XLIII.

(2) Azariah the son of Hoshaiah.—The LXX., it will be remembered, gives this name in Jeremiah 42:1, where the Hebrew has Jezaniah. Possibly, however, as suggested above, the two names represent brothers who were both prominent as leaders of the people. Here, we may note, he takes precedence of Johanan, probably as the chief spokesman of the prevailing discontent. The special mention of “all the proud men” suggests the thought that there were some who, left to themselves, would have been willing to follow the prophet’s counsel. Those who join in the protest content themselves with a flat denial of his inspiration, and charge him, as he had been charged before (Jeremiah 37:13), with sinister intentions. It is suggestive, in connexion with the view taken in the Note on Jeremiah 42:17, that the LXX., following apparently a different reading of the Hebrew, gives “all the aliens” instead of “all the proud.”

Jeremiah 43:2-3. Then spake Azariah, the son of Hoshaiah — Called Jazaniah, Jeremiah 42:1. We may observe many like instances in the books of Kings and Chronicles, of the same persons being called by two different names. And all the proud men — They who refused to obey Almighty God when his commands crossed their own inclinations. Saying unto Jeremiah, The Lord hath not spoken by thee — The constant method of hypocrites and infidels, who pretend they are not satisfied of the truth of divine revelation, when the true cause of their unbelief is, that God’s commands contradict their own lusts and appetites. But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us — They would not directly accuse Jeremiah of partiality toward, or confederacy with the Chaldeans, as his enemies had done formerly, (Jeremiah 37:13,) but they lay the blame upon Baruch, whom they knew to be an intimate companion of Jeremiah’s, and to have been kindly used by the Chaldeans upon Jeremiah’s account. — Lowth.

43:1-7 Only by pride comes contention, both with God and man. They preferred their own wisdom to the revealed will of God. Men deny the Scriptures to be the word of God, because they are resolved not to conform themselves to Scripture rules. When men will persist in sin, they charge the best actions to bad motives. These Jews deserted their own land, and threw themselves out of God's protection. It is the folly of men, that they often ruin themselves by wrong endeavours to mend their situation.These captains belonged to the party who had all along resisted Jeremiah's counsels, and had led Zedekiah astray. Now however that events had proved that the prophet's counsels had been wise and true, they cannot for shame find fault with him, but they affirm that he is under the influence of Baruch, a traitor who has sold himself to the Chaldaeans, and seeks only the hurt of the people.

These captains belonged to the party who had all along resisted Jeremiah's counsels, and had led Zedekiah astray. Now however that events had proved that the prophet's counsels had been wise and true, they cannot for shame find fault with him, but they affirm that he is under the influence of Baruch, a traitor who has sold himself to the Chaldaeans, and seeks only the hurt of the people.

2. Azariah—the author of the project of going into Egypt; a very different man from the Azariah in Babylon (Da 1:7; 3:12-18).

proud—Pride is the parent of disobedience and contempt of God.

Of

Johanan we have before heard, but not of

Azariah, unless under the name of Jezaniah, Jeremiah 42:1, but that is uncertain. These men are called proud men, either because they were the great men, or because their conceit of themselves led them into this fatal error. Pride is nothing else but a man’s mind swelling in an opinion of himself, and always takes its rise from some higher ground the person possessed of it thinks he stands upon, and a very little hillock will serve the turn; those who have nothing else of pretence will make a silk coat or a piece of silver lace serve their turn. One man’s spirit swells upon account of his descent, another upon account of his riches, a third upon the account of his learning, parts, and wit, a fourth upon the account of his or her beauty. These men are called

proud men, possibly upon account of their greatness, they were captains, and the chief of the Jews now left; but chiefly upon account of the good opinion they had of their own reason and wit, by which they judged they knew better how to guide themselves for their own security than Jeremiah could teach them; which pride or good opinion men have of themselves is a great root of disobedience: all men sin either through passion or pride, or both, either to gratify their sensitive appetite, or their rational appetite, as it is in man since the fall.

Because it had been downright atheism, and a disclaiming of God, to have said they knew better what to do than God could tell them, they only tell the prophet God had not sent him. As in these times hypocrites, whose lusts will not allow them to do the will of God, think to secure themselves by denying that to be the will of God, and finding out other senses to put upon Scripture than are according to truth.

Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah,.... Perhaps the same with Jezaniah, or a brother of his, Jeremiah 42:1; he is mentioned first, it may be, because he was the contriver of this scheme to go into Egypt, advised unto it, and was most for it it. The Septuagint and Arabic versions call him the son of Maaseiah;

and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men; the great men among them, who are commonly proud of their greatness; of their descent, family and blood; of their wealth and riches, and posts of honour; perhaps the captains of the forces are meant, who elsewhere are mentioned along with Johanan, Jeremiah 40:13; these were men full of themselves, had a high opinion of their own wisdom, and were prudent in their own eyes; and could not bear to be contradicted or advised by the prophet, nor even by the Lord himself; and are justly, by the Targum, called wicked men; and so the Syriac version renders it; their pride was the cause of their rebellion against God, and disobedience to him, and of their ungenteel and insolent behaviour to the prophet

saying unto Jeremiah, thou speakest falsely: or, "a lie" (e); it being contrary to their minds: so the prophets of the Lord, the ministers of the word, and even the word of God itself, are charged with falsehoods, when contrary to men's sentiments and lusts;

the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, go not into Egypt to sojourn there; they did not care to own it was the word of the Lord, Whatever convictions of it they had in their minds; because they would not openly appear to be fighters against God, whom they professed to be their God; but deny that the prophet was sent by him with any such message to them; when they had all the reason to believe by former prophecies, which had had their fulfilment, that Jeremiah was a true prophet of the Lord, and that he had acted a very faithful part in the present affair: they themselves had sent him to the Lord to pray for them; he had done so, and the Lord had returned an answer by him; of which they had no reason to doubt, but their pride would not allow them to receive it.

(e) "mendacium", Schmidt.

Then spoke {a} Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the {b} proud men, saying to Jeremiah, {c} Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath {d} not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:

(a) Who was also called Jezaniah, Jer 42:1.

(b) This declares that pride is the cause of rebellion and contempt of God's ministers.

(c) When the hypocrisy of the wicked is discovered, they burst forth into open rage: for they can abide nothing but flattery, read Isa 30:10.

(d) He shows what is the nature of the hypocrites: that is, to pretend that they would obey God and embrace his word, if they were assured that his messenger spoke the truth: though indeed they are most far from all obedience.