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Jeremiah Capitolo 21
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It is plain that the prophecies of this book are not placed here in the same order in which they were preached; for there are chapters after this which concern Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jeconiah, who all reigned before Zedekiah, in whose reign the prophecy of this chapter bears date. Here is, I. The message which Zedekiah sent to the prophet, to desire him to enquire of the Lord for them, Jer 21:1,2. II. The answer which Jeremiah, in God's name, sent to that message, in which, 1. He foretels the certain and inevitable ruin of the city, and the fruitlessness of their attempts for its preservation, Jer 21:3-7. 2. He advises the people to make the best of bad, by going over to the king of Babylon, Jer 21:8-10. 3. He advises the king and his family to repent and reform (Jer 21:11,12), and not to trust to the strength of their city and grow secure, Jer 21:13,14.
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Zedekiah's Message to Jeremiah (590 BC)
简体中文
西底家差人询问耶利米（主前590年）
¹ 耶和华的话临到耶利米——当时西底家王差玛基雅的儿子巴施户珥、和玛西雅的儿子祭司西番雅，去见耶利米，说：
² 「求你为我们请问耶和华，因为巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒攻击我们；或者耶和华照他一切奇妙的作为待我们，使那人离开我们上去。」
³ 耶利米对他们说：「你们当这样告诉西底家：
⁴ 『耶和华—以色列的 神如此说：看哪，我必使你们手中所拿、用以与巴比伦王和围困你们的迦勒底人争战的兵器，转回来聚集在这城中间。
⁵ 并且我要在怒气、忿怒和大恼恨中，用伸出来的手和大能的臂，亲自攻击你们。
⁶ 我又要击打这城的居民，连人带牲畜都必遭遇大瘟疫死亡。
⁷ 耶和华说：以后我要将犹大王西底家、和他的臣仆、百姓，以及在城中存活瘟疫、刀剑、饥荒而剩下的人，都交在巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的手中，和他们的仇敌、并寻索他们性命的人手中；他必用刀击杀他们，不顾惜，不可怜，不怜悯。』
此处，一、西底家王在患难之中差人向先知耶利米所送十分谦卑合宜的信息。这位西底家确实被指责说：「他不在耶利米先知面前自卑，而耶利米是奉耶和华口中所说的话」（代下36:12）；他没有始终自卑如他有时所行；他从不自卑，直到迫不得已；他自卑到求先知帮助，却未自卑到听从他的劝戒、受他引导。请观察，
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西底家王此刻所处的患难：「尼布甲尼撒攻击他」，不但侵入境内，且围困圣城，此时已实际扎营围困。注意，那些把灾祸之日推远的人，当其临到之时必更惊惶；从前轻看 神仆人的人，那时或急于与他们结交。
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他所差的使者——「巴施户珥和西番雅」，一属第五祭司班次，一属第二十四班次（代上24:9、18）。他能差遣是好的，且差遣有身分的人；但更好的是他亲自与先知面谈，只要他肯如此自卑，无疑可轻易得着。也许这些祭司和别人一样败坏，但当王吩咐时，他们仍当向先知传尊重的信息——这既使他们受屈辱，又使耶利米得尊荣。他曾冒失说（耶20:18）：「我的日子因羞愧消灭」；然而此处我们看见他活到了比发怨言之时更好的日子；如今他大有名声。注意，事情坏时说「必永远如此」，是愚昧的。被人藐视的或得着尊重；「尊敬 神的， 神必尊重他」（撒上2:30），且应许：「苦待你百姓的必向你下拜」（赛60:14）。
