sat near the court, to the house of the Lord, to enquire into this matter, and to see that nothing was done disorderly. They sat down in the entry of the new gate of the Lord’s house, and held a court, as it were, by a special commission of Oyer and Terminer. 2. The priests and prophets were his prosecutors and accusers, and were violently set against him. They appealed to the princes, and to all the people, to the court and the jury, whether this man were not worthy to die, v. 11. The corrupt priests and counterfeit prophets have always been the most bitter enemies of the prophets of the Lord; they had ends of their own to serve, which they thought such preaching as this would be an obstruction to. When Jeremiah prophesied in the house of the king concerning the fall of the royal family (ch. xxii. 1, c.), the court, though very corrupt, bore it patiently, and we do not find that they persecuted him for it but when he comes into the house of the Lord, and touches the copyhold of the priests, and contradicts the lies and flatteries of the false prophets, then he is adjudged worthy to die. For the prophets prophesied falsely, and the priests bore rule by their means, ch. v. 31. Observe, When Jeremiah is indicted before the princes the stress of his accusation is laid upon what he said concerning the city, because they thought the princes would be most concerned about that. But concerning the words spoken they appeal to the people, “You have heard what he hath said; let it be given in evidence.”

      III. Jeremiah makes his defence before the princes and the people. He does not go about to deny the words, nor to diminish aught from them; what he has said he will stand to, though it cost him his life; he owns that he had prophesied against this house and this city, but, 1. He asserts that he did this by good authority, not maliciously nor seditiously, not out of any ill-will to his country nor any disaffection to the government in church or state, but, The Lord sent me to prophesy thus: so he begins his apology (v. 12), and so he concludes it, for this is that which he resolves to abide by as sufficient to bear him out (v. 15): Of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you, to speak all these words. As long as ministers keep closely to the instructions they have from heaven they need not fear the opposition they may meet with from hell or earth. He pleads that he is but a messenger, and, if he faithfully deliver his message, he must bear no blame; but he is a messenger from the Lord, to whom they were accountable as well as he, and therefore might demand regard. If he speak but what God appointed him to speak, he is under the divine protection, and whatever affront they offer to the ambassador will be resented by the Prince that sent him. 2. He shows them that he did it with a good design, and that it was their fault if they did not make a good use of it. It was said, not by way of fatal sentence, but of fair warning; if they would take the warning, they might prevent the execution of the sentence, v. 13. Shall I take it ill of a man that tells me of my danger, while I have an opportunity of avoiding it, and not rather return him thanks for it, as the greatest kindness he could do me? “I have indeed (says Jeremiah) prophesied against this city; but, if you will now amend your ways and your doings, the threatened ruin shall be prevented, which was the thing I aimed at in giving you the warning.” Those are very unjust who complain of ministers for preaching hell and damnation, when it is only to keep them from that place of torment and to bring them to heaven and salvation. 3. He therefore warns them of their danger if they proceed against him (v. 14): “As for me, the matter is not great what become of me; behold, I am in your hand; you know I am; I neither have any power, nor can make any interest, to oppose you, nor is it so much my concern to save my own life: do with me as seems meet unto you; if I be led to the slaughter, it shall be as a lamb.” Note, It becomes God’s ministers, that are warm in preaching, to be calm in suffering and to behave submissively to the powers that are over them, though they be persecuting powers. But, for themselves, he tells them that it is at their peril if they put him to death: You shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, v. 15. They might think that killing the prophet would help to defeat the prophecy, but they would prove wretchedly deceived; it would but add to their guilt and aggravate their ruin. Their own consciences could not but tell them that, if Jeremiah was (as certainly he was) sent of God to bring them this message, it was at their utmost peril if they treated him for it as a malefactor. Those that persecute God’s ministers hurt not them so much as themselves.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Here the Prophet recites what happened to him, after he had declared God’s message, and faithfully warned the people by adding threatenings, as God had commanded him. He says first that he was heard; which is not to be deemed as commendatory, as though the priests and prophets patiently heard what he taught; for there was no teachable spirit in them, nor did they come prepared to learn, but they had long indulged themselves in perverseness, so that Jeremiah was become to them an avowed enemy; and they also audaciously opposed all his threatenings. But though they were not ashamed to reject what the Prophet said, they yet observed a certain form, as it is usual with hypocrites, for they are more exact than necessary, as they say, in what is formal, but what is really important they neglect. We may hence observe, that the priests and prophets deserved no praise, because they restrained themselves, as though they deferred their judgment until the cause was known, but as the whole people were present, they for a time shewed themselves moderate; it was yet a reigned moderation, for their hearts were full of impiety and contempt of God, as it became really manifest.

