Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Jeremiah 29:23

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Jeremiah 29:23. Have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives — This is supposed to refer to the case of Susanna. See above.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Letters to the captives in Babylon (29:1-32)

In 597 BC several thousand of Jerusalem’s most capable people were taken captive to Babylon. Among them were some false prophets who began to predict, as Hananiah had done, that Babylon was about to fall and that the Judean captives were about to return to Jerusalem. Jeremiah, on hearing of this, wrote a letter to the community of captives (29:1-3).

The advice Jeremiah gives to the exiles is that they settle down to a more or less permanent way of life, as they will not be returning to Judah in the near future. They should try also to increase their numbers, for this would help them build towards a strong future (4-6). They should work for the good of the nation under whose government they live, and should not believe the predictions of the false prophets (7-9). The people will be in captivity for seventy years, but these will be years of discipline, during which God will prepare them for a better future (10-11). After this time of discipline, they will be in a better condition to enjoy true fellowship with God in their homeland again (12-14).
Turning from the exiles who were deceived by false prophets, Jeremiah has a few words concerning those still in Jerusalem who were similarly deceived (15-16). The Jerusalemites had made no attempt to reform in spite of God’s warnings, and therefore they too will be punished. Some will die at the hand of the enemy, and others will be taken to join their fellow Judeans in captivity (17-19). The two false prophets, who by their deceptive announcements and immoral behaviour have been leading the exiles astray, will be publicly executed by the Babylonian rulers (20-23).
On hearing Jeremiah’s letter read in Babylon, another of the false prophets among the exiles, Shemaiah, was furious. He wrote a letter to the priests in Jerusalem, accusing Jeremiah of being a madman and demanding that he be arrested and imprisoned (24-28).
Jeremiah then sent a letter back to the exiles, accusing Shemaiah of being a self-appointed prophet and a deceiver. As punishment, neither he nor any of his offspring would live to see the fulfilment of God’s promise in the people’s return to their homeland (29-32).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"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" 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)."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 643.

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" 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."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, P. 677.

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.' "Matthew Henry's Commentary, p. 589.

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."T. K. Cheyne, Jeremiah in the Pulpit Commentary, p. 587. This pattern in the lives of false teachers has prevailed throughout history, and even to the present day.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Villany - Elsewhere folly, in the sense of lewdness Judges 20:6, unchastity.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

We perceive why the Prophet mentions the cause of their death; it was, that the Jews might regard the event, not according to their own thoughts, but that they might feel assured that God took vengeance on the impiety of those who had falsely pretended his name. For we know that we always look here and there, and that when we find an immediate cause, we neglect and esteem as nothing the judgments of God. In order then to correct this evil, Jeremiah again repeats that Zedekiah and Ahab were not punished by the king of Babylon, but by God himself, because they committed villany in Israel. Some render, נבלה, nubele, enormity or abomination; but I am disposed to render it villany, or turpitude, or filthiness. ⁽²²¹⁾ They, then, committed a filthy thing He afterwards specifies two kinds, that they committed adultery with the wives of their friends, and that they falsely prophesied in the name of God

By the first clause we see how great was the stupidity of the people, for they did not consider what was the life of those who pretended to be witnesses for God, as though they were angels come down from heaven. Their wickedness might indeed have been concealed; but there is no doubt but that the Jews were extremely stupid, for they had willingly seized on the vain promises, which afforded them gratification. As, then, they were anxious to return, and wished to be restored to their own country as it were against the will of God, and sought to break through all obstacles by the force of their own obstinacy; it was a just punishment, that they were so blinded as not to see what was yet sufficiently manifest, even that these vaunting prophets were adulterers, and that the filthiness of their life was so great, that it was certain that they had nothing divine or heavenly in them.

Then there is another kind of evil added, that they prophesied falsely in God’s name. This was an atrocious crime; for as his truth is precious to God, so it is a sacrilege that he cannot bear, when his truth is turned into falsehood. But as the minds of them all were so corrupted, that no one would open his eyes, God testifies, that though their adulteries might be unknown to the people, that though their vanity in their false prophecies might not be perceived, yet it was enough that he knew and was a witness

Now this passage is worthy of special notice; for hypocrites, until they find that they are proved guilty before men, fear nothing, nay, they haughtily exalt themselves, even when things are justly laid to their charge. Since, then, the hardness and dishonesty of hypocrites are so great, it is necessary to summon them before God’s tribunal, that they may know that they may a hundred times be acquitted by the world, and yet that this derogates nothing from God’s judgment. It now follows —

