John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 13:18

"Say thou unto the king and to the queen-mother, Humble yourselves, sit down; for your headtires are come down, even the crown of your glory." — Jeremiah 13:18 (ASV)

The Prophet is here commanded to address his discourse directly to King Jehoiakim and his mother; for the term 'lady' is not to be understood as the queen, Jehoiakim's wife, but as his mother, who was then his associate in the kingdom and possessed great authority. There is no doubt that God intended in this way to rouse the community in general more fully; that is, by showing that He would not spare even the king or the queen. But from this we may also learn what has already been observed: that the truth announced by the prophets is superior to all the greatness of the world. For it was said before to Jeremiah, “Reprove mountains and rebuke hills”; and still further,

“Behold, I have set you over kingdoms and nations, to pull down and to pluck up,” and so on (Jeremiah 1:10).

This should be carefully noticed. Kings and those who are prominent in the world think that they are not only, by a unique privilege, exempt from all laws, but also free from every obligation to observe modesty and avoid shame. Therefore, from their elevated position, they despise God and His prophets.

Here God shows that He supplied the prophets with His word for this purpose: that they might close their eyes to all the splendor of the world, show no respect of persons, but pull down every height, and bring to order everything that is elevated in this world. Paul also teaches us that ministers of the gospel are endowed with this power:

He says, “Given to us is power against every height that exalteth itself against Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Therefore, we must observe that all who are chosen for the office of teaching cannot faithfully discharge their duty unless they boldly and with an intrepid spirit dare to reprove both kings and queens. For the Word of God is not to be restricted to the common people or those in humble life, but it subjects everyone to itself, from the least to the greatest.

This prophecy was undoubtedly very bitter to the king as well as to the common people. But Jeremiah had to faithfully discharge his office, and this was also necessary because King Jehoiakim and his mother thought they could not possibly be dethroned.

He therefore commands them to descend and to lie down; that is, he commands them to forget their former greatness. He does not simply exhort them to repent, but shows that, as they had been so stubborn in their pride, the punishment of disgrace was near at hand, for the Lord would, with a strong hand, lay them prostrate. So, it is not an exhortation that the Prophet gives; instead, he only foretells what they little expected—that they flattered themselves in vain, for the Lord would shortly expose them to reproach by casting them down.

And this is evident from what is added, For descend shall the crown of your honor; that is, it shall be taken away from your highnesses, or from your eminencies, or from your heads; for the word ראשה, rashe, sometimes means the head. But some think that it means 'eminencies' here, and that “the magnificent crown” is put here in apposition.

I have omitted, if I am not mistaken, to notice one thing: that is, the pride mentioned by the Prophet: except you hear, weep will my soul in secret on account of pride. Interpreters render it as 'your pride'—that is, the pride with which the Jews were filled.

But I am inclined to take a different view: that the Prophet speaks here of the pride or the great power of those enemies whom the Jews then did not fear in any degree. “Since then,” says the Prophet, “you are so secure, I will retire and weep by myself, and my soul by mourning shall mourn, yes, my eye shall flow down with tears, on account of the pride of the enemies, who are now so much despised by you.”