34 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord,.... Which were spoken to them by the prophets; not hearkening to them, but despising them, were the same as not hearkening to him, and despising him; contempt of God, and his word, was the cause of their ruin; see 2 Chronicles 36:15; which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord,.... What he was now about to say concerning their false prophets: all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon; all that were carried captive along with Jeconiah. Some parts of this letter are directed to one sort of the captives, and others to another sort of them; some being good...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,.... [See comments on Jeremiah 29:4]; of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you: two false prophets, of whom we have no account any where else but here; and are, no doubt, the prophets, or however two of them, that they of the captivity boasted of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which [are] in Babylon,.... A form of cursing; when they cursed anyone, or wished him ill, it should be in such like manner as follows; so odious and detestable would these men be afterwards to them, whom they, at least some of them, took to be the prophets of the Lord: saying,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Because they have committed villany in Israel,.... Or "folly" (f); as the sins of adultery, and prophesying falsely, are afterwards mentioned. This was not the reason why the king of Babylon put them to death; though the Jews (g) have a tradition that they attempted the chastity of Nebuchadnezzar's daughter, for which reason he case them into a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
[Thus] shalt thou speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite,.... Or, "the dreamer" (h); because he pretended to have dreams from the Lord; or because what he delivered as prophecies were mere dreams; as that the captives should quickly return to their own land; so Kimchi: but Jarchi takes it to be the name of a place, from whence he was so called; perhaps...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying,.... [See comments on Jeremiah 29:4]; because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that [are] at Jerusalem; not in the name of the captives, whom he consulted not; nor with Ezekiel the prophet of the Lord, who was of the captivity; but in his own name, taking upon him to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest,.... The same with Seraiah, who might have more names than one, and Jehoiada be one of them, who either was removed, or carried captive; and this Zephaniah, his sagan of deputy, succeeded him. Some think he refers to the famous Jehoiada in the times of Joash, a great reformer; and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth,.... Not by words only, but by actions; by beating and scourging, by pillory or imprisonment, and so restraining him from prophesying to the people: which maketh himself a prophet unto you? takes upon him such an office, though not sent of the Lord, as he would insinuate: this shows the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For therefore he sent unto us [in] Babylon, saying,.... That is, Jeremiah the prophet; and this was the reason, because his mouth was not stopped, and he restrained from prophesying; so that Shemaiah lays all the blame on Zephaniah, and his brethren the priests; who, had they done their duty, would have prevented Jeremiah's letter to the captives,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter,.... Of Shemaiah's to him, and the other priests: in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet: whether out of good will, to let him know who were his enemies abroad; or out of ill will, to stir up the people against him; or in pretence of proceeding equitably with him; not taking him up, and punishing him before...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
When came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah,.... After he had heard the letter read: saying; as follows:
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Send to all them of the captivity,.... Another letter; not to Shemaiah, but to the people, that they might all know that he was a false prophet; and how his lies were resented by the Lord; and what punishment should be inflicted on him and his, on account of them: saying, thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; the letter, though...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Therefore thus saith the Lord,.... Because he prophesied without being sent of God, and prophesied lies, by which the people were deceived: behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; not him only, but his posterity also: thus God sometimes visits the sins of parents on their children, they being, as it were, a part of themselves,...