(221) “Iniquity” is the Sept.; “folly,” the Vulg.; “crime” or offense, the Syr.; and “disgrace,” the Targ. Vileness, or abomination, is its meaning. It is applied to the sin of prostitution, Genesis 34:7, — of stealing, Joshua 7:15, — of murder, Judges 20:6, — of sodomy, Judges 19:24, — of incest, 2 Samuel 13:12, — and of base ingratitude, 1 Samuel 25:25. The most suitable term for all these places is abomination, and not “folly,” as in our version. It means what is hateful, vile, contemptible, or abominable. It refers here to what was abominably filthy — adultery; and to what was abominably wicked and presumptuous — speaking lies in God’s name. — Ed

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 29

Now Jeremiah sent this letter, chapter 29, to those Jews that were in Babylon. And, of course, this letter was sent to them and one of the chief of the princes that was in Babylon was Daniel. So Daniel was the one, no doubt, that received this letter from Jeremiah. Daniel was a captive in Babylon at the time, and this letter was sent by the prophet Jeremiah to those captives. Now, of course, Jeremiah is an older man at this point whereas Daniel is quite a young man at this point.

Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah [the princes of Judah would have included Daniel], and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan ( Jeremiah 29:1-3 ),

This was the guy who carried the letter to Babylon, saying,

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon; Build houses, and dwell in them; plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take wives, and have children sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that you might be increased there in the land, and not diminished ( Jeremiah 29:4-6 ).

Now rather than your coming back in two years as the false prophets were holding up a hope to them, Jeremiah's saying, "Hey, look, settle down, build your houses, plant your gardens, you know, start having children. You're going to be there a while and no sense of the population being diminished while you're there."

Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captives ( Jeremiah 29:7 ),

In other words, don't rebel, but live peaceably with them. Seek their peace.

and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace ( Jeremiah 29:7 ).

As long as Babylon has peace, you will have peace.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that are in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place ( Jeremiah 29:8-10 ).

Now in the ninth chapter of the book of Daniel we read, "In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; in the first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem" ( Daniel 9:1-2 ). So Daniel's making a reference now to this letter that have been placed in the book form of the prophecies of Jeremiah. And having read them and understood by the prophecy of Jeremiah that the seventy years that were predicted of their Babylonian captivity were just about over, he began to seek the Lord. But here is interesting to me how the Bible ties together. Here's the letter that Jeremiah is sending to those in Babylon; among them, of course, one of the chiefs being Daniel. And Daniel was there when the letter arrived. And Daniel was there seventy years later. So at that point, Daniel was probably in his nineties when he realized, "Hey, the seventy years are about over. It's about time to go home." And he's probably in his late eighties or early nineties.

We had a beautiful lady here this morning, ninety-seven years old. She said, "The Lord first spoke to me when I was fifteen years old and I've been walking with Him for eighty-two years." Oh, envy, envy, envy. Walking with the Lord. I said, "Oh, just talk to me. I want to gain from your experience of walking with the Lord." Beautiful. She showed it on her face, just a beautiful countenance.

David said, "Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither" ( Psalms 1:1-3 ). I saw an unwithered ninety-seven year old leaf today. It's beautiful, just beautiful. Sorry, honey, but I fell in love with her.

"For thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform My good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place," after seventy years.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, they are thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end ( Jeremiah 29:11 ).

Or to bring you to a good end.

Now if you follow your own thoughts, if you rebel against the king of Babylon, then you're going to have a disastrous end. If you will obey Me and follow My words, I'm thinking about you. I haven't forgotten you. I'm thinking about you. And My thoughts concerning you are those of peace. I'm desiring your peace. I'm not desiring evil for you. Now I haven't forgotten you.

So many times we're in captivity or we're having great problems, we think, "Oh, God's forgotten me. God's not thinking of me anymore." Oh, that's not so. God is thinking of you. But God is always looking down at the end of the road. Our common mistake is that we are always looking for immediate advantage, immediate fulfillment. And we don't consider the end result or the consequences of the things that we are doing. How many times we jump into things not considering what the end result is. Oh, but it looks exciting. It looks fun. Let's jump in. And God is warning and He is saying, "No, the end of that path is destruction. Now I'm thinking about you. Don't think I've forgotten you. I am thinking about you. And My thoughts concerning you are for your peace to bring to you this expected end."

