John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 26:10

"And when the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king`s house unto the house of Jehovah; and they sat in the entry of the new gate of Jehovah`s [house]." — Jeremiah 26:10 (ASV)

We have said that the princes were roused by a popular clamor; nor is there any doubt that the king had sent them to quell the commotion. It must be especially noted that they were engaged in other matters, as it was seldom the case that courtiers spent their time hearing the prophets.

It is indeed true that the occupations of those who have the care of the commonwealth, who dispense justice, and who have to provide for the public safety, are sacred; but it is incumbent upon them so to divide their time that they may be able to consecrate some portion of it to God.

But courtiers think themselves exempted by a sort of privilege, when in fact the truth is more necessary for them than even for the common people. For not only does the duty of the head of a family lie on each of them, but the Lord has also set them over a whole people.

If, then, private men need to be taught daily so that they may faithfully rule and guide themselves and their families, what then is required of those rulers who are, as it were, the fathers of the commonwealth? But as I have already said, such men usually exempt themselves from the yoke that the faithful bear.

Thus it was that none of the princes were present when Jeremiah had been commanded to proclaim his message—not only on a day when few people came to the Temple, but even when people came from all the cities of Judah to sacrifice at Jerusalem. It was, indeed, a very shameful sign of gross contempt that no one of the king’s counselors appeared in the Temple, when those whom religion and the desire to sacrifice had brought there were present from remote places.

But the narrative states that they came to find out the cause of the commotion, for it is said that they sat at the new gate, which some say was to the east. They conjecture that it was called new because it had been renewed. The king’s palace was also toward the east, and the eastern gate was his tribunal. I am inclined to accept this opinion: that they sat at the eastern gate.