TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 18:18–23. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The prophet here, as sometimes before, brings in his own affairs, but very much for instruction to us.
I.See here what are the common methods of the persecutors. We may see this in Jeremiah's enemies, Jer 18:18.
1.They laid their heads together to consult what they should do against him, both to be revenged on him for what he had said and to stop his mouth for the future: They said, Come and let us devise devices against Jeremiah. The enemies of God's people and ministers have been often very crafty themselves, and confederate with one another, to do them mischief. What they cannot act to the prejudice of religion separately they will try to do in concert. The wicked plots against the just. Caiaphas, and the chief priests and elders, did so against our blessed Saviour himself. The opposition which the gates of hell give to the kingdom of heaven is carried on with a great deal of cursed policy. God had said (Jer 18:11), I devise a device against you; and now, as if they resolved to be quits with him and to outwit Infinite Wisdom itself, they resolve to devise devices against God's prophet, not only against his person, but against the word he delivered to them, which they thought by their subtle management to defeat. O the prodigious madness of those that hope to disannul God's counsel!
2.Herein they pretended a mighty zeal for the church, which, they suggested, was in danger if Jeremiah was tolerated to preach as he did: "Come," say they, "let us silence and crush him, for the law shall not perish from the priest; the law of truth is in their mouths (Mal 2:6) and there we will seek it; the administration of ordinances according to the law is in their hands, and neither the one nor the other shall be wrested from them. Counsel shall not perish from the wise; the administration of public affairs shall always be lodged with the privy-counsellors and ministers of state, to whom it belongs; nor shall the word perish from the prophets" - they mean those of their own choosing, who prophesied to them smooth things, and flattered them with visions of peace. Two things they insinuated: - (1.) That Jeremiah could not be himself a true prophet, but was a pretender and a usurper, because he neither was commissioned by the priests, nor concurred with the other prophets, whose authority therefore will be despised if he be suffered to go on. "If Jeremiah be regarded as an oracle, farewell the reputation of our priests, our wise men, and prophets; but that must be supported, which is reason enough why he must be suppressed." (2.) That the matter of his prophecies could not be from God, because it reflected sometimes upon the prophets and priests; he had charged them with being the ringleaders of all the mischief (Jer 5:31) and deceiving the people (Jer 14:14); he had foretold that their heart should perish, and be astonished (Jer 4:9), that the wise men should be dismayed (Jer 8:9, Jer 8:10), that the priests and prophets should be intoxicated, Jer 13:13. Now this galled them more than any thing else. Presuming upon the promise of God's presence with their priests and prophets, they could not believe that he would ever leave them. The guides of the church must needs be infallible, and therefore he who foretold their being infatuated must be condemned as a false prophet. Thus, under colour of zeal for the church, have its best friends been run down.
3.They agreed to do all they could to blast his reputation: "Come, let us smite him with the tongue, put him into an ill name, fasten a bad character upon him, represent him to some as despicable and fit to be prosecuted, to all as odious and not fit to be tolerated." This was their device, fortiter calumniari, aliquid adhaerebit - to throw the vilest calumnies at him, in hopes that some would adhere to him. to dress him up in bearskins, otherwise they could not bait him. Those who projected this, it is likely, were men of figure, whose tongue was no small slander, whose representations, though ever so false, would be credited both by princes and people, to make him obnoxious to the justice of the one and the fury of the other. The scourge of such tongues will give not only smart lashes, but deep wounds; it is a great mercy therefore to be hidden from it, Job 5:21.
4.To set others an example, they resolved that they would not themselves regard any thing he said, though it appeared ever so weighty and ever so well confirmed as a message from God: Let us not give heed to any of his words; for, right or wrong, they will look upon them to be his words, and not the words of God. What good can be done with those who hear the word of God with a resolution not to heed it or believe it? Nay,
5.That they may effectually silence him, they resolve to be the death of him (Jer 18:23): All their counsel against me is to slay me. They hunt for the precious life; and a precious life indeed it was that they hunted for. Long was this Jerusalem's wretched character, Thou that killedst many of the prophets, and wouldst have killed them all.
