John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 37:1-2

"And Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah. But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of Jehovah, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah." — Jeremiah 37:1-2 (ASV)

The Prophet tells us here that after Jeconiah the king had been led into exile, the Jews had not repented on that account, though God had, as it were, forced them to return to Him. For it was so severe a chastisement that to become worse was an evidence of monstrous stupidity. Jeremiah, however, says that they were not reformed by that punishment, for Zedekiah, who had succeeded Jeconiah, rejected sound doctrine and did not obey the counsel of the Prophet.

But we must bear in mind the history of that time, so that we may understand the meaning of the Prophet. The Jews made Jeconiah king in his father's place, but in the third month, the army of the king of Babylon came. Then Jeconiah surrendered himself to them of his own accord.

Now the Prophet had said that there would be no legitimate successor to Jehoiakim, and this was fulfilled. For though his son was set on the throne, a three-month reign was so unimportant that it was deemed as nothing. And when Nebuchadnezzar saw that the people could hardly be kept in order without a king, he made Mattaniah king, whom he called Zedekiah.

And he immediately revolted to the Egyptians and made a treaty with them, so that he might shake off the yoke of the king of Babylon. Hence the Prophet says that though Zedekiah had been taught by the example of Jehoiakim and of his nephew Jeconiah, he still became no better. The Prophet does not simply blame his ingratitude.

It is indeed certain that he had been severely reproved by the Prophet for having acted perfidiously towards King Nebuchadnezzar, for he ought to have kept faith with him to the end. He feigned his own reason for revolting from him; no new cause had arisen. It was only so that he might be exempt from tribute, and also lest malicious people should object that he reigned by permission and was the slave of another king.

Therefore, when he saw that his reign would be exposed to many reproaches unless he revolted from the king of Babylon, he made a treaty with the Egyptians. This deserved reproof, but the Prophet speaks here generally of his obstinate wickedness and also that of the whole people.

King Zedekiah, he says, the son of Josiah, reigned instead of Coniah. Here the name Jeconiah is shortened, probably to degrade him, and we have seen that this has been the common opinion. He is then called Coniah by way of reproach, when his full name was actually Jeconiah. He says that Zedekiah was made king by Nebuchadnezzar; thus his perfidy and ingratitude became clear. It is added that he hearkened not to the word of Jehovah, nor his servants, nor his people. I have said that Zedekiah was condemned not simply because he did not obey the Prophet by keeping faith with King Nebuchadnezzar, but also because he retained the superstitions of his fathers, corrupted the true worship of God, and would not be recalled to the doctrine of the Law.

The disobedience mentioned here, then, extended to the whole Law of God, or to the two tables. For the Jews, along with their king, had then become degenerate. They did not worship God purely, but polluted themselves and the Temple with impious and filthy superstitions. They were also libidinous, avaricious, cruel, violent, and dishonest, and had thus cast off the whole teaching of the Law. And this was a proof of extraordinary blindness, since they had before their eyes the calamities of the city and the reproach to which their king had been subjected. For as we have already said, his sons had been slain in his presence, his own eyes had been pulled out, and he was bound with chains, after having been judged guilty of a capital offense. Such an example ought surely to have terrified Zedekiah and all the rest, so as to make them finally wise and to seek reconciliation with God. But the Prophet says that they did not hearken to the word of Jehovah.

He mentions the king, then his counselors, and in the third place, the whole people, as though he had said that this madness was found not only in the king, but also in his counselors and in the whole community, so that no one was excusable. He then begins with the head, even the king himself, and shows also that his counselors were no better, and afterwards adds the common people, in whom the fault seems to have been less; for we know that the lower orders go astray through lack of wisdom and ignorance. But the Prophet here shows that even the lowest of the people were disobedient to God.

We ought to notice especially the words that they hearkened not to the word of Jehovah which He had spoken by Jeremiah. For the Prophet intimates that though God did not appear from heaven, the fact that He spoke by His Prophets was sufficient to condemn the unbelieving. There was then no reason why the wicked should make evasions and say that it was not their purpose to reject God and His doctrine, but that they only refused deference to mortals and would not regard the words of men as heavenly oracles.

This evasion was of no avail to them, for God would have them hearken to His servants. Though He did not show Himself from heaven, nor address them in a visible form, it was still enough that He had once for all testified that after the promulgation of the Law, there would always be Prophets among the people, and had commanded that they be reverently listened to. Nor could the Jews avail themselves of the evasion commonly used by the ungodly: that they could not distinguish between true and false Prophets. For if they had examined the doctrine of Jeremiah, they would have found that it had certain marks by which they could have easily seen that it was altogether consistent with the Law. Thus, their rejection of the Prophet and his heavenly doctrine was a proof of their obstinacy and contempt, not of ignorance.