Jeremiah 22:20-30

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 22:20-30

This prophecy seems to have been calculated for the ungracious inglorious reign of Jeconiah, or Jehoiachin, the son of Jehoiakim, who succeeded him in the government, reigned but three months, and was then carried captive to Babylon, where he lived many years, Jer. 52:31. We have, in these verses, a prophecy, I. Of the desolations of the kingdom, which were now hastening on apace, Jer. 22:20-23. Jerusalem and Judah are here spoken to, or the Jewish state as a single person, and we have it here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 22:20

Go up to Lebanon, and cry ,.... These words are directed to Jerusalem and its inhabitants, and to the people of the Jews; not to go up to the temple, as the Targum interprets it, so called, because made of the wood of Lebanon, as in Zechariah 11:1 ; or, as the Rabbins say, because it made white the sins of Israel; but the mountain of Lebanon, and from thence call to their neighbours for help in their present distress, as the Assyrians and Egyptians; and lift up thy voice in Bashan ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 22:21

I spake unto thee in thy prosperity ,.... Or "prosperities", or "tranquillities" F25 בשלותיך "in tranquillitatibus fuis", Vatablus, Cocceius, Schmidt; "felicitatibus tuis", Pagninus; "securitatibus tuis", Montanus. ; when in their greatest affluence, in the height of it; this he did, when he sent to them his servants the prophets, as the Targum, and by them exhorted, reproved, and advised them: but thou saidst, I will not hear ; this was the language of their hearts and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 22:22

The wind shall eat up all thy pastors ,.... King, nobles, counsellors, priests, prophets, and elders of the people; they shall be carried away as chaff before the wind, or perish as trees and fruits are blasted with an east wind; to which Nebuchadnezzar and his army are sometimes compared; see Jeremiah 18:17 . The Targum is, "all thy governors shall be scattered to every wind;' and thy lovers shall go into captivity : the Assyrians and Egyptians, as before; see Jeremiah 52:31 ; ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 22:23

O inhabitant of Lebanon ,.... Jerusalem is meant, and the inhabitants of it, so called, because they lived near Lebanon, or in that land in which Lebanon was; or rather because they dwelt in houses made of the wood of Lebanon; and which stood as thick as the trees in the forest of Lebanon; and where they thought themselves safe and secure, according to the next clause; not but that there were inhabitants of the mountain of Lebanon, called Druses; and there were towns and villages on it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 22:24

As I live, saith the Lord ,.... The form of an oath, used to express the greater certainty of what is after delivered: swearing by his life is swearing by himself; see Hebrews 6:13 ; though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah ; the same with Jeconiah, so nicknamed by way of contempt; and it may be to denote the diminution of his glory and kingdom, and the shortness of his reign: were the signet upon my right hand ; ever so near to him, or ever so much valued by him, as he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 22:25

And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life ,.... Cruel and bloodthirsty enemies, whom nothing would satisfy but his life; such were the persons following: and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest : being a terrible savage people, to be dreaded both for their number and their cruelty; a strange change this, to be removed out of the hand of God into the hand of such an enemy; even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon ; See Gill on Jeremiah 21:2... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 22:26

And I will cast thee out ,.... Out of his palace, out of the city of Jerusalem, and out of the land of Judea: and thy mother that bare thee ; who very probably was a bad woman, and had brought up her son in an evil way, and had led him on and encouraged him in it, by her own example, and had been a partner with him in his sins: her name was Nehushta, a daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem; and as it was here predicted of her, so it was accomplished, 2 Kings 24:8 ; it is very likely... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 22:27

But to the land whereunto they desire to return ,.... Or, "lift up their soul to return" F3 מנשאים את נפשם לשוב שם "elevant animam suam", Vatablus, Pagninus; "tollunt animam suam ut revertantlur eo", Schmidt. : either by making supplication to God, for it, Psalm 25:1 ; or buoying up themselves with vain hopes, founded upon the declarations of the false prophets, that they should return; and to which no doubt they had a natural desire, and comforted themselves with the hopes... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 22:28

Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol ?.... Or like an idol that is nothing in the world, and like a broken one, that, whatever worship before was paid to it, has now none at all, but is despised by its votaries? he is such an one; though he was idolized by his people when be first came to the throne; but now his power and government being broken, and he carried captive, was despised by all; as his being called Coniah, and "this man" or fellow, show; which are used of him in a way of... read more

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