II.See here what is the common relief of the persecuted.
This we may see in the course that Jeremiah took when he met with this hard usage. He immediately applied to his God by prayer, and so gave himself ease.
1.He referred himself and his cause to God's cognizance, Jer 18:19. They would not regard a word he said, would not admit his complaints, nor take any notice of his grievances; but, Lord (says he), do thou give heed to me. It is matter of comfort to faithful ministers that, if men will not give heed to their praying. He appeals to God as an impartial Judge, that will hear both sides, as every judge ought to do. "Do not only give heed to me, but hearken to the voice of those that contend with me; hear what they have to say against me and for themselves, and then make it to appear that thou sittest in the throne, judging right. Hear the voice of my contenders, how noisy and clamorous they are, how false and malicious all they say is, and let them be judged out of their own mouth; cause their own tongues to fall upon them."
2.He complains of their base ingratitude to him (Jer 18:20): "Shall evil be recompensed for good, and shall it go unpunished? Wilt not thou recompense me good for that evil?" Sa2 16:12. To render good for good is human, evil for evil is brutish, good for evil is Christian, but evil for good is devilish; it is so very absurd and wicked a thing that we cannot think but God will avenge it. See how great the evil was that they did against him: They have dug a pit for my soul; they aimed to take away his life (no less would satisfy them), and that not in a generous way, by an open assault, against which he might have an opportunity of defending himself, but in a base, cowardly, clandestine way: they dug pits for him, which there was no fence against, Psa 119:85. But see how great the good was which he had done for them: Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them; he had been an intercessor with God for them, had used his interest in heaven on their behalf, which was the greatest kindness they could expect from one of his character. He is a prophet and he shall pray for thee, Gen 20:7. Moses often did this for Israel, and yet they quarrelled with him, and sometimes spoke of stoning him. He did them this kindness when they were in imminent danger of destruction and most needed it. They had themselves provoked God's wrath against them, and it was ready to break in upon them, but he stood in the gap (as Moses, Psa 106:23) and turned away that wrath. Now,
(1.)This was very base in them. Call a man ungrateful and you can call him no worse. But it was not strange that those who had forgotten their God did not know their best friends.
(2.)It was very grievous to him, as the like was to David. Psa 35:13; Psa 109:4, For my love they are my adversaries. Thus disingenuously do sinners deal with the great intercessor, crucifying him afresh, and speaking against him on earth, while his blood is speaking for them in heaven. See Joh 10:32. But,
(3.)It was a comfort to the prophet that, when they were so spiteful against him, he had the testimony of his conscience for him that he had done his duty to them; and the same will be our rejoicing in such a day of evil. The blood-thirsty hate the upright, but the just seek his soul, Pro 29:10.
3.He imprecates the judgments of God upon them, not from a revengeful disposition, but in a prophetical indignation against their horrid wickedness, Jer 18:21-23. He prays, (1.) That their families might be starved for want of bread: "Deliver up the children to the famine, to the famine in the country for want of rain, and that in the city through the straitness of the siege. Thus let this iniquity of the fathers be visited upon the children." (2.) That they might be cut off by the sword of war, which, whatever it was in the enemy's hand, would be, in God's hand, a sword of justice: "Pour them out (so the word is) by the hands of the sword; let their blood be shed as profusely as water, that their wives may be left childless and widows, their husbands being taken away by death" (some think that the prophet refers to pestilence); let their young men, that are the strength of this generation and the hope of the next, be slain by the sword in battle. (3.) That the terrors and desolations of war might seize them suddenly and by surprise, that thus their punishment might answer to their sin (Jer 18:22): "Let a cry be heard from their houses, loud shrieks, when thou shalt bring a troop of the Chaldeans suddenly upon them, to seize them and all they have, to make them prisoners and their estates a prey;" for thus they would have done by Jeremiah; they aimed to ruin him at once ere he was aware: "They have dug a pit for me, as for a wild beast, and have hid snares