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信息本身：「求你为我们请问耶和华」（耶21:2）。如今迦勒底军既已入境、深入腹地，他们终于相信耶利米是真先知，虽不情愿承认，又承认得太晚。在此信念之下，他们求他与 神为他们作朋友，相信他在天上有的分量，是其他那些以平安预言谄媚他们的先知所没有的。他们如今用耶利米，（1）为他们求问 神的心意：「『求你为我们请问耶和华』；问他我们在当前困境中当采取什么方针，因我们迄今所采的措施都已失败。」注意，那些不肯受 神恩典引导脱离罪恶的人，却仍乐意受 神护理引导脱离苦难。（2）为他们求 神的恩惠（有人如此读）：「『求你为我们恳求耶和华』；作我们与 神之间的代求者。」注意，那些在顺境之时轻看 神百姓和仆人祷告的人，在困境之时或急切想要分得其中一分。「请把你们的油分给我们。」他们为自己所期望的益处是：「或者耶和华照他为我们列祖所行的奇事待我们」，使仇敌解围「离开我们上去」。请观察，[1] 他们所挂虑的全在乎摆脱患难，不在乎与 神和好、与他和好——「使我们的仇敌『离开我们上去』」，而不是「使我们的 神归回我们」。所以法老（出10:17）：「求你们恳求耶和华，使他离开我这死亡。」[2] 他们所盼望的全在乎 神从前为耶路撒冷行过奇事——当西拿基立围城之时，因以赛亚的祷告——我们得知（代下32:20-21）；谁知他不会因耶利米的祷告毁灭这些围城者，如毁灭那些一样呢？但他们未思想西底家和他百姓的品格与希西家和他百姓的品格有何等不同：那时是普遍改革敬虔的日子，如今是普遍败坏背道之时。耶路撒冷如今适与那时相反。注意，妄想 神在我们仍紧抓罪恶之时为我们行事，如同他为那紧抓正直诚实之人行事一般，这是愚昧。
二、 神借先知对那信息所作极惊人、极严厉的回复。若由耶利米自己回复，我们有理由想他必返回安慰的话，盼望他们送这样的信息表明他们心中有些善意的目的，他必乐于善加利用，因他并不愿那凶恶之日。但 神比耶利米更知道他们的心，给他们一个几乎没有一句安慰话的回复。他奉「耶和华—以色列的 神」的名送给他们（耶21:3），为要使他们知道，虽然 神容让自己被称为「以色列的 神」，从前为以色列行了大事，且仍照所立之约为以色列存留大事，但这些对这一代人毫无帮助——他们仅在名义上是以色列人，实际上不是；然而 神待他们的作为并不割断他与以色列作为他们 神的关系。此处预言，
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神必使一切为自身安全的努力尽归徒然无效（耶21:4）：「我不但不教导你们的手争战、磨利你们的刀剑，反要『使你们手中争战的兵器』——当你们出城攻击围城者之时——『转回来』，使它们不发出你们所期望的一击；不，它们必反噬你们的脸，转向你们自己。」与 神为敌之人，无所可成。
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围城者不久必攻取耶路撒冷及其一切财富力量：「我必将如今围困这城的人『聚集在这城中间』。」注意，那本当作敬虔中心之地，若成为罪恶中心， 神使它成为毁灭者的集结之地，并不为奇。
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神自己要作他们的仇敌；那么我不知有谁能与他们为友——连耶利米也不能（耶21:5）：「我非但不像从前在类似情形之下保护你们，我『自己』必『攻击你们』。」注意，背叛 神的人正当地可期望他向他们宣战，且（1）以无可抵抗、必胜之 神的大能：「我必以『伸出来的手』攻击你们」，可达及远，「以大能的臂」，可重重击伤、深深刺入。（2）以无可辩驳之 神的公义之不悦。这不是爱的管教，而是「在怒气、忿怒、大恼恨中」的执行；是凭在怒中所起的判语，无可豁免；落入永生 神的手中，是何等可怕的事，不久便要显明。
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那些为自身安全不出城攻击围城者、因而避开他们刀剑的人，仍逃不脱 神公义的刀剑（耶21:6）：「我必击打那『住』在城中的人」（可如此读），「连人带牲畜」——既包括为食物的牲畜，也包括为战争的牲畜，步卒和马匹；「他们必因『大瘟疫』死亡」，瘟疫必在城内猖獗，而仇敌扎营于外。耶路撒冷的城墙城门虽能一时挡住迦勒底人，却挡不住 神的审判。他的瘟疫之箭能及那些自以为已脱离其他箭矢的人。
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王本身，以及逃脱「刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫」的百姓，必「交在」迦勒底人手中，被冷血杀戮（耶21:7）：他们「不顾惜」，「不可怜」他们。不要期望在人间蒙怜悯的人——他们已丧失 神的怜悯，把自己关在他的怜悯之外。判令既已发出，那么耶利米为他们「请问耶和华」还有什么用处呢？
Originale inglese
Zedekiah's Message to Jeremiah (590 BC)
¹ The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,
² Enquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.
³ Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:
⁴ Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.
⁵ And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.
⁶ And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.
⁷ And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.
Here is, I. A very humble decent message which king Zedekiah, when he was in distress, sent to Jeremiah the prophet. It is indeed charged upon this Zedekiah that he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord (2Ch 36:12); he did not always humble himself as he did sometimes; he never humbled himself till necessity forced him to it; he humbled himself so far as to desire the prophet's assistance, but not so far as to take his advice, or to be ruled by him. Observe,
1. The distress which king Zedekiah was now in: Nebuchadrezzar made war upon him, not only invaded the land, but besieged the city, and had now actually invested it. Note, Those that put the evil day far from them will be the more terrified when it comes upon them; and those who before slighted God's ministers may then perhaps be glad to court an acquaintance with them.
2. The messengers he sent—Pashur and Zephaniah, one belonging to the fifth course of the priests, the other to the twenty-fourth, 1Ch 24:9,18. It was well that he sent, and that he sent persons of rank; but it would have been better if he had desired a personal conference with the prophet, which no doubt he might easily have had if he would so far have humbled himself. Perhaps these priests were no better than the rest, and yet, when they were commanded by the king, they must carry a respectful message to the prophet, which was both a mortification to them and an honour to Jeremiah. He had rashly said (Jer 20:18), My days are consumed with shame; and yet here we find that he lived to see better days than those were when he made that complaint; now he appears in reputation. Note, It is folly to say, when things are bad with us, "They will always be so." It is possible that those who are despised may come to be respected; and it is promised that those who honour God he will honour, and that those who have afflicted his people shall bow to them, Isa 60:14.
3. The message itself: Enquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us, Jer 21:2. Now that the Chaldean army had got into their borders, into their bowels, they were at length convinced that Jeremiah was a true prophet, though loth to own it and brought too late to it. Under this conviction they desire him to stand their friend with God, believing him to have that interest in heaven which none of their other prophets had, who had flattered them with hopes of peace. They now employ Jeremiah, (1.) To consult the mind of God for them: "Enquire of the Lord for us; ask him what course we shall take in our present strait, for the measures we have hitherto taken are all broken." Note, Those that will not take the direction of God's grace how to get clear of their sins would yet be glad of the directions of his providence how to get clear of their troubles. (2.) To seek the favour of God for them (so some read it): "Entreat the Lord for us; be an intercessor for us with God." Note, Those that slight the prayers of God's people and ministers when they are in prosperity may perhaps be glad of an interest in them when they come to be in distress. Give us of your oil. The benefit they promise themselves is, It may be the Lord will deal with us now according to the wondrous works he wrought for our fathers, that the enemy may raise the siege and go up from us. Observe, [1.] All their care is to get rid of their trouble, not to make their peace with God and be reconciled to him—"That our enemy may go up from us," not, "That our God may return to us." Thus Pharaoh (Ex 10:17): Entreat the Lord that he may take away this death. [2.] All their hope is that God had done wondrous works formerly in the deliverance of Jerusalem when Sennacherib besieged it, at the prayer of Isaiah (so we are told, 2Ch 32:20,21), and who can tell but he may destroy these besiegers (as he did those) at the prayer of Jeremiah? But they did not consider how different the character of Zedekiah and his people was from that of Hezekiah and his people: those were days of general reformation and piety, these of general corruption and apostasy. Jerusalem is now the reverse of what it was then. Note, It is folly to think that God should do for us while we hold fast our iniquity as he did for those that held fast their integrity.
