Discovery BoxJeremiah 26:21-23 
Context26:21 When the king and all his bodyguards 1 and officials heard what he was prophesying, 2 the king sought to have him executed. But Uriah found out about it and fled to Egypt out of fear. 3 26:22 However, King Jehoiakim sent some men to Egypt, including Elnathan son of Achbor, 4 26:23 and they brought Uriah back from there. 5 They took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him executed and had his body thrown into the burial place of the common people. 6
1 tn Heb “all his mighty men/soldiers.” It is unlikely that this included all the army. It more likely was the palace guards or royal bodyguards (see 2 Sam 23 where the same word is used of David’s elite corps).
2 tn Heb “his words.”
3 tn Heb “But Uriah heard and feared and fled and entered Egypt.”
4 sn Elnathan son of Achbor was one of the officials who urged Jeremiah and Baruch to hide after they heard Jeremiah’s prophecies read before them (Jer 36:11-19). He was also one of the officials who urged Jehoiakim not to burn the scroll containing Jeremiah’s prophecies (Jer 36:25). He may have been Jehoiakim’s father-in-law (2 Kgs 24:6, 8).
5 tn Heb “from Egypt.”
sn A standard part of international treaties at this time was a stipulation of mutual extradition of political prisoners. Jehoiakim was a vassal of Pharaoh Necho (see 2 Kgs 23:34-35) and undoubtedly had such a treaty with him.
6 sn The burial place of the common people was the public burial grounds, distinct from the family tombs, where poor people without any distinction were buried. It was in the Kidron Valley east of Jerusalem (2 Kgs 23:6). The intent of reporting this is to show the ruthlessness of Jehoiakim.
