John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 21

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord

This prophecy stands out of its proper place, being made in the times of Zedekiah, and when Jerusalem was besieged by the king of Babylon; whereas, after this, there are prophecies which were delivered in the times of Jehoiakim and Jeconiah, who both reigned before Zedekiah; see (Jeremiah 22:11Jeremiah 22:18Jeremiah 22:24) (25:1).

when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashur the son of Melchiah ; this was another Pashur from him that is spoken of in the preceding chapter, and is called "Magormissabib"; he was the son of Immer; this of Melchiah; he was of the sixteenth course of the priesthood; this of the "fifth":

and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest ; who was of the "twenty fourth" course; see (1 Chronicles 24:9 1 Chronicles 24:14 1 Chronicles 24:18) ; in (Jeremiah 52:24) , he is called the "second priest"; he was "sagan", or deputy to the high priest:

They were both priests; therefore the Syriac version renders it in the plural number, "priests".

It may be observed, that the foregoing chapter is concluded with the prophet's cursing the day of his birth, and the last clause of it expresses the "shame" he imagined his days would be consumed in. The next account we have is of an honour done him by the king, in sending two priests to him with a message from him, whereby he tacitly owned him to be a true prophet of the Lord, as indeed he must now be convinced by facts that he was.

Princes and people, who slight the ministers of God in time of prosperity, send to them, and are desirous of their assistance in times of distress:

saying ; as follows:

Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us Or, "seek the Lord now for us" ^F14 ; seek the Lord by prayer and supplication for me and my people, for this city and the inhabitants of it; entreat him that he would appear for us, and deliver us out of the hands of the enemy; for this they said in the name of the king that sent them, who knew that the prophet has an interest at the throne of grace, and was a favourite of heaven; and therefore desired him to be an intercessor for them.

for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us ; the same that is elsewhere called Nebuchadnezzar, commonly called by the Greeks Nebuchodonosor; he was now come up to Jerusalem, and was besieging it, as had been predicted.

if so be the Lord will deal with us according to all his wondrous works ; which he had done in times past for that nation; as by bringing them out of Egypt; driving out the Canaanites before them; delivering them out of the hands of their neighbours, time after time, when oppressed by them; and particularly by destroying the Assyrian army in Hezekiah's time, which was besieging the city of Jerusalem, and causing their king to depart and flee in haste; and their present case being similar to that, it is very likely that that was more especially in view.

that he may go up from us ; namely, the king of Babylon; that he may rise up, and raise the siege, and depart into his own country, as Sennacherib did.

FOOTNOTES:

• F14: (wndeb an vrd) "interroga nunc pro nobis", Vatablus: Pagninus; "inquire nunc", Montanus.

Then said Jeremiah unto them
The two priests, Pashur and Zephaniah, after he had sought the Lord, and knew his mind and will: thus shall you say to Zedekiah ;
by whom they were sent.

Thus says the Lord God of Israel Who had been, still was, and would be, Israel's God, even the God of such who are Israelites indeed; though he should, as he would, give up the present generation to ruin and destruction; they having by their sins forfeited his care and protection of them; and therefore it was in vain to hope for it from this character which they bore:

behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that [are] in your hands so that they should do no hurt to the enemy, but recoil upon themselves. The meaning is, that they should be useless and unserviceable; that they should neither be defensive to them, nor offensive to their enemies; but rather hurtful to themselves. It seems to suggest, as if they should fall out with one another; and, like the Midianites, turn their swords upon one another, and destroy each other:

wherewith you fight against the king of Babylon, and [against] the Chaldeans which besiege you without the walls by shooting arrows at them from within the city; or by sallying out unto them with sword in hand: this, shows that the Chaldean army, under the command of the king of Babylon, was now without the walls of Jerusalem besieging it:

and I will assemble them into the midst of this city either the weapons of war, as Jarchi and others; which the Chaldeans, breaking into the city, should cause to be brought in to them in the middle of the city, and there slay them with them: or rather the Chaldeans, as Kimchi; who, though now without the walls, and which the Jews thought a sufficient security for them; yet should not be long there, but the walls would be broken down, and they should enter the city, and rendezvous their whole army in the midst of it.

And myself will fight against you So far from being entreated to do for them according to his wondrous works in times past, as their friend; that he will set himself against them as their enemy; and sad it is to have God for an enemy: if God be for a people, none can be against them to do them any hurt; but if he is against them, it signifies nothing who is for them: this must be much more terrible to them than the whole Chaldean army, and the king of Babylon at the head of them:

with an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm ; such as he had used formerly in delivering Israel out of Egypt, but now in delivering them into the hands of their enemies; and out of the reach of such a hand there is no getting; and under the weight of such an arm there is no supporting; see (Exodus 6:6) (13:9) ;

even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath ; because of their sins and iniquities. This heap of words is used to show the greatness of his indignation: this was not the chastisement of a father, but the rebuke of an enemy; not a correction in love, but in hot displeasure; a punishment inflicted in vindictive wrath by a righteous Judge, appearing in a warlike manner.