Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 29:16
[Know] that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, [and] of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
16. the king ] Zedekiah. See Jer 28:1. See note on Jer 29:24.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
These verses are not in the Septuagint. But the text of the Septuagint is here throughout so brief and confused as to be explicable only on the supposition, that it represents what was left behind in Egypt when Jeremiah died, copied probably with extreme haste, and with no opportunity of careful collation afterward. On the other hand the Hebrew text represents no hurried transcript, but the original manuscript, and is especially trustworthy in the case of these letters sent to Babylon (see also Jer. 51), because the originals of them would be available for collation with the text preserved by Jeremiah himself. The verses were probably intended to allay excitement in Babylon consequent upon the knowledge that the representatives of various kings were assembled at that very time at Jerusalem to form a coalition against Babylon Jer 27:3.
Jer 29:17
Vile – The word does not occur elsewhere, but comes from a root signifying to shudder, and thus has an intense meaning.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The word
know is, as some think, needlessly supplied, for the following particle might be as well translated for, or because, or therefore. By the king he meaneth Zedekiah, whom he chooseth to express under the notion of him
that sitteth upon the throne of David, to take away the vain hopes which the Jews conceived from the promises which God had made to David, and to his seed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. people . . . in this city . . .not gone forthSo far from your returning to Jerusalem soon,even your brethren still left dwelling there shall themselvesalso be cast into exile. He mentions “the throne of David,“lest they should think that, because David’s kingdom was to beperpetual, no severe, though temporary, chastisements could interpose(Ps 89:29-36).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[Know] that thus saith the Lord,…. Or “for”, or “wherefore thus saith the Lord” x; for the word “know” is not in the text, and seems needless; though it is also supplied by other interpreters y. The words are illative, and follow upon the former; and the sense is, that since they gave heed to their false prophets in Babylon, who told them that they should quickly return; therefore the Lord sent the following message to them, informing them that it was so far from being true that they should in a short time return to Jerusalem, that, on the other hand, they that were there should soon be with them in captivity, or be destroyed:
of, or “concerning”
the king that sitteth on the throne of David; that is, King Zedekiah, who was then the reigning king at Jerusalem:
and of all the people that dwelleth in this city; the city Jerusalem, where Jeremiah was, and from whence this letter was written, in the name of the Lord, to the captives at Babylon:
and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity; that lived in the several parts of the land of Judea, who were left behind, and not carried captive, when those were to whom these words are directed.
x “nam sic ait”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius “ideo”, Calvin; “ita namque”, Schmidt. y “Scitote quod”, Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
We now perceive for what purpose the Prophet, after having addressed the captives, turned his discourse to King Zedekiah and to the Jews, who as yet remained at home or in their own country; it was, that the captives might hence know how great was their madness to promise to themselves a return, after having been driven to remote lands, when final ruin was nigh both the king and the people, who as yet remained at Jerusalem; Thus then saith Jehovah to the king who sits on the throne of David, and to all the people who sit in this city, etc
To sit, as I have already said, is to be taken here in two different senses; the king is said to sit on his throne while he retains his dignity; but the people are said to sit while they rest and dwell quietly in any place. It is not without reason that the word king is here expressly mentioned, for the exiles were ever wont to connect it with the hope of their return; “The Temple still remains, God is there worshipped, and the kingdom still exists; these things being secure, it cannot be all over with our nation.” The safety of the people depended on the kingdom and the priesthood. When therefore, on the one hand, they fixed their eyes on royalty, and on the other hand, on the priesthood and sacrifices, they felt persuaded that it could not be otherwise but that God would soon restore them; for God had promised that the kingdom of David would be perpetual, as long as the sun and moon would shine in heaven. Except then this splendor or glory had been extinguished, the Israelites could not have been humiliated, especially as those who had been led into exile were of the tribe of Judah. We now understand why the word king was expressly mentioned. Though, then, a king still sat on the throne of David, he yet declares that his condition and that of his people was harder than that of the captive multitude.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
16. King all the people your brethren The third noun is in apposition with the first and second, and hence the and of the translators is misleading. Omit it.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 29:16
Ver. 16. Know that thus saith the Lord. ] Or, Therefore thus saith the Lord, whatever ye say, or your counterfeit prophets say, to the contrary.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
of = concerning.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jer 29:3, Jer 24:2, Jer 38:2, Jer 38:3, Jer 38:17-23, Eze 6:1 – Eze 9:11, Eze 17:12-21, Eze 21:9-27, Eze 22:31, Eze 24:1-14
Reciprocal: Jer 22:2 – that sittest Jer 24:8 – as Jer 37:17 – thou shalt Eze 11:21 – I will
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 29:16. The king referred to was Zedekiah who was the last man to occupy the throne In Jerusalem. It was called the throne of David because he was the first man of the tribe of Judah to sit on that throne.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 29:16-19. Thus saith the Lord of the king and all the people, &c. See Jer 24:8-10; that dwell in this city Namely, the city of Jerusalem, which is the city spoken of. I will make them like vile figs Rather like sour figs, that cannot be eaten The meaning is, I will deal with them as men deal with bad figs. They have made themselves vile and hateful, and I will use them accordingly. This refers to the vision, chap. 24., and the prophecy which we had there upon it. And I will deliver them to be a curse, &c. A more severe punishment is denounced upon these than upon those of the two former captivities; because though warned by the example of Jehoiakim and Jeconiah, who suffered heavily for their perfidy, they yet again, a third time, broke the faith which they had pledged to the king of Babylon in the name of God, and despised all the admonitions and counsels of God by Jeremiah, as is observed in the next verse.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 29:16-19 are a digression that stresses the fact that the Lord would complete the judgment of Judah before any restoration would begin.
The true message from Yahweh concerning the Davidic king, Zedekiah, and the remaining Judahites who were still in the Promised Land was that they would experience war, famine, and plagues. They would be like rotten figs: good for nothing (cf. Jer 24:2-3).