Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 43:2
Then spoke Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
Verse 2. Thou speakest falsely] They had no other colour for their rebellion than flatly to deny that God had spoken what the prophet related.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Of
Johanan we have before heard, but not of
Azariah, unless under the name of Jezaniah, Jer 42:1, but that is uncertain. These men are called proud men, either because they were the great men, or because their conceit of themselves led them into this fatal error. Pride is nothing else but a mans mind swelling in an opinion of himself, and always takes its rise from some higher ground the person possessed of it thinks he stands upon, and a very little hillock will serve the turn; those who have nothing else of pretence will make a silk coat or a piece of silver lace serve their turn. One mans spirit swells upon account of his descent, another upon account of his riches, a third upon the account of his learning, parts, and wit, a fourth upon the account of his or her beauty. These men are called
proud men, possibly upon account of their greatness, they were captains, and the chief of the Jews now left; but chiefly upon account of the good opinion they had of their own reason and wit, by which they judged they knew better how to guide themselves for their own security than Jeremiah could teach them; which pride or good opinion men have of themselves is a great root of disobedience: all men sin either through passion or pride, or both, either to gratify their sensitive appetite, or their rational appetite, as it is in man since the fall.
Because it had been downright atheism, and a disclaiming of God, to have said they knew better what to do than God could tell them, they only tell the prophet God had not sent him. As in these times hypocrites, whose lusts will not allow them to do the will of God, think to secure themselves by denying that to be the will of God, and finding out other senses to put upon Scripture than are according to truth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. Azariahthe author of theproject of going into Egypt; a very different man from the Azariah inBabylon (Dan 1:7; Dan 3:12-18).
proudPride is theparent of disobedience and contempt of God.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah,…. Perhaps the same with Jezaniah, or a brother of his, Jer 42:1; he is mentioned first, it may be, because he was the contriver of this scheme to go into Egypt, advised unto it, and was most for it it. The Septuagint and Arabic versions call him the son of Maaseiah;
and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men; the great men among them, who are commonly proud of their greatness; of their descent, family and blood; of their wealth and riches, and posts of honour; perhaps the captains of the forces are meant, who elsewhere are mentioned along with Johanan, Jer 40:13; these were men full of themselves, had a high opinion of their own wisdom, and were prudent in their own eyes; and could not bear to be contradicted or advised by the prophet, nor even by the Lord himself; and are justly, by the Targum, called wicked men; and so the Syriac version renders it; their pride was the cause of their rebellion against God, and disobedience to him, and of their ungenteel and insolent behaviour to the prophet
saying unto Jeremiah, thou speakest falsely: or, “a lie” e; it being contrary to their minds: so the prophets of the Lord, the ministers of the word, and even the word of God itself, are charged with falsehoods, when contrary to men’s sentiments and lusts;
the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, go not into Egypt to sojourn there; they did not care to own it was the word of the Lord, Whatever convictions of it they had in their minds; because they would not openly appear to be fighters against God, whom they professed to be their God; but deny that the prophet was sent by him with any such message to them; when they had all the reason to believe by former prophecies, which had had their fulfilment, that Jeremiah was a true prophet of the Lord, and that he had acted a very faithful part in the present affair: they themselves had sent him to the Lord to pray for them; he had done so, and the Lord had returned an answer by him; of which they had no reason to doubt, but their pride would not allow them to receive it.
e “mendacium”, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Now he says, that when he had finished speaking to the whole people, as God had commanded, then John the son of Kareah, and Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, being the first among them, spoke against him. As to Azariah, we cannot know with any certainty what he was. But we have here in John the son of Kareah an example deserving of notice. We have seen that he was a bold, wise, and prudent man, and also of an upright mind. In short, when we consider what the Prophet has before said of him, we cannot but think he was by nature a heroic man; nay, when he is compared with Gedaliah, who, at the same time, was an excellent man, and whom the Prophet has adorned with high commendations, he yet far excelled him. Gedaliah, indeed, had a kind disposition, he was courageous in protecting the people, he was a man of integrity; and, besides, he was a father to the people, and so conducted himself when things were in a hopeless state, that, beyond the expectation of all, he gathered together the remnant of the people; and we have also seen that by his efforts the Prophet had been delivered from instant death. But John the son of Kareah had been a remarkable helper to him, having come to him of his own accord, and offered to him his assistance; and further, he faithfully and prudently warned him to beware of the perfidy of that unprincipled man, by whom he was afterwards killed. Gedaliah fell through extreme credulity. John, then, the son of Kareah, had a greater appearance of excellency than Gedaliah had exhibited. But what does the Spirit of God now declare respecting him and his associates? They are said to have been proud and obstinate. We hence see that some men excel in greatness of mind, and are yet of a refractory disposition; and this is for the most part the case during’ a disturbed state of things. For some come forth wonderfully courageous; but when things do not fall in with their wishes, they become ferocious and rebel against God and men, and besides, they will never bear to be brought under submission. Such, then, was John the son of Kareah: at one time he manifested extraordinary virtue, but at length it appeared what he really was.
The Prophet, with the authority of a judge, declares that he and his associates were proud: then Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and John the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, said, A falsehood dost thou speak. This was extremely insolent and reproachful; for they had lately testified that they regarded Jeremiah as God’s faithful servant, and that they would receive whatever he might bring as God’s true oracle; but now they charge him with falsehood! how great was this presumption! But it hence appears how deep and various, and how tortuous are the recesses which are in the hearts of men; for at one time they announce honied words, and afterwards they utter nothing’ but virulence. So from the same mouth, as it were, almost in the same moment, comes forth what is sweet; and what is bitter.
