Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 26:22
And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, [namely], Elnathan the son of Achbor, and [certain] men with him into Egypt.
22. Elnathan into Egypt ] omitted by LXX and perhaps a gloss. Gi. points out that what we read of him in Jer 36:12; Jer 36:25 would make such an act as this on his part unlikely. On the other hand it is difficult for this very reason to understand his name being inserted here by a copyist. If he is to be identified with the E. mentioned in 2Ki 24:8, he was father-in-law to Jehoiakim.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Elnathan – Possibly the kings father-in-law 2Ki 24:8.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The innocent prophet considered not the king of Judahs alliance with the king of Egypt, (obliging him upon demand to deliver up any of his subjects who, being charged with capital crimes, should flee into his country for sanctuary,) and fled thither; but the king sent after him one of his great men, (mentioned also Jer 36:12) with some others to his assistance.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. Jehoiakim sent . . . intoEgyptHe had been put on the throne by Pharaoh of Egypt (2Ki23:34). This explains the readiness with which he got theEgyptians to give up Urijah to him, when that prophet had sought anasylum in Egypt. Urijah was faithful in delivering his message, butfaulty in leaving his work, so God permitted him to lose his life,while Jeremiah was protected in danger. The path of duty is often thepath of safety.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Jehoiakim sent men into Egypt,…. To seek for him; and to require the delivery of him upon being found:
[namely], Elnathan the son of Achbor; the father of this man very probably is the same we read of in Josiah’s time, 2Ki 22:12; who is called Abdon in 2Ch 34:20;
and [certain] men with him, into Egypt; to assist him in taking him, whose names are not mentioned; Elnathan’s is, as being the principal, and to fix an eternal infamy upon him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
It is afterwards added that the king sent men, even Elnathan, the chief of the legation, with others. (175) There is no doubt but that Jehoiakim sent to the king of Egypt and complained that a turbulent man had fled, and that he asked him to deliver him up as a fugitive. So then he was brought back, not through power, but through a nefarious compact, for he was betrayed by the king of Egypt.
(175) To avoid what may seem a tautology in this verse, Blayney renders the word for Egypt, adversaries, — “But Jehoiakim the king sent adversaries, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt.” Were the words rendered literally, the repetition would not appear different from many that we meet with; “Then sent the king Jehoiakim men into Egypt with Elnathan the son of Achbor, even men with him into Egypt.” The repetition seems to have been intended to shew that there was a strong force, and not one man, sent to take the Prophet, and that this force was to go even as far as Egypt. The version of the Sept. is, “And the king sent men into Egypt;” the Vulg. and the Targ. are the same with our version; but the Syr. is, “And the king Jehoiakim sent a certain Egyptian, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and some with him, into Egypt.”
It is singular that in one MS. the word מרגלים, searchers, spies, is found instead of מצרים, rendered often Egypt, though it comes from a root which means to bind close, to environ, to beset; and so as a hyphil participle it would be besetters, or catchers — in modern language, bumbailiffs, which is a corruption for bound bailiffs. This meaning would exactly suit the passage, “Then the king Jehoiakim sent men, catchers, with Elnathan the son of Achbor, even these men with him into Egypt.” — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(22) And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt.It will be remembered that the king had been appointed by Pharaoh-necho, and rested therefore on his alliance. Elnathan, the envoy employed on this mission, was the kings father-in-law (2Ki. 24:8). His father, Achbor, had taken a prominent part, together with Shaphan, the father of Ahikam, in the work of reformation under Josiah, and was sent by the king to the prophetess Huldah (2Ki. 22:12). Elnathan appears again in the list of princes in Jer. 36:12 as favourable to Jeremiah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Sent men into Egypt Jehoiakim was in close alliance with the king of Egypt, having been placed on his throne by him; hence the facility with which he seemed to recover a man who sought asylum there.
Elnathan Whether this was the king’s father-in-law, who also had the same name, (2Ki 24:8,) cannot be decided. But he is mentioned in Jer 36:12; Jer 36:25, as among the princes favourable to Jeremiah, which bears against such identification.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 26:22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, [namely], Elnathan the son of Achbor, and [certain] men with him into Egypt.
Ver. 22. And Jehoiakim sent men into Egypt. ] Where he might have anything, for he was Pharaoh’s feudatory and vassal.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Elnathan. See Jer 26:22; Jer 36:12, Jer 36:25.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
men: Psa 12:8, Pro 29:12
Achbor: 2Ki 22:12, 2Ki 22:14
Reciprocal: 2Ch 34:20 – Abdon Jer 22:17 – to shed Jer 36:12 – Elnathan Jer 36:25 – Elnathan
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 26:22, In his wickedness Jehoiakim determined to have his way against Urijah. He got up a group of men headed by Elnathan and sent them Into Egypt after Urijah.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
26:22 And Jehoiakim the king {l} sent men into Egypt, [namely], Elnathan the son of Achbor, and [certain] men with him into Egypt.
(l) Here is declared the fury of tyrants who cannot stand to hear God’s word declared but persecute the ministers of it, and yet in the end they prevail nothing but provoke God’ judgments so much more.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The king sent a delegation of representatives to Egypt and brought Uriah back to Jerusalem. Elnathan ben Achbor had been one of Josiah’s officials, and he may have been Jehoiakim’s father-in-law (2Ki 22:12; 2Ki 22:14; 2Ki 24:8). He later tried to stop Jehoiakim from destroying Jeremiah’s prophecies (Jer 36:25).
"The extradition of political refugees was frequently inserted as one of the clauses in the treaties of the second millennium B.C. We may conjecture that there was a suzerain-vassal treaty between Egypt and Judah since Necho placed Jehoiakim on the throne in 609 B.C. and required him to pay tribute (2Ki 23:34-35). Such extradition clauses were reciprocal, becoming part of international law." [Note: Thompson, p. 527.]
The king put Uriah to death and gave his body an undistinguished burial, probably in the valley of Kidron (cf. 2Ki 23:6). The prophet Zechariah is the only other prophet whose execution the Old Testament records (Mat 23:35; cf. 2Ch 24:20-22). However, there appear to have been other martyrs among the prophets (cf. Mat 23:37; Luk 13:34). Perhaps the writer included the information about Uriah’s death to help us appreciate the great danger in which Jeremiah stood. God does not protect all His faithful servants from death at the hands of their enemies.