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Jeremiah 26:21-23

When Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt. Then Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt; and they fetched Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Jeremiah 26:21-23 sits inside this longer paragraph.

There was also a man who prophesied in Yahweh’s name, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath Jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. When Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt. Then Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt; and they fetched Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    When Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt.

    Then Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt;

    and they fetched Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

  • KJV King James Version

    And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

    And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.

    And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    and when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

    and Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt;

    and they fetched forth Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the children of the people.

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Cross-references (27)

  • Jeremiah 2:30 (v23) “I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
  • Matthew 10:23 (v21) But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of…
  • 2 Kings 22:12 (v22) The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s…
  • 2 Kings 22:14 (v22) So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son…
  • 2 Chronicles 16:10 (v21) Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the…
Show all 27 cross-references
  • Jeremiah 36:12 (v22) he went down into the king’s house, into the scribe’s room: and behold, all the princes were sitting there, Elishama the scribe, Delaiah…
  • Jeremiah 36:26 (v21) The king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to arrest Baruch the scribe…
  • Matthew 14:5 (v21) When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
  • Revelation 11:7 (v23) When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.
  • 1 Kings 19:1-3 (v21) Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah,…
  • Psalms 12:8 (v22) The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.
  • Psalms 119:109 (v21) My soul is continually in my hand, yet I won’t forget your law.
  • Proverbs 29:12 (v22) If a ruler listens to lies, all of his officials are wicked.
  • Proverbs 29:25 (v21) The fear of man proves to be a snare, but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe.
  • Jeremiah 22:19 (v23) He will be buried with the burial of a donkey, drawn and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”
  • Jeremiah 26:15 (v23) Only know for certain that, if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for…
  • Jeremiah 36:25 (v22) Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the scroll; but he would not listen to…
  • Jeremiah 36:30 (v23) Therefore Yahweh says concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: “He will have no one to sit on David’s throne. His dead body will be cast out in…
  • Ezekiel 19:6 (v23) He went up and down among the lions. He became a young lion. He learned to catch the prey. He devoured men.
  • Matthew 10:28 (v21) Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body…
  • Matthew 10:39 (v21) He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
  • Matthew 14:10 (v23) and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.
  • Matthew 16:25-26 (v21) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man,…
  • Matthew 23:34-35 (v23) Therefore behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge…
  • Mark 6:19 (v21) Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t,
  • Acts 12:1-3 (v23) Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. He killed James, the brother of John, with the…
  • 1 Thessalonians 2:15 (v23) who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please God, and are contrary to all men,

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (14 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv21–23 It then follows, And when, Jehoiakim the king, and…

It then follows, And when, Jehoiakim the king, and all his mighty men and the princes, heard his words, etc. This verse seems to favor the opinion of those who conclude that godly men were the speakers; for they spoke dishonorably of the king and his counsellors; the king heard and his mighty men, (powerful men, literally,) and also all the princes; and the king sought to slay him These words, however, may also be ascribed to the ungodly and the wicked, for they wished to terrify the common people by first mentioning the king and then the mighty men and the princes. And to seek to kill him, might also have been excused, even that the king could not bear such a reproach without revenging it; for he saw that the Prophet had taken such a liberty as not, to spare the holy city nor the Temple: The king then heard, and his mighty men and princes; and then, the king sought to slay him

But when Uriah heard it, he feared and fled This passage teaches us that even the faithful servants of God, who strive honestly to fulfill their office, are yet not always so courageous as boldly to despise all dangers; for it is said that the Prophet feared; but he was not on this account condemned. This fear was not indeed blameless; but his fear was such, that he yet continued in his vocation. He might indeed have pleased the king, but he dreaded such perfidy more than death. He, therefore, so feared, that he turned not aside from the right course, nor denied the truth., nor admitted anything unworthy of his dignity or of the character he sustained. His fear then, though wrong, did not yet so possess the Prophet, but that he was ever faithful to God in his vocation. It then follows, that he went into Egypt We hence conclude, that the king’s wrath and cruelty were so great, that the holy man could not find a corner to hide himself in through the whole land of Judea, nor even in other regions around. He was therefore forced to seek a hiding place in Egypt.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv22–23 Here is declared the fury of tyrants, who cannot…
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv21–23 Jer 26:21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv21–23 When Jehoiakim, our present king, and all his great…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv21–23 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v23 Cast his body - Not in the sepulchers of…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv21–23 His mighty men - The commanders of his army;…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v23 Egypt, as a seditious person....Joakim was tributary to Pharao.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv22–23 Jehoiakim sent . . . into Egypt--He had been…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv22–23 22. Sent men into Egypt — Jehoiakim was in…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv21–23 21. with all his mighty men] The LXX omit,…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv21–23 (21) And when Jehoiakim the king . . .—The…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv21–23 His mighty men. The "mighty men" (gibborim) are not…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v22 Connecting Statement:
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