for me, as for some ravenous noxious fowl." Note, Those that think to ensnare others will justly be themselves ensnared in an evil time. (4.) That they might be dealt with according to the desert of this sin, which was without excuse: "Forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight; that is, let them not escape the just punishment of it; let them lie under all the miseries of those whose sins are unpardoned." (5.) That God's wrath against them might be their ruin: Let them be overthrown before thee. This intimates that justice was in pursuit of them, that they endeavoured to make their escape from it, but in vain; "they shall be made to stumble in their flight, and being overthrown they will certainly be overtaken." And then, Lord, in the time of thy anger, do to them (he does not say what he would have done to them, but) do to them as thou thinkest fit, as thou usest to do with those whom thou art angry with - deal thus with them. Now this is not written for our imitation. Jeremiah was a prophet, and by the impulse of the spirit of prophecy, in the foresight of the ruin certainly coming upon his persecutors, might pray such prayers as we may not; and, if we think by this example to justify ourselves in such imprecations, we know not what manner of spirit we are of; our Master has taught us, by his precept and pattern, to bless those that curse us and pray for those that despitefully use us. Yet it is written for our instruction, and is of use to teach us, [1.] That those who have forfeited the benefit of the prayers of God's prophets for them may justly expect to have their prayers against them. [2.] That persecution is a sin that fills the measure of a people's iniquity very fast, and will bring as sure and sore a destruction upon them as any thing. [3.] Those who will not be won upon by the kindness of God and his prophets will certainly at length feel the just resentments of both.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
This expresses the thought both of the Jews at that time against Jeremiah, or the Lord our Savior, and of the heretics today against the Lord’s servants. They seek to spread slander and to precede holy people with an accusation, nor do they think about the truthfulness of what they say but only of the lies that they disseminate. For they boast that the law and the counsel and the speech of God remain in their priests and wise people and false prophets, even though Scripture says, “Wisdom will not enter a deceptive soul.”
(Verse 18) And they said: Come, let us devise schemes against Jeremiah, for the law will not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to all his words. These are the thoughts of the Jews against Jeremiah, or the Lord Savior, then and today, of the heretics against his servants, to construct calumnies and preempt the holy men with accusations, not considering what they speak of truth, but what they fabricate in lies. For they boast in their priests, and in their wise men, and in their false prophets, that the law and counsel of God, and the word, will remain, as the Scripture says: Wisdom will not enter a malicious soul.
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Summary
Jeremiah 18:18 captures a pivotal moment of intense opposition against the prophet Jeremiah, revealing the hardened hearts of Judah's religious and civic leaders. Rather than heeding God's urgent call to repentance, they conspire to silence Jeremiah, presumptuously asserting that divine guidance will always flow through their established institutions of priest, wise, and prophet, regardless of their own spiritual state. This verse vividly portrays their calculated plot to discredit Jeremiah through verbal assault and slander, demonstrating a profound spiritual blindness and a rejection of God's authentic message delivered through His chosen messenger.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 18:18 immediately follows the profound "potter's house" analogy, which spans from Jeremiah 18:1 to Jeremiah 18:12. In this analogy, God illustrates His sovereign right to shape nations as a potter shapes clay, promising mercy upon repentance and judgment upon continued wickedness. Jeremiah applies this principle directly to Judah, warning of impending disaster if they do not turn from their idolatry and disobedience. The people's defiant response in Jeremiah 18:12—"We will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart"—sets the stage for the specific plot against Jeremiah detailed in verse 18. This verse, therefore, is a direct consequence and manifestation of their stubborn refusal to repent, highlighting the personal cost Jeremiah paid for delivering God's unpopular truth and demonstrating the deep-seated rebellion of the nation's leadership.