II. A very startling cutting reply which God, by the prophet, sent to that message. If Jeremiah had been to have answered the message of himself we have reason to think that he would have returned a comfortable answer, in hope that their sending such a message was an indication of some good purposes in them, which he would be glad to make the best of, for he did not desire the woeful day. But God knows their hearts better than Jeremiah does, and sends them an answer which has scarcely one word of comfort in it. He sends it to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel (Jer 21:3), to intimate to them that though God allowed himself to be called the God of Israel, and had done great things for Israel formerly, and had still great things in store for Israel, pursuant to his covenants with them, yet this should stand the present generation in no stead, who were Israelites in name only, and not in deed, any more than God's dealings with them should cut off his relation to Israel as their God. It is here foretold,
1. That God will render all their endeavours for their own security fruitless and ineffectual (Jer 21:4): "I will be so far from teaching your hands to war, and putting an edge upon your swords, that I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hand, when you sally out upon the besiegers to beat them off, so that they shall not give the stroke you design; nay, they shall recoil into your own faces, and be turned upon yourselves." Nothing can make for those who have God against them.
2. That the besiegers shall in a little time make themselves masters of Jerusalem, and of all its wealth and strength: I will assemble those in the midst of this city who are now surrounding it. Note, If that place which should have been a centre of devotion be made a centre of wickedness, it is not strange if God make it a rendezvous of destroyers.
3. That God himself will be their enemy; and then I know not who can befriend them, no, not Jeremiah himself (Jer 21:5): "I will be so far from protecting you, as I have done formerly in a like case, that I myself will fight against you." Note, Those who rebel against God may justly expect that he will make war upon them, and that, (1.) With the power of a God who is irresistibly victorious: I will fight against you with an outstretched hand, which will reach far, and with a strong arm, which will strike home and wound deeply. (2.) With the displeasure of a God who is indisputably righteous. It is not a correction in love, but an execution in anger, in fury, and in great wrath; it is upon a sentence sworn in wrath, against which there will lie no exception, and it will soon be found what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God.
4. That those who, for their own safety, decline sallying out upon the besiegers, and so avoid their sword, shall yet not escape the sword of God's justice (Jer 21:6): I will smite those that abide in the city (so it may be read), both man and beast, both the beasts that are for food and those that are for service in war, foot and horse; they shall, die of a great pestilence, which shall rage within the walls, while the enemies are encamped about them. Though Jerusalem's gates and walls may for a time keep out the Chaldeans, they cannot keep out God's judgments. His arrows of pestilence can reach those that think themselves safe from other arrows.