Then shall ye call upon me, and then shall ye go pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you ( Jeremiah 29:12 ).

Now if you'll go back to Daniel when you have a chance, I'm not going to tonight, but when you have the chance, go back to Daniel the ninth chapter when he understood from the prophecy of Jeremiah that the seventy years were about over, what did he do? He began to fast and pray because the Lord said, "Then shall ye call upon Me." When? After the seventy years. "And ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you." So here is Daniel following the word of the Lord.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart ( Jeremiah 29:13 ).

I think that one of our problems is that we oftentimes have a half-hearted attitude towards God. We're not really seeking God with all of our heart. "Well, God, if You want to, I'm here. And You can do it for me if You desire. I won't stop You, Lord." And we oftentimes take a very passive attitude towards God, towards the things of God. Rather than really seeking God with all of our hearts. Now, there have been a few times in my life when I have really gotten desperate before God. But I'm amazed at how much it takes to make me really desperate before God. I'm sort of a kickback individual and I sort of take things in stride. Learn to just sort of roll with the punches and oh, well, it will work out. But there have been occasions where God really brought me to a place of real desperation where I can say I really sought God with all my heart.

One was in the sickness of our youngest daughter who was the light of our life. God gave her as a special gift to us. Well, all of our children are special gifts. They are just beautiful. We thank God for each one of them. But this youngest one, we were older, more mature, able to enjoy her more because we just had a little more maturity. We didn't know what we were doing when we had our first kids. All of a sudden by biological process you're parents, but no one trained us or taught us in how to parent. And so the fact that our kids have turned out good is only the grace of God, not our wisdom. We didn't know what we were doing. But by the time you have your fourth, you know a little bit. And you're a little older, more mature, more experienced. She was a joy, the light of our life. But she was running a high fever. Have been running this fever for a couple of days. Sat up all night holding her, just praying unto the Lord to heal her. And the fever kept high, and as I was holding her she went into convulsions and I thought I was losing her. Her little body stiffened up and the whole thing and I thought, "Oh, this is it." And I tell you, I began to seek God with all my heart. I was desperate before God. And I said, "God, you know that I treasure this little gal so highly. I would gladly lay down my life for her, Lord. I would much rather be sick than to see her sick. I would gladly, Lord, lay down my life for her. I love her so much. But yet, God, if it is Your will and Your purpose to take her to be with You, I give her to You, Lord. She's Your child. But please, God, I would love to have her still." But I mean, I was seeking God with all my heart. My wife had called the doctor. We bundled her up and started rushing off to the doctor with her. But before we ever got to the doctor, she was completely healed. Fever was gone. She was smiling, laughing and back to her beautiful, cute little self again. We got her to the doctor, "Well, looks fine to me." He said to Kay, "How long since you've had a tetanus shot?" She said, "I don't know." He said no use wasting time, give you a tetanus shot while you're here, you know. Kay got the shot. "In the day," the Lord said, "you seek Me with all of your heart."

The Bible says, "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" ( James 5:16 ). How many times are we really fervent? How many times are we really desperate before God? How many times do we really seek God with all of our hearts? God said, "In that day I'll be found of you." He doesn't really like us to come with a half-hearted attitude but with a total commitment.

And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. Because you have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon; Know that thus saith the LORD the king that sits on the throne of David, and of all the people that dwell in this city, and of your brothers that have not gone forth with you into captivity; Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, and the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil ( Jeremiah 29:14-17 ).

A reference back to the message there in the courts of Zedekiah where God said those that were carried away were good figs but those that were left were going to be like rotten figs and be destroyed. Nothing left. No value to them.

And I will persecute them with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, a hissing, a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them: Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, saith the LORD. Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab ( Jeremiah 29:18-21 )

And God is speaking of Ahab.

the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah ( Jeremiah 29:21 )

Now who these two guys are, we don't know. They're not mentioned any place else in scripture, but they were a couple of the false prophets. They were prophesying lies in the name of the Lord. So God speaks out against Ahab and Zedekiah, whoever they may be. Not the Ahab the king; nor Zedekiah the prophet of the future, but these are just two guys.

Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes ( Jeremiah 29:21 );

These two false prophets.

