John Trapp on Jeremiah 21:1

CHAP. XXI.

Ver. 1. THe word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord] This Hiſtory is here ſet down out of courſe. For Jeruſalem was not beſieged till chap. 32. and Jehoiakim reigned Chapter. 25. It was in the ninth year of Zedekiah that this preſent Prophecy was uttered,Eſt hic hyſterologia ſive praepoſterus ordo. 2 King. 25.1, 2. This Zedekiah was one of thoſe ſemiperfectae virtutis homines (as Philo calleth ſome Profeſſours) cakes halfbaked, Hoſ. 7.8. no flat Atheiſt, nor yet a pious Prince. Of Galba the Emperour, as alſo of our Richard the third it is recorded, that they were bad men but good Princes: We cannot ſay ſo much of Zedekiah: Two things he is cheifly charged with: 1. That he brake his oath and faith plighted to the King of Babylon, Ezek. 17.16. 2. That he humbled not himſelf before Jeremiah the Prophet, ſpeaking from the mouth of the Lord, 2 Chron. 36.12, 13. Hitherto he had not: but now in his diſtreſſe he ſeeketh to this Prophet: yea ſendeth an Embaſſage. Kings care not for ſouldiers (ſaid a great Commander) till their crowns hang on the one ſide of their heads. Sure it is, that ſome of them ſlight Gods Miniſters, till they cannot tell what to doe without them, as here. Kingdomes have their cares: and Thrones their thornes. Antigonus cried out of his diadem O vilis pannus, O baſe rag, not worth taking up at a mans feet. Julian complained of his own unhappineſſe in being made Emperour. Diocleſian laid down the Empire as weary of it. Thirty of the ancient Kings of this our Land, ſaith Capgrave, reſigned their crowns: ſuch were their cares, croſſes and emulations. Zedekiah now could gladly have done as much. But ſith that might not be, He ſendeth to Jeremiah, whom in his proſperity he had ſlighted; and (to gratifie his wicked Counſellours) wrongfully impriſoned.

He ſent unto him Paſhur] Not that Magor-miſſabib, chap. 20.1. but another of his name: though not much better, as it afterwards appeared: when, ſeeing Jeremies ſtoutneſſe for the Truth, he counſelled the King to put him to death, Chap. 38.

And Zephaniah the ſon of Maaſciah] Of whom ſee further, chap. 29.25, 29. & 37.3.