5. That the king himself, and people that escape the sword, famine, and pestilence, shall fall into the hands of the Chaldeans, who shall cut them off in cold blood (Jer 21:7): They shall not spare them, nor have pity on them. Let not those expect to find mercy with men who have forfeited God's compassions, and shut themselves out from his mercy. Thus had the decree gone forth; and then to what purpose was it for Jeremiah to enquire of the Lord for them?
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Answer to Zedekiah's Message; Advice to the King and the People (590 BC)
简体中文
对西底家所传信息的回复；对君王和百姓的劝告 (590 BC)
⁸ 你要对这百姓说：耶和华如此说：看哪，我将生命的路和死亡的路摆在你们面前。 ⁹ 住在这城里的必死于刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫；但出去归降围困你们的迦勒底人的，必得存活，他的性命必作为掠物归他。 ¹⁰ 耶和华说：因我已定意以灾祸而非福分对待这城；它必交在巴比伦王手中，他必用火焚烧。 ¹¹ 至于犹大王的家，你要说：你们当听耶和华的话。 ¹² 大卫家啊，耶和华如此说：你们每早晨要施行公平，拯救被抢夺的脱离欺压者的手；免得我的烈怒如火发出、燃烧无人能熄，因你们所行邪恶。 ¹³ 耶和华说：住在谷中、平原磐石上的居民啊，看哪，我与你反对；你们说：谁要下来攻击我们？谁要进入我们的住处呢？ ¹⁴ 耶和华说：我必按你们行事的结果刑罚你们；我也必在它的林中点火，火必烧灭它四围的一切。
从王差人向耶利米所传的讯息看来，他和百姓都开始对先知有几分敬意，这本可成为耶利米为己谋些好处的策略；但神命他所作的回复，足以粉碎他们对先知初萌的敬意，并比从前更激怒他们。不仅耶21:1-7中的预言，连这些经文中的命令也都令人愤怒；因为此处，
一、他劝百姓向迦勒底人投降、叛逃，作为他们如今惟一可救性命之法（耶21:8-10）。这劝告对于那些被假先知谄媚、决意顽抗到底、信靠城墙的坚固和军兵的勇气以拒敌、或信靠外援以解围的人而言，十分不悦。先知向他们保证：「『这城必交在巴比伦王手中』，他不仅劫掠它，更『用火焚烧』，因为神亲自『已定意以灾祸而非福分对待这城』，为要使它荒凉，而非保护它——『为灾祸』，其中没有掺杂丝毫好处，没有减轻、没有怜悯的缓和；所以你们若要从坏处中谋求最好，就得向迦勒底人求饶，作战争的俘虏投降。」拉伯沙基劝犹太人在有神与他们同在之时如此行，是徒然的（赛36:16）；但如今神与他们反对，这便是他们所能采取的最佳途径。律法和先知常常在另一种意义上把生与死摆在他们眼前——顺从神之声便得生，坚持悖逆便死（申30:19）。但他们轻看了那本可使他们真正幸福的生命；为先知在此用同样的话责备他们（耶21:8）：『看哪，我将生命的路和死亡的路摆在你们面前』——这并非如那处一样表示公允的提议，而是忧愁的两难，劝他们于两恶之中择其较轻者；而那较轻之恶——可耻凄惨的被掳——便是他们如今所能为自己指望的全部「生命」。「住在这城里的」，信靠它来保全性命的，必死于城外「刀剑」或城内「饥荒」或「瘟疫」。但那能如此降卑己心、放弃虚妄指望，「出去」「归降迦勒底人的」，「他的性命必作为掠物归他」；他要救得性命，却经过极大艰难和危险，如同从强者手中夺得掠物一般。这表达如同那句：「他将得救，却如同从火里经过一样。」他只能勉强逃脱，或他在如此普世毁灭中得以保全性命，必得着如分赃者同等的惊喜与满足。他们本想掳掠迦勒底人的营盘，如同他们祖先掳掠亚述人的那样（赛33:23），但他们必大失所望；若凭无条件投降能保住性命，那便是他们所能应许自己的全部掠物了。如今人必想，先知奉神之名的这劝告，当赢得他们几分信任，并被普遍遵从；但据我们所见，少有人或无人听从；他们的心刚硬至此，终至灭亡。
二、他劝君王和首领们改革，并凭良心尽其位分之责。因为是王差人向他传讯，回复中要为「王家」特别留话——不是为奉承或讨好（那并非先知本分，即使他们差人向他致敬也不可），而是为给他们有益的劝诫（耶21:11-12）：『每早晨要施行公平』——要小心殷勤地行。那些要尽职其位的官长，当及早起身。要快快行，不可拖延你们上诉的审断，像你们素常所作的那样，把穷苦求告之人拖得精疲力竭。不可早晨躺在床上，把昨夜的荒宴睡去，也不可如那些王子（传10:16）以早晨娇养身体为务，而当以办理事务为务。「你们要从扰害你们的人手中被救出来，并指望神在其中为你们行公义；所以你们也当向求告你们的人行公义，『拯救他们脱离欺压者的手，免得我的烈怒特别向你们如火发出』，你们这些自以为最能逃避的人，反倒遭遇最坏，『因你们所行邪恶』。」如今，1. 这暗示他们因疏于尽其本分，才招致这一切荒凉临到百姓。正是他们「所行的邪恶」点燃了神怒之火。他如此坦白地对付「王家」；因为那些想得先知祷告之益的人，当甘心领受先知的责备。2. 这指引他们采取正确的方法进行全国改革。首领们当带头，树立好榜样，百姓便受激励改革。他们当使用权柄惩罚错行，百姓便被迫改革。他提醒他们，他们是「大卫家」，所以当踏着他的脚步行——他曾向百姓施行公平公义。3. 这给他们一些鼓励，使他们或可指望太平之日得以延长（但4:27）。若有什么能将他们的国势从灭亡边缘挽回，这便是。
三、他向他们指明，只要他们仍不改革，一切盼望都是虚空（耶21:13-14）。耶路撒冷是「谷中的居民」，四面有山环绕护卫，是其天然防御，使敌军难以接近。它是「平原的磐石」，使敌人难以从下挖地道攻之。他们对其地势的这些优势所信靠的，胜过对神大能和应许的信靠；他们以为凭借这些，他们的城牢不可破，便向神的审判挑衅，说：「『谁要下来攻击我们？』我们的邻舍无人敢向我们进攻；或即或有，『谁要进入我们的住处呢？』」他们这自信并非毫无根据；因为显然邻舍都以为无敌人能强攻入耶路撒冷（哀4:12）。然而最自以为稳妥的，反倒最不安全。当神说（耶21:13）：『看哪，我与你反对』之时，他立即显出『谁要下来攻击我们？』这挑战的虚空。他们因邪恶确实把神赶出他们的城——他本愿以朋友身分与他们同住；却不能以堡垒将神拒之城外——当他以仇敌身分前来之时。神若为我们，谁能敌挡我们？但他若反对我们，谁能为我们站得住呢？不，他来对付他们，不是如可合法抵抗、并有望成功抵抗的仇敌，而是如不能抵抗的审判者；因为他说（耶21:14）：『我要按「你们行事的结果」刑罚你们』——即按其功劳、按其直接的趋向。罪的天然产物必临到你们身上。不，他不仅以仇敌之怒和审判者之公而来，更以吞噬之火的威势而来——火没有怜悯（如审判者有时还有），也不放过其路上任何可燃之物。耶路撒冷已如森林，神要在其中「点火」，吞噬前面一切；因为我们的神本身是「烈火」；「他一发怒，谁能当得起呢？」
Originale inglese
Answer to Zedekiah's Message; Advice to the King and the People (590 BC)
⁸ And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
⁹ He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
¹⁰ For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
¹¹ And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
¹² O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