And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab ( Jeremiah 29:22 ),

So you want to curse somebody, you'll say, "The Lord make you like Ahab."

whom [he said, Nebuchadnezzar] burned in the fire ( Jeremiah 29:22 );

So Nebuchadnezzar evidently had a... the burning fiery furnace was his way of publicly getting rid of those who would rebel against him. And it is interesting that here in Jeremiah there's a reference to his old burning fiery furnace. It consumed Ahab and Zedekiah, but it could not consume Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And so here is another reference to that old burning fiery furnace. "Whom he burned, he roasted in the fire." So you want to really curse someone, "Well, the Lord make you like Zedekiah, you know. May He roast you with fire." And it became a curse, the way people cursed someone else. It's interesting they don't have curse words in Hebrew. If the Hebrews want to curse, they have to use English. Isn't that interesting? They don't have any swear words in Hebrew. We were told that and we were sort of surprised by that.

We went to the Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus one night. And we were standing there in the room and there was this Jewish doctor there and he was cursing in English. And I turned to Kay and I said, "Hey, I guess it's true. They don't have any swear words in Hebrew; he has to use English." And he looked up and he was quite embarrassed, you know. But they don't have any swear words in Hebrew, which I think is rather beautiful. And so they have to use English to swear. Or some other language, but they can't swear in Hebrew. They just don't have it. But they could say, "The Lord make you like Zedekiah," and that's about the worst thing you can say to a guy. "God roast you with fire."

Because they have committed villainy in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives ( Jeremiah 29:23 ),

So here he's telling the sins of these two guys.

and have spoken lying words in my name ( Jeremiah 29:23 ),

God's just revealing the cause against these guys. They're villainous, they're adulterers, and they're speaking lies in God's name.

which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD ( Jeremiah 29:23 ).

Wow, that's heavy duty. God says, "Hey, I'm witnessing. I know. I know what they're doing." Jesus said over and over to the churches, "I know thy works. I know what's going on." When God starts bearing witness against you, you're in big trouble.

Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and makes himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks ( Jeremiah 29:24-26 ).

Now when they got this letter in Babylon, then this guy sent back a letter to the priests and he said, "You ought to put Jeremiah in prison. Put him in the stocks."

Why have you not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which makes himself a prophet to you? For he sent to us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is going to be a long time: build houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet. Then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, saying, Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah ( Jeremiah 29:27-31 )

The guy who wrote this letter.

Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie: Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD ( Jeremiah 29:31-32 ).

So Shemaiah and all of his children are going to be wiped out. He won't have any progeny following him.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Jeremiah’s first letter to the exiles 29:1-23

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Their deaths would become a proverbial curse (Heb. qelalah) for the exiles who wanted to wish the worst type of fate on someone. They would wish that Yahweh would make the end of their enemies as terrible as that of those two false prophets. The Hammurabi Code refers to burning people alive (Heb. qalah) as a Babylonian method of execution, as does the Book of Daniel. [Note: Pritchard, ed., pp. 167, 170, 172. Daniel 3:6.] These false prophets had acted like fools, had committed adultery in violation of the covenant (Exodus 20:14), and had falsely claimed to announce messages from Yahweh. The Lord said He knew exactly what these men were doing. Nebuchadnezzar would not have executed these men for these offenses, so probably they were guilty of other political crimes as well, perhaps encouraging the exiles to revolt. [Note: W. L. Holladay, Jeremiah , 2:143.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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 furnace; but rather it was on account of their prophesying immediate destruction to Babylon; and telling the captives that they should be delivered in a short time; and stirring them up to prepare to go to their own land; but the reasons here given are those which moved the Lord to deliver them into the hands of the king of Babylon for their destruction:

and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives; which was a piece of villany, as well as folly; and which abundantly showed that these men were not the prophets of the Lord, or were sent by him, being such impure wretches:

and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; as that the people should return to their own land in a short time; this was another part of their villany and folly, and for which they were given up into the hands of the king of Babylon, to be punished:

even I know, and [am] a witness, saith the Lord; for though their adulteries might be very secretly committed, and their lying prophecies were not seen to be such by the people in common; yet God, who is omniscient, saw all their impurity, and knew all their lies and falsehood, and was, and would be, a swift witness against them, here and hereafter. The Targum is,

"and before me it is manifest, and my word is a witness, saith the Lord.''

f נבלה "stultitiam", V. L. Schmidt. g T. Bab. Sanhedrin. fol. 93. 1.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      15 Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;   16 Know that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;   17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.   18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:   19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.   20 Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:   21 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which 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;   22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;   23 Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD.