But it must be observed that he says that the priests and prophets hearkened As to the priests, it is no wonder that he calls them so, though they were in every way wicked, for it was an hereditary honor. But it is strange that he mentions the prophets. At the same time we must know, that Jeremiah thus calls those who boasted that they were sent from above. In the twenty-third chapter he at large reproves them; and in many other places he condemns their impudence in falsely assuming the authority of God. He then allowed them an honorable title, but esteemed it as nothing; as we may do at this day, who without harm may call by way of ridicule those prelates, bishops, or pastors, who under the Papacy seek to be deemed so, provided we at the same time strip them of their masks. But these lay hold on the title, and thus seek to suppress the truth of God, as though to be called a bishop were of more weight than if an angel was to come down from heaven. And yet were an angel to descend from heaven, he ought to be counted by us as a devil, if he brought forward such filthy and execrable blasphemies, as we see the world is at this day polluted with by these unprincipled men. This passage then, and the like, ought to be borne in mind, for they shew that titles are not sufficient, except those who bear them really shew that they are such as their calling imports. Thus, then, Jeremiah was called a Prophet, and also those impostors were called prophets whose only religion it was to corrupt and pervert the doctrine of the Law, but they were so called with regard to the people. It is in the meantime necessary, wisely to distinguish between prophets or teachers, as also the Apostle reminds us, we ought to inquire whether their spirit is from God or not. (1Jo 4:1.)

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

3. An angry response (Jer. 26:7-10)

Those who were assembled in the court of the Temple that day listened sullenly and indignantly as the mighty man of God delivered the word (Jer. 26:7). Though Jeremiah saw the scowling faces, the clenched fists, the threatening gestures yet he continued boldly to rebuke, threaten and exhort his audience. At the conclusion of his sermon the people, led by their priests and prophets, seized Jeremiah (Jer. 26:8). Death! they cried. You have spoken words worthy of death, Jeremiah! Buffeted, battered and berated by the angry throng Jeremiah remembered the words God had spoken to him at his call: they shall fight against you; but they shall not prevail (Jer. 1:19).

One wonders what the fate of the prophet might have been had not certain princes arrived from the royal palace (Jer. 26:10). Apparently they had heard the commotion in the Temple court and had hastened there to determine the cause of the tumult. Their arrival seems to have had a soothing effect upon the hostile crowd. After order was restored the princes sat down at the entrance of the New Gate to conduct a formal, legal inquiry into the matter.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(7) The priests and the prophets.The mention of the latter is significant. Jeremiah had to separate himself from both the orders to which he belonged, in the one case, by birth, in the other, by a special vocation. His bitterest foes were found among those who claimed to speak as he did, in the name of the Lord, but who tuned their voice according to the time, and prophesied deceits. See Notes on Jer. 23:9-40.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

7. The priests and the prophets Indicating, in no doubtful manner, how effectually Jeremiah had succeeded in arresting public attention.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jer 26:7. The prophets, &c. The prophets, as is manifest from many passages in Scripture, were an order of men among the Jews devoted to sacred literature, and qualified by their attainments in religious knowledge to advise and instruct the people, who came to consult them in cases of doubt and difficulty. They appear to have been trained in seminaries and schools under the direction of some prophet eminent for wisdom and piety, as those mentioned 1Sa 19:20 were under Samuel, and those 2Ki 2:3; 2Ki 6:1 under Elijah and Elisha. That they were numerous, appears from this circumstance, that when Jezebel slew all the prophets of JEHOVAH whom she could meet with, Obadiah hid a hundred of them, and saved their lives; 1Ki 18:4.: and afterwards there appeared no less than four hundred of them prophesying in that character before Ahab and Jehoshaphat, 1Ki 22:6. It is not to be supposed that these were all of them, or at all times, divinely inspired, but ordinarily gave their advice as men versed in the law and in the other Scriptures. Sometimes, however, they were enabled to answer those that consulted them by immediate revelation from God. And out of this body God generally perhaps chose those whom he sent as his ambassadors, and messengers extraordinary, to notify the designs of his providence, and to warn his people to repent and turn from the ways which displeased him. I say, generally, but not always; for Amos expressly says of himself, that he was “neither a prophet,” meaning by profession, “nor a prophet’s son,” one bred up in the schools of the prophets; but an illiterate herdsman, when JEHOVAH sent him to prophesy unto Israel; Amo 7:14. But neither did the sacredness of their character secure them from bearing a part in the general corruption of the times; on the contrary, Jeremiah in particular complains bitterly of them for having prostituted themselves to the worst of purposes, deceiving the people by false pretences, and being greatly instrumental in promoting the cause of impiety and wickedness. See chap. Jer 5:31 Jer 14:13-14 Jer 23:14, &c. Jer 28:15 Jer 29:8-9, &c. See also Eze 13:2; Eze 13:23. Mic 3:5; Mic 3:11. Zep 3:4. After a total cessation of prophesy, the Scribes, who are often mentioned in the Gospels, seem to have stepped into the place of the prophets, and by their acquired skill in the sacred writings, without any claim to supernatural gifts, to have taught the people, and instructed them in all matters of religious concernment. See Mat 23:2-3.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Jer 26:7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

Ver. 7. So the priests and the prophets. ] Like unto these prophets were the scribes and the lawyers in Christ’s time. a

a Verbum Domini parit crucem. The word of God brought forth the cross. – Oecol.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)