¹³ Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?
¹⁴ But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.
By the civil message which the king sent to Jeremiah it appeared that both he and the people began to have a respect for him, which it would have been Jeremiah's policy to make some advantage of for himself; but the reply which God obliges him to make is enough to crush the little respect they begin to have for him, and to exasperate them against him more than ever. Not only the predictions in the Jer 21:1-7, but the prescriptions in these, were provoking; for here,
I. He advises the people to surrender and desert to the Chaldeans, as the only means left them to save their lives, Jer 21:8-10. This counsel was very displeasing to those who were flattered by their false prophets into a desperate resolution to hold out to the last extremity, trusting to the strength of their walls and the courage of their soldiery to keep out the enemy, or to their foreign aids to raise the siege. The prophet assures them, "The city shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall not only plunder it, but burn it with fire, for God himself hath set his face against this city for evil and not for good, to lay it waste and not to protect it, for evil which shall have no good mixed with it, no mitigation or merciful allay; and therefore, if you would make the best of bad, you must beg quarter of the Chaldeans, and surrender prisoners of war." In vain did Rabshakeh persuade the Jews to do this while they had God for them (Isa 36:16), but it was the best course they could take now that God was against them. Both the law and the prophets had often set before them life and death in another sense—life if they obey the voice of God, death if they persist in disobedience, De 30:19. But they had slighted that life which would have made them truly happy, to upbraid them with which the prophet here uses the same expression (Jer 21:8): Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death, which denotes not, as that, a fair proposal, but a melancholy dilemma, advising them of two evils to choose the less; and that less evil, a shameful and wretched captivity, is all the life now left for them to propose to themselves. He that abides in the city, and trusts to that to secure him, shall certainly die either by the sword without the walls or famine or pestilence within. But he that can so far bring down his spirit, and quit his vain hopes, as to go out, and fall to the Chaldeans, his life shall be given him for a prey; he shall save his life, but with much difficulty and hazard, as a prey is taken from the mighty. It is an expression like that, He shall be saved, yet so as by fire. He shall escape but very narrowly, or he shall have such surprising joy and satisfaction in escaping with his life from such a universal destruction as shall equal theirs that divide the spoil. They thought to make a prey of the camp of the Chaldeans, as their ancestors did that of the Assyrians (Isa 33:23), but they will be sadly disappointed; if by yielding at discretion they can but save their lives, that is all the prey they must promise themselves. Now one would think this advice from a prophet, in God's name, should have gained some credit with them and been universally followed; but, for aught that appears, there were few or none that took it; so wretchedly were their hearts hardened, to their destruction.