Let us hence learn that the heart of man is full of every kind of deceit, until it be cleansed by the Spirit of God. We also see, when once impiety boils up, to what extremes it will proceed; for these men were not only insolent and reproachful towards Jeremiah, but also towards God himself. And they did not now make evasions as before, nor did they raise objections; but they openly raved against the Prophet. Thus hypocrisy has indeed for a time its coverings, but when the ungodly are urged by God, then they observe no bounds: Thou speakest what is false
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
XLIII.
(2) Azariah the son of Hoshaiah.The LXX., it will be remembered, gives this name in Jer. 42:1, where the Hebrew has Jezaniah. Possibly, however, as suggested above, the two names represent brothers who were both prominent as leaders of the people. Here, we may note, he takes precedence of Johanan, probably as the chief spokesman of the prevailing discontent. The special mention of all the proud men suggests the thought that there were some who, left to themselves, would have been willing to follow the prophets counsel. Those who join in the protest content themselves with a flat denial of his inspiration, and charge him, as he had been charged before (Jer. 37:13), with sinister intentions. It is suggestive, in connexion with the view taken in the Note on Jer. 42:17, that the LXX., following apparently a different reading of the Hebrew, gives all the aliens instead of all the proud.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT, Jer 43:1-7.
2. Azariah See note on Jer 42:1. Possibly the change in the order of the names of Johanan and Azariah or Jezaniah indicates that the latter was the leader in this opposition against the prophet. Johanan now comes before us in a new light. Before we knew him as the friend of Gedaliah and the avenger of his death, but now the opposer and persecutor of Jeremiah.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 43:2. Azariahand all the proud men That is, all those who refused to obey the commands of the Almighty. The Hebrew word zeidiim, signifies pride, insolence, temerity, self-conceit. The greater part of those who composed the company led on by Johanan, answered this character.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 43:2 Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
Ver. 2. Then spake Azariah. ] See on Jer 42:1 .
And all the proud men.
Saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
men. Plural of ‘enosh. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Azariah: Jer 40:8, Jer 43:1, Jezaniah
Johanan: Jer 40:13-16, Jer 41:16
all the: Jer 13:15, Exo 5:2, Exo 9:17, Psa 10:4, Psa 10:5, Psa 12:3, Psa 119:21, Psa 123:4, Pro 6:17, Pro 8:13, Pro 16:5, Pro 16:18, Pro 16:19, Pro 30:9, Hab 2:4, Hab 2:5, Isa 9:9, Isa 9:10, Jam 4:6, 1Pe 5:5
Thou speakest: They had no other colour for their rebellion than flatly to deny that God had spoken what the prophet had declared, the constant method of hypocrites and infidels, who pretend that they are not satisfied of the truth of Divine revelation, when the true cause of their unbelief is, that the commands of God contradict their lusts and appetites. Jer 5:12, Jer 5:13, 2Ch 36:13, Isa 7:9
Reciprocal: Exo 5:9 – vain words 1Ki 12:6 – consulted 2Ch 18:17 – Did I not tell Neh 9:29 – yet they Psa 10:2 – The wicked Psa 119:69 – proud Pro 13:13 – despiseth Jer 18:18 – and let us not Jer 29:27 – which Jer 36:18 – He Jer 41:11 – Johanan Jer 41:18 – for they Jer 42:8 – Johanan Mic 2:3 – go
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 43:2. We regret to see the change that seemed to come over Johanan. In the previous chapters he was devoted to the interests of Jeremiah and the other refugees and opposed the wicked plots of Ishmael. Now he is against Jeremiah and siding with the others who rebelled against the admonition of the Lord. He even accused Jeremiah of falsehood and denied his inspiration. These men were said to be proud, which shows that pride is not always exhibited by some showy condition. In the present case it was demonstrated by a rebellious spirit. Paul gives a similar picture of it in 1Ti 6:3-4 where he accuses a false teacher of being proud.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 43:2-3. Then spake Azariah, the son of Hoshaiah Called Jazaniah, Jer 42:1. We may observe many like instances in the books of Kings and Chronicles, of the same persons being called by two different names. And all the proud men They who refused to obey Almighty God when his commands crossed their own inclinations. Saying unto Jeremiah, The Lord hath not spoken by thee The constant method of hypocrites and infidels, who pretend they are not satisfied of the truth of divine revelation, when the true cause of their unbelief is, that Gods commands contradict their own lusts and appetites. But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us They would not directly accuse Jeremiah of partiality toward, or confederacy with the Chaldeans, as his enemies had done formerly, (Jer 37:13,) but they lay the blame upon Baruch, whom they knew to be an intimate companion of Jeremiahs, and to have been kindly used by the Chaldeans upon Jeremiahs account. Lowth.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
43:2 Then spoke {a} Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the {b} proud men, saying to Jeremiah, {c} Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath {d} not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
(a) Who was also called Jezaniah, Jer 42:1 .
(b) This declares that pride is the cause of rebellion and contempt of God’s ministers.
(c) When the hypocrisy of the wicked is discovered, they burst forth into open rage: for they can abide nothing but flattery, read Isa 30:10 .
(d) He shows what is the nature of the hypocrites: that is, to pretend that they would obey God and embrace his word, if they were assured that his messenger spoke the truth: though indeed they are most far from all obedience.