But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.
26. the king’s son ] mg. (less well) the son of Hammelech. It probably means simply one of the royal house. So in Jer 38:6. See A. B. Davidson on Zep 1:8 (C.B.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Hammelech – Either a proper name or a prince of the blood royal (see the margin; Jer 38:6; 1Ki 22:26).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Jer 36:26
But the Lord hid him.
Hidden, but radiant
The Lord hid him. What that precisely means it is impossible to say: Was there a John of Gaunt for this Wycliff, an Elector of Saxony for this Luther? Did Ahikam, who had before interposed on his behalf, or his sons–Gemariah, who lent Jeremiah his room in the Temple for the reading of his roll, and Gedaliah, who became Governor of Judah after Zedekiahs deportation–take the prophet under their care? Or was this hiding something more Divine and blessed still? These Divine hidings are needed by us all. We must obey the voice that cries to us, as it did to Elijah, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself. We are too prominent, too self-important, too conscious of ourselves. And God must sometimes hide us in the sick-chamber, the valley of shadow, the cleft of the rock. He calls us to Zarephath, or Carmel, to the privacy of obscurity, or of solitude. It is stated that on one occasion when the dragoons of Claverhouse were scouring the mountains of Scotland in search of the Covenanters, a little party of these godly folk, gathered on the hillside for prayer, must have fallen into their hands had not a cloud suddenly settled, down, effectually concealing them from their pursuers. Thus the Son of God still interposes for His own.
II. He re-edited his prophecies. To this period we may refer the Divine injunction: Thus speaketh the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book (Jer 36:2). It may be that throughout, this period Baruch continued to act as his faithful amanuensis and scribe. He, at least, was certainly included in the Divine hidings (Jer 36:26-32). It was at great cost to his earthly prospects. He came of a good family, his brother being Seraiah, who held high office under King Zedekiah, and he cherished the ambition of distinguishing himself amongst his compeers. He sought great things for himself. But he was reconciled to the lot of suffering and sorrow to which his close identification with Jeremiah led him, by a special revelation assuring him of the speedy overthrow of the State; and that, in the general chaos, he would escape with his life (45). By the aid of this faithful friend, Jeremiah gathered together the prophecies which he had uttered on various occasions, and put them in order, specially elaborating the predictions given in the fourth year of Jehoiakim against the surrounding nations. The word of the Lord came to him concerning the Philistines, and Moab, and the children of Ammon and Edom, Damascus and Kedar. This time of Jeremiahs seclusion was therefore not lost to the world. It was fruitful as Bunyans in Bedford Gaol; Luthers in the Wartburg; Madame Guyons in the Bastille. Unseen, the prophet busied himself, as the night settled down on his country, in kindling the sure light of prophecy, that should cast its radiant beams over the dark waters of time, until the day should dawn, and the day-star glimmer out in the eastern sky. (F. B. Meyer,. B. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 26. But the Lord hid them.] They had, at the counsel of some of the princes, hidden themselves, Jer 36:19. And now, though a diligent search was made, the Lord did not permit them to be found.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The king was not satisfied with burning the roll, but gives order to apprehend both Jeremiah and Baruch, and commandeth the three persons named in this verse to do it; but God by his providence kept them both out of their hands. How the Lord hid them we are not told; the princes (as we read before) advised Baruch that they should both hide themselves. This phrase (probably) imports no more than that God directed them to find such a place of recess as the kings messengers could by no means find out, nor understand where they were, till the kings passion was a little over.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. Hammelechnot as Margin,“of the king.” Jehoiakim at this time (the fifth year ofhis reign) had no grown-up son: Jeconiah, his successor, was then aboy of eleven (compare 2Ki 23:36;2Ki 24:8).
hid them (Psa 31:20;Psa 83:3; Isa 26:20).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech,…. Or, “the king’s son”, as the Targum; though it rather seems to be the proper name of a person, one of the king’s servants; since it is not probable he would send his own son on such an errand; and had he, he would rather have been called his own son than the king’s son; besides, Jeconiah, who succeeded him, seems to be his eldest son, and yet he now could not be more than twelve years of age; whereas this Jerahmeel must be a man grown; and had he been an elder son, as he must, he would have succeeded him, unless it can be thought that he died before his father:
and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet; in order to bring them before the king, or to imprison them, or put them to death, for which they might have the king’s warrant; the one for prophesying, and the other for writing out and reading his prophecies; though Baruch may be called a scribe, not for being the amanuensis of Jeremiah; but because he was one of the scribes of the law, or doctors of the people:
but the Lord hid them; the princes advised them to hide themselves, and they did, very probably in a house of some of their friends; but this would not have been sufficient, had not the Lord took them under his protection; there was no doubt a special providence concerned for them; but by what means this preservation was is not known. Kimchi suggests that these messengers sought for them in the very place where they were, and could not find them; and conjectures that the Lord set darkness about them, or weakened the visive faculty of those that searched for them, that they could not see them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Here is described the madness of the king, which was so great, that he vented his rage against the Prophet and his scribe; and he chose no doubt those whom he thought to be most ready to obey him. He would have never taken such ministers as Elnathan or Delaiah or Gemariah, for he knew how much they abhorred such a nefarious deed; but he sent those whom he thought most adapted for such a service as that of killing Jeremiah and Baruch.
