translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JER

label: NET study note

text: Beginning with up to the book narrates in third person style incidents in the life of Jeremiah and prophecies (or sermons) he gave in obedience to the Lord ’s commands. Baruch is the probable narrator, passing on information gleaned from Jeremiah himself. (See Jer 36:4, 18, 32; 45:1 and also 32:13-14 where it is clear that Baruch is Jeremiah’s scribe or secretary.) Chapters 26-29 contain narratives concerning reactions to Jeremiah’s prophecies and his conflict with the prophets who were prophesying that things would be all right (see, e.g., 14:14-15; 23:21 ).


text: It is generally agreed that the incident recorded in this chapter relates to the temple message that Jeremiah gave in 7:1-15 . The message there is summarized here in vv. 3-6 . The primary interest here is in the response to that message.


text: See the study note on Jer 7:13 .


text: These officials of Judah were officials from the royal court. They may have included some of the officials mentioned in Jer 36:12-25 . They would have been concerned about any possible “illegal” proceedings going on in the temple.


text: Contrast v. 11 .


text: Micah from Moresheth was a contemporary of Isaiah (compare Mic 1:1 with Isa 1:1 ) from the country town of Moresheth in the hill country southwest of Jerusalem. The prophecy referred to is found in Mic 3:12 . This is the only time in the OT where an OT prophet is quoted verbatim and identified.


text: Hezekiah was co-regent with his father Ahaz from 729-715 b.c. and sole ruler from 715-686 b.c . His father was a wicked king who was responsible for the incursions of the Assyrians (; ). Hezekiah was a godly king, noted for his religious reforms and for his faith in the Lord in the face of the Assyrian threat (–19; 2 Chr 32:1-23 ). The deliverance of Jerusalem in response to his prayers of faith ( 2 Kgs 19:14-19, 29-36 ) was undoubtedly well-known to the people of Jerusalem and Judah and may have been one of the prime reasons for their misplaced trust in the inviolability of Zion/Jerusalem (see Ps 46, 76 ) though the people of Micah’s day already believed it too ( Mic 3:11 ).


text: Zion was first of all the citadel that David captured ( 2 Sam 5:6-10 ), then the city of David and the enclosed temple area, then the whole city of Jerusalem. It is often in poetic parallelism with Jerusalem as it is here (see, e.g., Ps 76:2 ; Amos 1:2 ).


text: There is irony involved in this statement. The text reads literally “high places of a forest/thicket.” The “high places” were the illicit places of worship that Jerusalem was supposed to replace. Because of their sin, Jerusalem would be like one of the pagan places of worship with no place left sacrosanct. It would even be overgrown with trees and bushes. So much for its inviolability!


text: This is a brief parenthetical narrative about an otherwise unknown prophet who was executed for saying the same things Jeremiah did. It is put here to show the real danger that Jeremiah faced for saying what he did. There is nothing in the narrative here to show any involvement by Jehoiakim. This was a “lynch mob” instigated by the priests and false prophets which was stymied by the royal officials supported by some of the elders of Judah. Since it is disjunctive or parenthetical it is unclear whether this incident happened before or after that in the main narrative being reported.


text: Elnathan son of Achbor was one of the officials who urged Jeremiah and Baruch to hide after they heard Jeremiah’s prophecies read before them ( Jer 36:11-19 ). He was also one of the officials who urged Jehoiakim not to burn the scroll containing Jeremiah’s prophecies ( Jer 36:25 ). He may have been Jehoiakim’s father-in-law ( 2 Kgs 24:6, 8 ).


text: The burial place of the common people was the public burial grounds, distinct from the family tombs, where poor people without any distinction were buried. It was in the Kidron Valley east of Jerusalem ( 2 Kgs 23:6 ). The intent of reporting this is to show the ruthlessness of Jehoiakim.


text: Ahikam son of Shaphan was an official during the reign of Jehoiakim’s father, Josiah ( 2 Kgs 22:12, 14 ). He was also the father of Gedaliah who became governor of Judah after the fall of Jerusalem ( Jer 40:5 ). The particle at the beginning of the verse is meant to contrast the actions of this man with the actions of Jehoiakim. The impression created by this verse is that it took more than just the royal officials’ opinion and the elders’ warnings to keep the priests and prophets from swaying popular opinion to put Jeremiah to death.