II. He advises the king and princes to reform, and make conscience of the duty of their place. Because it was the king that sent the message to him, in the reply there shall be a particular word for the house of the king, not to compliment or court them (that was no part of the prophet's business, no, not when they did him the honour to send to him), but to give them wholesome counsel (Jer 21:11,12): "Execute judgment in the morning; do it carefully and diligently. Those magistrates that would fill up their place with duty had need rise betimes. Do it quickly, and do not delay to do justice upon appeals made to you, and tire out poor petitioners as you have done. Do not lie in your beds in a morning to sleep away the debauch of the night before, nor spend the morning in pampering the body (as those princes, Ec 10:16), but spend it in the despatch of business. You would be delivered out of the hand of those that distress you, and expect that therein God should do you justice; see then that you do justice to those that apply to you, and deliver them out of the hand of their oppressors, lest my fury go out like fire against you in a particular manner, and you fare worst who think to escape best, because of the evil of your doings." Now, 1. This intimates that it was their neglect to do their duty that brought all this desolation upon the people. It was the evil of their doings that kindled the fire of God's wrath. Thus plainly does he deal even with the house of the king; for those that would have the benefit of a prophet's prayers must thankfully take a prophet's reproofs. 2. This directs them to take the right method for a national reformation. The princes must begin, and set a good example, and then the people will be invited to reform. They must use their power for the punishment of wrong, and then the people will be obliged to reform. He reminds them that they are the house of David, and therefore should tread in his steps, who executed judgment and justice to his people. 3. This gives them some encouragement to hope that there may yet be a lengthening of their tranquillity, Da 4:27. If any thing will recover their state from the brink of ruin, this will.
III. He shows them the vanity of all their hopes so long as they continued unreformed, Jer 21:13,14. Jerusalem is an inhabitant of the valley, guarded with mountains on all sides, which were their natural fortifications, making it difficult for an army to approach them. It is a rock of the plain, which made it difficult for an enemy to undermine them. These advantages of their situation they trusted to more than to the power and promise of God; and, thinking their city by these means to be impregnable, they set the judgments of God at defiance, saying, "Who shall come down against us? None of our neighbours dare make a descent upon us, or, if they do, who shall enter into our habitations?" They had some colour for this confidence; for it appears to have been the sense of all their neighbours that no enemy could force his way into Jerusalem, La 4:12. But those are least safe that are most secure. God soon shows the vanity of that challenge, Who shall come down against us? when he says (Jer 21:13), Behold, I am against thee. They had indeed by the wickedness driven God out of their city when he would have tarried with them as a friend; but they could not by their bulwarks keep them out of their city when he came against them as an enemy. If God be for us, who can be against us? But, if he be against us, who can be for us, to stand us in any stead? Nay, he comes against them not as an enemy that may lawfully and with some hope of success be resisted, but as a judge that cannot be resisted; for he says (Jer 21:14), I will punish you, by due course of law, according to the fruit of your doings, that is, according to the merit of them and the direct tendency of them. That shall be brought upon you which is the natural product of sin. Nay, he will not only come with the anger of an enemy and the justice of a judge, but with the force of a consuming fire, which has no compassion, as a judge sometimes has, nor spares any thing combustible that comes in its way. Jerusalem has become a forest, in which God will kindle a fire that shall consume all before it; for our God is himself a consuming fire; and who is able to stand in his sight when once he is angry?
显然,本书中的预言并未按传讲的先后顺序排列;因为本章之后还有论及约哈斯、约雅敬和约雅斤的章节,而他们都早在西底家之前作王,本章预言却注明是在西底家年间。内容包括:一、西底家差人去见先知,请他为众人求问耶和华(耶21:1,2)。二、耶利米奉神的名对那信息所作的答复,其中:1. 他预言那城必将无可避免地灭亡,他们为保全它所作的努力都必徒然(耶21:3-7)。2. 他劝百姓尽力在逆境中自处,就是归降巴比伦王(耶21:8-10)。3. 他劝王和他的家悔改、改革(耶21:11,12),不要倚仗己城的坚固而自恃安稳(耶21:13,14)。