John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 38:25-26

"But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king; hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee: then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan`s house, to die there." — Jeremiah 38:25-26 (ASV)

Here again Zedekiah shows his anxiety, lest Jeremiah be apprehended if the princes were to unexpectedly assail him, for he might have stumbled in this respect, though admonished. Then the king intimated to him what to answer, in case the counselors came to him and inquired about their meeting. He then advised him simply to say that he entreated him not to send him back to the filthy pit, where he almost perished.

The king's miserable servitude is now still evident, for he feared his own counselors, lest they revolt from him. He might easily have surrendered himself spontaneously, but he dared not, lest he be killed by them in a tumult; and yet, on the other hand, he feared lest the princes despise him and so redeem themselves by sacrificing his life.

We see in what straits he was, but God rendered him a just recompense for his obstinacy. It was indeed a miserable thing to hear that the king was thus oppressed on every side, but the cause of all this ought always to be borne in mind: namely, that he had despised God and his Prophet. He then deserved to be in this state of anxiety, fearing death on every side, and unable to extricate himself from the cares and perplexities that tormented him.

Let us then learn to cast all our cares on God, so that our lives may be safe and we may have calm and tranquil minds. Otherwise, what is written in the Law must necessarily happen to us:

“Our life will hang on a thread, so that we shall say in the morning, ‘Who will give us to see the evening?’ and in the evening, ‘How can we live to the morning?’” (Deuteronomy 28:66–67).

Lest, then, the same thing happen to us as to this miserable king, let us learn to rely on God, for this is the only way to obtain peace.

For though Zedekiah set before Jeremiah the danger he might bring on himself if he confessed what had taken place between them, he yet, no doubt, had regard for his own safety, for his concern for the Prophet was not very great. If, then, he says, the princes will hear that I have spoken to him, etc.

We see here that, just as kings very curiously inquire into the sayings and actions of all, so they in their turn are exposed to innumerable spies who observe all their secret proceedings. Zedekiah, as we have already seen, left his palace, sought a secret place, and at the third entrance called Jeremiah to him. This place might be considered somewhat secret, yet he knew he was observed even by his own servants.

Thus kings, while they seek immoderate splendor, renounce the main good, which ought to be preferred above all other things. For it is commonly said that liberty is an invaluable gift, and this is very true; but if we were to seek liberty among humankind, we would by no means find it in courts, for all there are slaves, and slavery begins with the most elevated.

Kings, then, while they thus seek from their lofty position to look down on all humankind, are placed, as it were, in a theater, and the eyes of all are turned toward them, so that no liberty remains for them; and those who depend on their favor are also in constant fear.

This, then, we ought to notice, for there is no one who does not seek splendor; yet we know how anxious the life of princes is. Their external appearance is indeed very impressive, but we do not see what inward torments harass them. When, therefore, it is said of Zedekiah that he could not have a secret conference, hence it appears that kings are by no means free.

He says, “Though they promise you impunity, do not trust them.” Zedekiah feared lest the Prophet be too credulous and freely relate to the counselors what he had said. But he no doubt had reflected on the fact that the Prophet had already announced the destruction of the city.

He then could hardly have hoped for the silence he required. Hence it was, then, that he so earnestly bade him to be careful; and though the counselors might promise that there would be no danger to him, he still bade him to be silent. Say to them, he said, I humbly prayed the king not to send me back to the house of Jonathan, so that I might not die there.

It was not indeed a falsehood, but this evasion cannot be wholly excused. The Prophet justly feared and, as we have seen before, was perplexed and anxious, for that prison was horrible; it would have been better to die at once than to be thus buried alive in the earth.

But it is certain that he did not come to the king for this purpose, for he had been sent for. Though, then, the Prophet did not expressly or in so many words say what was false, yet it was a kind of falsehood; and what follows, concerning himself, cannot be excused.