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It is uncertain whether what is here recited was spoken before the acquittal of Jeremiah or not; for the Scripture does not always exactly preserve order in narrating things. It is yet probable, that while they were still deliberating and the minds of the people were not sufficiently pacified, the elders interposed, in order to calm the multitude and to soften their irritated minds, and to reconcile those to Jeremiah who had previously become foolishly incensed against him; for no doubt the priests and the false prophets had endeavored by every artifice to irritate the silly people against the Prophet; and hence more than one kind of remedy was necessary. When therefore the elders saw that wrath was still burning in the people, and that their minds were not disposed to shew kindness, they made use of this discourse. They took their argument from example, — that Jeremiah was not the first witness and herald of dreadful vengeance, for God had before that time, and in time past, been wont to speak by his other prophets against the city and the temple.
The priests and the prophets had indeed charged Jeremiah with novelty, and further pretended that they thus fiercely opposed him on the ground of common justice. Jeremiah had said, that God would spare neither the holy city nor the Temple. This was intolerable, for it had been said of the Temple,
“ is my rest for ever; here will I dwell.”
(Psa_132:14.)
We hence see that Jeremiah was overwhelmed as it were by this one expression, while the priests and the false prophets objected and said,
“ then makest void God’ promises; thou regardest as nothing the sanctity of the Temple.”
And they further pretended that not one of the prophets had ever thus spoken. But what do the elders now answer? even that there had been other prophets who had denounced ruin on the city and the Temple, and that, was falsely charged with this disgrace, that he was the first to announce God’ judgment. We now understand the state of the case: Jeremiah is defended, because he had not alone threatened the city and the first, but he had others as the originators, from whose mouths he had spoken, who were also the acknowledged servants of God, from whom credit could not be withholden, such as Micah.
Now, what is here related is found in Mic_3:12. The Prophet Micah had the same contest with the priests and prophets as Jeremiah had; for they said that it was impossible that God should pour his vengeance on the holy city and the Temple. They said,
“ not Jehovah in the midst of us?”
and they said also, “ evil shall come on us.” They were inebriated with such a security, that they thought themselves beyond the reach of danger; and they disregarded all the threatenings of the prophets, because they imagined that God was bound to them. We indeed know that hypocrites ever relied on that promise, “ will I dwell;” and they also took and borrowed words from God’ mouth and perverted them like cheats: “ resides in the midst of us; therefore nothing adverse can happen to us.” But the Prophet said, (the same are the words which we have just repeated,)
“ you Sion shall be plowed as a field, (170) and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of this house as the heights of a forest.”
But let us now consider each clause. It is first said, that the elders from the people of the land rose up (171) It is probable that they were called elders, not as in other places on account of their office, but of their age. It is indeed certain that they were men of authority; but yet I doubt not but that they were far advanced in years, as they were able to relate to the people what had happened many years before. As it is added, that they spoke to the whole assembly of the people, we may hence deduce what I have already stated, — that the people were so violent, that there was need of a calm discourse to mitigate their ardor; and certainly when once a commotion is raised and rages, it is not an easy matter immediately to allay it. When, therefore, the kind elders saw that the minds of the people were still exasperated, they employed a moderating language, and said, Micah (172) the Morasthite (they named his country) prophesied in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, etc
(170) Some render the phrase thus, “ being a field, shall be plowed;” having become a field, it would be plowed. There is in this case no need of כ, as, to be placed before “” nor is there a different reading either here or in Micah, though it is supplied in the early versions, except the Syr., which has, “ shall be reduced to a field.” — Ed
(171) The words literally are, “ rose up men from the elders of the land.” — Ed.
(172) The Keri reads מיכה, and is countenanced by several MSS., and is no doubt the true reading, and not מיכיה, as in the present received text. — Ed