Jeremiah 22:15

22:15 Does it make you any more of a king

that you outstrip everyone else in ¹  building with cedar?

Just think about your father.

He was content that he had food and drink. ² 

He did what was just and right. ³ 

So things went well with him.

Jeremiah 26:11

26:11 Then the priests and the prophets made their charges before the officials and all the people. They said, ⁴  “This man should be condemned to die ⁵  because he prophesied against this city. You have heard him do so ⁶  with your own ears.”

Jeremiah 35:6

35:6 But they answered, “We do not drink wine because our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us not to. He told us, ‘You and your children must never drink wine.

Jeremiah 44:3

44:3 This happened because of the wickedness the people living there did. ⁷  They made me angry ⁸  by worshiping and offering sacrifice to ⁹  other gods whom neither they nor you nor your ancestors ¹⁰  previously knew. ¹¹ 

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¹ tn For the use of this verb see Jer 12:5 where it is used of Jeremiah “competing” with horses. The form is a rare Tiphel (see GKC 153 §55.h).

² tn Heb “Your father, did he not eat and drink and do justice and right.” The copulative vav in front of the verbs here (all Hebrew perfects) shows that these actions are all coordinate not sequential. The contrast drawn here between the actions of Jehoiakim and Josiah show that the phrase eating and drinking should be read in the light of the same contrasts in Eccl 2 which ends with the note of contentment in Eccl 2:24 (see also Eccl 3:13; 5:18 [5:17 HT]; 8:15). The question is, of course, rhetorical setting forth the positive role model against which Jehoiakim’s actions are to be condemned. The key terms here are “then things went well with him” which is repeated in the next verse after the reiteration of Josiah’s practice of justice.

³ sn The father referred to here is the godly king Josiah. He followed the requirements for kings set forth in 22:3 in contrast to his son who did not (22:13).

⁴ tn Heb “the priests and prophets said to the leaders and the people….” The long sentence has been broken up to conform better with contemporary English style and the situational context is reflected in “laid their charges.”

⁵ tn Heb “a sentence of death to this man.”

⁶ tn Heb “it.”

⁷ tn Heb “they.” The referent must be supplied from the preceding, i.e., Jerusalem and all the towns of Judah. “They” are those who have experienced the disaster and are distinct from those being addressed and their ancestors (44:3b).

⁸ tn Heb “thus making me angry.” However, this is a good place to break the sentence to create a shorter sentence that is more in keeping with contemporary English style.

⁹ tn Heb “by going to offer sacrifice in serving/worshiping.” The second לְ (lamed) + infinitive is epexegetical of the first (cf. IBHS 608-9 §36.2.3e).

¹⁰ tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 9, 10, 17, 21).

¹¹ sn Compare Jer 19:4 for the same thought and see also 7:9.