Jeremiah 26

15. bring . . . upon yourselves--So far will you be from escaping the predicted evils by shedding my blood, that you will, by that very act, only incur heavier penalties ( Matthew 23:35 ).

16. princes . . . all the people--The fickle people, as they were previously influenced by the priests to clamor for his death ( Jeremiah 26:8 ), so now under the princes' influence require that he shall not be put to death. Compare as to Jesus, Jeremiah's antitype, the hosannas of the multitude a few days before the same people, persuaded by the priests as in this case, cried, Away with Him, crucify Him ( Matthew 21:1-11 , 27:20-25 ). The priests, through envy of his holy zeal, were more his enemies than the princes, whose office was more secular than religious. A prophet could not legally be put to death unless he prophesied in the name of other gods (therefore, they say, "in the name of the Lord"), or after his prophecy had failed in its accomplishment. Meanwhile, if he foretold calamity, he might be imprisoned. Compare Micaiah's case ( 1 Kings 22:1-28 ).

17. Compare Gamaliel's interposition ( Acts 5:34 , &c.).
elders--some of the "princes" mentioned ( Jeremiah 26:16 ) those whose age, as well as dignity, would give weight to the precedents of past times which they adduce.

18. ( Micah 3:12 ).
Morasthite--called so from a village of the tribe Judah.
Hezekiah--The precedent in the reign of such a good king proved that Jeremiah was not the only prophet, or the first, who threatened the city and the temple without incurring death.
mountain of the house--Moriah, on which stood the temple (peculiarly called "the house") shall be covered with woods instead of buildings. Jeremiah, in quoting previous prophecies, never does so without alteration; he adapts the language to his own style, showing thereby his authority in his treatment of Scripture, as being himself inspired.

19. Hezekiah, so far from killing him, was led "to fear the Lord," and pray for remission of the sentence against Judah ( 2 Chronicles 32:26 ).
Lord repented--( Exodus 32:14 , 2 Samuel 24:16 ).
Thus--if we kill Jeremiah.

20. As the flight and capture of Urijah must have occupied some time, "the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim" ( Jeremiah 26:1 ) must not mean the very beginning, but the second or third year of his eleven years' reign.
And . . . also--perhaps connected with Jeremiah 26:24 , as the comment of the writer, not the continuation of the speech of the elders: "And although also a man that prophesied . . . Urijah . . . (proving how great was the danger in which Jeremiah stood, and how wonderful the providence of God in preserving him), nevertheless the hand of Ahikam," &c. [GLASSIUS]. The context, however, implies rather that the words are the continuation of the previous speech of the elders. They adduce another instance besides that of Micah, though of a different kind, namely, that of Urijah: he suffered for his prophecies, but they imply, though they do not venture to express it, that thereby sin has been added to sin, and that it has done no good to Jehoiakim, for that the notorious condition of the state at this time shows that a heavier vengeance is impending if they persevere in such acts of violence [CALVIN].

22. Jehoiakim sent . . . into Egypt--He had been put on the throne by Pharaoh of Egypt ( 2 Kings 23:34 ). This explains the readiness with which he got the Egyptians to give up Urijah to him, when that prophet had sought an asylum in Egypt. Urijah was faithful in delivering his message, but faulty in leaving his work, so God permitted him to lose his life, while Jeremiah was protected in danger. The path of duty is often the path of safety.

23. graves of the common people--literally, "sons of the people" (compare 2 Kings 23:6 ). The prophets seem to have had a separate cemetery ( Matthew 23:29 ). Urijah's corpse was denied this honor, in order that he should not be regarded as a true prophet.

24. Ahikam--son of Shaphan the scribe, or royal secretary. He was one of those whom King Josiah, when struck by the words of the book of the law, sent to inquire of the Lord ( 2 Kings 22:12 2 Kings 22:14 ). Hence his interference here in behalf of Jeremiah is what we should expect from his past association with that good king. His son, Gedaliah, followed in his father's steps, so that he was chosen by the Babylonians as the one to whom they committed Jeremiah for safety after taking Jerusalem, and on whose loyalty they could depend in setting him over the remnant of the people in Judea ( Jeremiah 39:14 , 2 Kings 25:22 ).
people to put him to death--Princes often, when they want to destroy a good man, prefer it to be done by a popular tumult rather than by their own order, so as to reap the fruit of the crime without odium to themselves ( Matthew 27:20 ).