It is not improperly conjectured from this passage and a previous one, that Jeremiah was not detained in prison, but that he had been restrained by God from proclaiming his prophecies to the king and from reading thmn to the people. But as the word עצור, otsur, is taken elsewhere for a captive or one bound, we may indeed draw a different conclusion. However, I will not contend on such a point. I have already explained what I most approve, — that Jeremiah was prohibited by a secret revelation, as Paul was forbidden to go to Bithynia. (Act 16:7) It is certainly not probable that he could escape from the king’s prison, except it be said, that he was not so confined but that he thought himself free to escape when he saw that it was God’s will, or that though Jeremiah would not have departed from prison, he yet privately escaped from the present rage of the king, because he was forced.
However this may have been, we ought to notice the words, that God hid them Jeremiah no doubt accepted the counsel given to him, to take care of his life; he however now acknowledges that he had been preserved by God’s kindness, as though he had said, that though there may be many ways by which we may escape from our present dangers, yet our life is in God’s hand, so that he hides and conceals us; for we ourselves would run headlong unto death, were we not covered by the shadow of his hand. But the rest to-morrow.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(26) But the king commanded Jerahmeel . . .Instead of the son of Hammelech, we have to read, if we take the usual meaning of the words, the kings son, as, indeed, the LXX. rightly renders it. The term would not imply more than that he belonged to the royal house. Jehoiakim was only twenty-five when he came to the throne, and could not have had a son old enough to execute the orders given to Jerahmeel. Of Seraiah nothing more is known. He is clearly not identical with the quiet prince, the son of Neriah, in Jer. 51:59. The name of Shelemiah appears in Jer. 37:3, as the father of Jehucal, who is first sent by Zedekiah to consult the prophet, and who afterwards arrested him (Jer. 38:1). It is probable in the nature of the case that they belonged to the party of the prophets enemies. The counsel of Jer. 36:19 had fortunately been given in time, and the attempt to seize the prophet and his scribe was, as we say, providentially frustrated.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. The Lord hid them See Psa 31:20; Psa 83:3; Isa 26:20. PUNISHMENT DENOUNCED AGAINST JEHOIAKIM, 27-32.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 36:26 But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.
Ver. 26. But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech. ] Or, The king’s son, whom he might employ against these two servants of God; as once the King of France sent his son and heir with an army against the Waldenses. It is not for nothing, therefore, that the curse is denounced against Jehoiakim and his posterity. Jer 36:30-31
But the Lord hid them,
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Hammelech = the king. Compare Jer 38:6. 1Ki 22:26. 2Ki 11:1, 2Ki 11:2. Zep 1:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Hammelech: or, the king
to take: Jer 2:30, Jer 26:21-23, 1Ki 19:1-3, 1Ki 19:10, 1Ki 19:14, Mat 23:34-37, Mat 26:47-50, Joh 7:32, Joh 8:20, Joh 11:57
but: Jer 36:5, Jer 36:19, Jer 1:19, Jer 15:20, Jer 15:21, 1Ki 17:3, 1Ki 17:9, 1Ki 18:4, 1Ki 18:10-12, 2Ki 6:18-20, Psa 27:5, Psa 32:7, Psa 57:1, Psa 64:2, Psa 91:1, Psa 121:8, Isa 26:20, Joh 8:59, Act 12:11
Reciprocal: Jos 2:6 – hid them 1Sa 23:14 – but God 2Ki 6:13 – spy where Pro 28:12 – but Jer 12:5 – canst Jer 20:2 – smote Jer 32:12 – Baruch Jer 36:4 – Baruch Jer 38:6 – Hammelech Jer 43:3 – Baruch Jer 45:1 – when Act 12:19 – sought for him Heb 11:5 – and was
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 36:26. This verse justifies the advice that was given Baruch and Jeremiah in verse 19. That verse merely told the men to hide from the sight of other men. This verse tells us the further particular that God helped them to find a safe hiding place from the wrath of the king.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
36:26 But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD {n} hid them.
(n) Thus we see the continual care that God has over his to preserve them from the rage of the wicked.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Then Jehoiakim ordered the arrest of Baruch and Jeremiah, but the officials sent to make the arrest could not find them, because the Lord had hidden them. According to Jewish tradition, the accuracy of which is uncertain, Jeremiah’s place of concealment was the so-called "Grotto of Jeremiah" outside the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem. Having destroyed the scroll, the king turned next to destroy its authors. Jehoiakim did not continue to hunt down Jeremiah, however, because later the prophet was able to move about the city (ch. 35).
"The narrative in these verses seems to have been composed as a conscious parallel to 2 Kings 22. In each case a scroll is brought before the king. First the scroll comes into the hands of a state official (2Ki 22:9-10; Jer 36:10-11). Both narratives record the reaction of the king (2Ki 22:11-13; Jer 36:23-26). Both narratives refer to an oracle that follows the king’s response (2Ki 22:15-20; Jer 36:28-31). In 2Ki 22:11 Josiah ’rent his clothes’; in Jer 36:24 Jehoiakim did not rend his clothes but rent the scroll." [Note: Thompson, p. 628.]
"Josiah burns altars in an attempt at reform; Jehoiakim attempts to invalidate the message by burning the scroll. Josiah ’heard’ the word of the LORD, while Jehoiakim pointedly does not ’hear.’ Finally, the end result is that God ’hears’ Josiah, but the outcome for Jehoiakim and Judah is another matter as Jer 36:30-31 clearly indicate . . ." [Note: Keown, p. 203. For further development of these contrasts, see C. D. Isbell, "2 Kings 22:3-23:24 and Jeremiah 36 : A Stylistic Comparison," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 8 (1978):33-45; and M. Kessler, "Form Critical Suggestions on Jeremiah 36," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 28 (1966):389-401.]