Jeremiah 29:21

"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie unto you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes; and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Judah that are in Babylon, saying, Jehovah make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; because they have wrought folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbor's wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I commanded them not; and I am he that knoweth, and am witness, saith Jehovah."

"Concerning Ahab ... and Zedekiah ..." (Jeremiah 29:21). This part of Jeremiah's letter is directed to these two men, with a message from God that they shall be put to death. This was a rather lengthy communication which Jeremiah sent to Babylon, as Cawley and Millard noted, "This letter includes messages to no less than four different groups:

(1) those already in captivity in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:10-14);

(2) those who would become captives later (Jeremiah 29:15-19);

(3) Ahab, Zedekiah and their fellow false prophets (Jeremiah 29:21-23); and

(4) to Shemaiah (Jeremiah 29:24-32)."[17]

This extensive letter, addressed to different groups, indicates that Jeremiah's communication with the captives had been rather extensive. Shemaiah was among those who had written a letter which Jeremiah read; and there were doubtless other examples also.

"Roasted in the fire ..." (Jeremiah 29:22). The Babylonian method of putting criminals to death was by casting them alive into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:6); "But the Babylonians would hardly have put men to death for committing adultery ... Nebuchadnezzar probably put them to death for plotting a rebellion against Babylon."[18]

The curse mentioned here is interesting. "When the exiles would imprecate the greatest evil upon one whom they hated, the heaviest curse in the fewest words they could think of was, `The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab.' "[19]

Cheyne wisely commented that, "There is an important and melancholy addition to our knowledge of false prophets in Jeremiah 29:23, namely, that they committed adultery. They were not only misleading prophets, but immoral men in their private capacities."[20] This pattern in the lives of false teachers has prevailed throughout history, and even to the present day.