John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 32:4

John Calvin Commentary

Jeremiah 32:4

1509–1564
Protestant
John Calvin
John Calvin

John Calvin Commentary

Jeremiah 32:4

1509–1564
Protestant
SCRIPTURE

"and Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;" — Jeremiah 32:4 (ASV)

Therefore, when the king saw that he would not be exempt from the common judgment, he was especially displeased with Jeremiah; for kings seek to be exempt from all laws, and when they allow the people to be reproved, they still wish themselves to be deemed sacred.

Since Jeremiah then classified King Zedekiah with all the common people, this was something a proud king could not endure. Consequently, his indignation was so great that he shut Jeremiah up in prison; and he became implacable, even when God’s hand pressed hard on him.