(26) But the king commanded Jerahmeel . . .--Instead of "the son of Hammelech," we have to read, if we take the usual meaning of the words, "the king's son," as, indeed, the LXX. rightly renders it. The term would not imply more than that he belonged to the "royal house." Jehoiakim was only twenty-five when he came to the throne, and could not have had a son old enough to execute the orders given to Jerahmeel. Of Seraiah nothing more is known. He is clearly not identical with the "quiet prince," the son of Neriah, in Jeremiah 51:59. The name of Shelemiah appears in Jeremiah 37:3, as the father of Jehucal, who is first sent by Zedekiah to consult the prophet, and who afterwards arrested him (Jeremiah 38:1). It is probable in the nature of the case that they belonged to the party of the prophet's enemies. The counsel of Jeremiah 36:19 had fortunately been given in time, and the attempt to seize the prophet and his scribe was, as we say, providentially frustrated.
Verse 26. - The son of Hammelech; rather, a royal prince (we should render similarly in Jeremiah 38:6; 1 Kings 22:26; 2 Kings 11:1, 2; Zephaniah 1:8). We have seen already that the number of such royal princes was very large (see on Jeremiah 17:9); any one, in fact, who had a king among his ancestors was a "royal prince." The Lord hid them; i.e. saved them from discovery.
36:20-32 Those who despise the word of God, will soon show, as this king did, that they hate it; and, like him, they would wish it destroyed. See what enmity there is against God in the carnal mind, and wonder at his patience. The princes showed some concern, till they saw how light the king made of it. Beware of making light of God's word!
But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech,.... Or, "the king's son", as the Targum; though it rather seems to be the proper name of a person, one of the king's servants; since it is not probable he would send his own son on such an errand; and had he, he would rather have been called his own son than the king's son; besides, Jeconiah, who succeeded him, seems to be his eldest son, and yet he now could not be more than twelve years of age; whereas this Jerahmeel must be a man grown; and had he been an elder son, as he must, he would have succeeded him, unless it can be thought that he died before his father:
and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet; in order to bring them before the king, or to imprison them, or put them to death, for which they might have the king's warrant; the one for prophesying, and the other for writing out and reading his prophecies; though Baruch may be called a scribe, not for being the amanuensis of Jeremiah; but because he was one of the scribes of the law, or doctors of the people:
but the Lord hid them; the princes advised them to hide themselves, and they did, very probably in a house of some of their friends; but this would not have been sufficient, had not the Lord took them under his protection; there was no doubt a special providence concerned for them; but by what means this preservation was is not known. Kimchi suggests that these messengers sought for them in the very place where they were, and could not find them; and conjectures that the Lord set darkness about them, or weakened the visive faculty of those that searched for them, that they could not see them.
and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet; in order to bring them before the king, or to imprison them, or put them to death, for which they might have the king's warrant; the one for prophesying, and the other for writing out and reading his prophecies; though Baruch may be called a scribe, not for being the amanuensis of Jeremiah; but because he was one of the scribes of the law, or doctors of the people:
but the Lord hid them; the princes advised them to hide themselves, and they did, very probably in a house of some of their friends; but this would not have been sufficient, had not the Lord took them under his protection; there was no doubt a special providence concerned for them; but by what means this preservation was is not known. Kimchi suggests that these messengers sought for them in the very place where they were, and could not find them; and conjectures that the Lord set darkness about them, or weakened the visive faculty of those that searched for them, that they could not see them.