Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/5_500_p.lzh/5_549.TXT

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servation of him; that though there had been very
lately a person put to death for the very same thing,
yet he was preserved through the good offices of a per-
son mentioned at the close of the chapter; and which
seems to make this account probable. The name of
the prophet was Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kir-
jath-jearim; which was a city ofJudah, Josh. xviii.
14. but who he was is not known, there being no
account of him elsewhere: who prophesied against
this city, and against this land, according to all the words
of Jeremiah; just as he had done, in much the same
words, if not altogether; so that their case was similar.
Ver. c21. A'nd when Jehoia]cim the king, with all his
mighty men, &c.] Either his courtiers, or his sol-
diers, or both: and all the princes, heard his w. ords ; the
words of the Prophet Urijah; not with their own
ears very probably, but from the report of others: the
king sou3ht to put him to death; as being a messenger
of bad tidings, tending to dispirit his subjects, and allay
the joy of his own mind upon his advancement to the
throne: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and
,fled, and went into F, gypt ; which some understand as a
piece of prudence in him; but rather it was the effect
of pusillanimity and cowardice: it seems to shew
want of faith and confidence in the Lord; and the fear
of man, which brings a snare; and besides, it was no
piece of prudence to go to Egypt, whatever it was to
flee; since there was such an alliance between the
kings of Egypt and Judah; and the latter, though de-
pendent on the former, yet the king of Egypt would
easily gratify him in delivering up a subject of his, and
a person of such a character.
Vet. 22. And Jehoiakim sent men into Egypt, &c.]
To seek for him; and to require the delivery of him
upon being found: namely, Elnathan theson of Achbor;
the father of this man very probably is the same we
read of in Josiah's time, 2 Kings xxii. l2, 14. who is
called Abdon in 2 Chron. xxxiv. c20: and certain
men with him, into Egypt; to assist him in taking
him, whose names are not mentioned; Elnathan's is,
as being the principal, and to fix an eternal infamy
upon him.
Ver. 23. And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt,
&c.] Having found him, they seized him, and brought
him away, with the leave of the king of Egypt:
which, no doubt, was easily obtained: and brought
him to dehoiakim the king, who slew him with the sword;
very probably with his own hand; or however it was
done by his order, and in his presence, most likely:.
and cast his dead body into the graves of the common
people; either where they were buried in heaps pro-
miscuously, as some think; or in the common bury-
ing-ground; and not where persons of distinction
were !aid, as prophets, and others{g}; this he did to re-
flect dishonour upon the prophet.
Vet. 24. Nevertheless, the hand of Ahikasz the son of
Shaphan was with Jeremiah, &c.] Though this in-
stance was urged as a precedent to go by, being lately
done; or though the king's cruelty had been so lately
exercised in such a manner; yet this man, who had
been one of Josiah's courtiers and counsellors, £ Kings
xxii. 12. stood by Jeremiah, and used all his power,
authority, and influence, in his favour: thatthey should
not give him into the hand of the people, to put him to
death; that the sanhedrim should not; who, by the
last precedent mentioned, might seem inclined to it;
but this great man, having several brothers, as well as
other friends, that paid a regard to his arguments and
solicitations; he prevailed upon them not to give leave
to the people to put him to death, who appear to have
been very fickle and mutable; at first they joined
with the priests and false prophets against Jeremiah,
to accuse him; but upon the judgment and vote of
the princes, on hearing the cause, they changed their
sentiments, and were for the prophet against the
priests; and now, very probably, upon the instance
of Urijah being given as a precedent, they altered their
minds again, and were for putting him to death, could
they have obtained leave of the court; and which only
Ahikam's interest prevented.

C H A P. XXVII.

THIS chapter contains a prophecy of the subjection
of the king of Judah, with five neighbouring kings, to
the king of Babylon; signified by bonds and yokes on
the prophet's neck, which they are exhorted patien.tly
to bear, as being most for their good; and not to give
heed to false prophets, who would persuade them to
the contrary. The date of the prophecy is in ver. 1.
the order to make the yokes, and send them to the
several neighbouring princes by their messengers at
Jerusalem, ver. 2, 3. what they should say to their
masters from the God of Israel, who is described from
his power in the creation of the earth, and the dis,
posal of it, yet. 4, 5. as that he had given'all their lands
into the hand of the king of Babylon, whom they
should serve, or it would be worse for them, yet. 6,
7, 8. and therefore should not hearken to their pro-
phets, who prophesied lies; if they did, it would be to
their hurt; whereas, if they quietly submitted, they
would dwell in their own land, ver. 9, 10, 11. particu-
larly Zedekiah king of Judah is exhorted to submit;
and both he, and the priests and the people, are ad-
vised not to hearken to the false prophets, vet. 12,
14, 15. particularly as to what they said concerning the
speedy return of the vessels of the temple, which were
carried away to Babylon; but might assure them-
selves they should remain there; and the rest also
should be taken, and not returned until the end of the
aeventy years, ver. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.
Vet. 1. In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim
the son of Josiah king of Judah, &c.] This is the same
date with the prophecy of the preceding chapter
and some think that this verse should conclude that,

{g} vid. Nicolai de Sepulchris Heb. c. 3. p. 126.