      Jeremiah, having given great encouragement to those among the captives whom he knew to be serious and well-affected, assuring them that God had very kind and favourable intentions concerning them, here turns to those among them who slighted the counsels and comforts that Jeremiah ministered to them and depended upon what the false prophets flattered them with. When this letter came from Jeremiah they would be ready to say, "Why should he make himself so busy, and take upon him to advise us? The Lord has raised us up prophets in Babylon,Jeremiah 29:15; Jeremiah 29:15. We are satisfied with those prophets, and can depend upon them, and have no occasion to hear from any prophets in Jerusalem." See the impudent wickedness of this people; as the prophets, when they prophesied lies, said that they had them from God, so the people, when they invited those prophets thus to flatter them, fathered it upon God, and said that it was the Lord that raised them up those prophets. Whereas we may be sure that those who harden people in their sins, and deceive them with false and groundless hopes of God's mercy, are no prophets of God's raising up. These prophets of their own told them that no more should be carried captive, but that those who were in captivity should shortly return. Now, in answer to this, 1. The prophet here foretells the utter destruction of those who remained still at Jerusalem, notwithstanding what those false prophets said to the contrary: "As for the king and people that dwell in the city, who, you think, will be ready to bid you welcome when you return, you are deceived; they shall be followed with one judgment after another, sword, famine, and pestilence, which shall cut off multitudes; and the poor and miserable remains shall be removed into all kingdoms of the earth," Jeremiah 29:16; Jeremiah 29:18. And thus God will make them, or rather deal with them accordingly, as the salt that has lost its savour, which, being good for nothing, is cast to the dunghill, and so are rotten figs. This refers to the vision and the prophecy upon it which we had Jeremiah 24:1-10; Jeremiah 24:1-10 And the reason given for these proceedings against them is the same that has often been given and will justify God in the eternal ruin of impenitent sinners (Jeremiah 29:19; Jeremiah 29:19): Because they have not hearkened to my words. I called, but they refused. 2. He foretells the judgment of God upon the false prophets in Babylon, who deceived the people of God there. He calls upon all the children of the captivity, who boasted of them as prophets of God's raising up (Jeremiah 29:20; Jeremiah 29:20): "Stand still, and hear the doom of the prophets you are so fond of." The two prophets are named here, Ahab and Zedekiah,Jeremiah 29:21; Jeremiah 29:21. Observe, (1.) The crimes charged upon them--impiety and immorality: They prophesied lies in God's name (Jeremiah 29:21; Jeremiah 29:21), and again (Jeremiah 29:23; Jeremiah 29:23), They have spoken lying words in my name. Lying was bad, lying to the people of God to delude them into a false hope was worse, but fathering their lies upon the God of truth was worst of all. And no marvel if those that had the face to do that could allow themselves in the gratification of those vile affections to which God, in a way of righteous judgment, gave them up. They have done villainy in Israel, for they have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives. Adultery is villainy in Israel, and in such as pretend to be prophets, who by such wickednesses manifestly disprove their own pretensions. God never sent such profligate wretches on his errands. He is the Lord God of the holy prophets, not of such impure ones. Here it appears why they flattered others in their sins--because they could not reprove them without condemning themselves. These lewd practices of theirs they knew how to conceal from the eye of the world, that they might preserve their credit; but I know it and am a witness, saith the Lord. The most secret sins are known to God; he can see the villainy that is covered with the thickest cloak of hypocrisy, and there is a day coming when he will bring to light all these hidden works of darkness and every man will appear in his own colours. (2.) The judgments threatened against them: The king of Babylon shall slay them before your eyes; nay, he shall put them to a miserable death, roast them in the fire,Jeremiah 29:22; Jeremiah 29:22. We may suppose that it was not for their impiety and immorality that Nebuchadnezzar punished them thus severely, but for sedition, and some attempts of their turbulent spirits upon the public peace, and stirring up the people to revolt and rebel. So much of their wickedness shall then be detected, and in such a wretched manner they shall end their days, that their names shall be a curse among the captives in Babylon, Jeremiah 29:22; Jeremiah 29:22. When men would imprecate the greatest evil upon one they hated they would think they could not load them with a heavier curse, in fewer words, than to say, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab. Thus were they made ashamed of the prophets they had been proud of, and convinced at last of their folly in hearkening to them. God's faithful prophets were sometimes charged with being the troublers of the land, and as such were tortured and slain; but their names were a blessing when they were gone and their memory sweet, not as these false prophets. As malefactors are attended with infamy and disgrace, so martyrs with glory and honour.