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah prophesied during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, leading up to the Babylonian exile. This era was marked by political instability, pervasive spiritual apostasy, and a deep sense of false security among the people, who believed Jerusalem and the Temple were inviolable due to God's covenant with David. The "priest," "wise," and "prophet" mentioned in the verse represent the established religious and intellectual authorities of the day. Priests were responsible for the Law (Torah) and temple rituals, the wise (sages) for counsel and practical wisdom, and prophets for divine revelation. The plotters' assertion that these institutions would not "perish" reflects a deep-seated cultural reliance on traditional channels of authority, even when those channels had become corrupt or were being bypassed by God's direct word through Jeremiah. Their opposition was rooted in a desire to maintain their status, power, and the comfortable religious status quo, which Jeremiah's message directly threatened by exposing their sin and predicting national catastrophe.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes prevalent in the book of Jeremiah. Firstly, it underscores the rejection of God's true prophets by His own people, a recurring motif throughout Israel's history, as seen in the lament of Matthew 23:37 over Jerusalem's consistent pattern of killing the prophets. Secondly, it highlights the dangerous false security and presumption of those who trust in religious institutions or human wisdom rather than in genuine obedience to God's word. The plotters' belief that "the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet" reveals a misplaced confidence in the channels of revelation over the content of revelation, particularly when that content challenged their comfortable sin. This institutional idolatry is a recurring warning in Jeremiah, as exemplified in Jeremiah 7:4. Thirdly, the verse vividly portrays the persecution of the prophet through verbal assault, emphasizing the destructive power of the tongue when wielded with malice. This foreshadows the physical suffering Jeremiah would endure, as recounted in passages like Jeremiah 20:2.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This multifaceted Hebrew term, often translated "word," encompasses not just spoken utterances but also "matter," "thing," "affair," "decree," "purpose," and "report." In this context, the plotters claim "the word from the prophet" will not perish, yet they simultaneously refuse to "give heed to any of his words." This highlights the profound irony and hypocrisy of their position: they acknowledge the concept of a prophetic word but reject the actual word spoken by God's chosen messenger, Jeremiah. Their dismissal of Jeremiah's specific "words" (dâbâr) demonstrates their spiritual deafness and their preference for their own "devices" (machăshâbâh) over divine truth.
This verb means "to plait or interpenetrate," "to weave," "to fabricate," and figuratively, "to plot or contrive," often in a malicious sense. It implies careful, deliberate thought and planning. When paired with its cognate noun "devices" (machăshâbâh), as in "devise devices," it emphasizes the calculated and intentional nature of their conspiracy. This was not a spontaneous outburst but a concerted effort to undermine Jeremiah, to intellectually and strategically "weave" a plan to silence him and invalidate his message. Their "thoughts" (châshab) are not for repentance or seeking God's will, but for malicious schemes against His prophet.
Literally referring to the physical organ, "tongue" is used here figuratively to represent speech, language, and the power of words. The phrase "smite him with the tongue" is a vivid metaphor for verbal assault, slander, false accusation, and character assassination. It implies an intention to inflict harm, not physically, but through the destructive power of malicious speech. This highlights the plotters' strategy: to destroy Jeremiah's credibility and influence by discrediting his message and character, effectively "striking" him down with their words.
Verse Breakdown
"Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah;"
This opening clause reveals the conspiratorial nature of the opposition. The plural "they" indicates a collective decision among a group, likely the religious and civic leaders who felt threatened by Jeremiah's prophecies. The phrase "devise devices" (a cognate accusative, see Literary Devices) emphasizes the deliberate, calculated, and malicious intent behind their plot. They are actively planning how to undermine and neutralize Jeremiah, not seeking to understand or obey his message but rather to eliminate the messenger and his inconvenient truth.
"for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet."
This is the core of their false confidence and presumption. They assert that the traditional sources of divine guidance—the Law from the priests, wisdom/counsel from the sages, and prophetic revelation from the prophets—are immutable and will never cease. This reveals a dangerous trust in the institution rather than in God's faithfulness through the institution. They believe that as long as these channels exist, God's favor is assured, even as they reject the very "word" (dâbâr) God is speaking through Jeremiah, His true prophet. This statement serves as their justification for rejecting Jeremiah: they believe they already possess sufficient divine guidance through their preferred, established means, making Jeremiah's message redundant or even heretical.
"Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words."
This final clause details their specific strategy. The repeated "Come" (from the first clause) emphasizes their eagerness and unified resolve to act. "Smite him with the tongue" is a powerful metaphor for verbal attack, slander, and false accusations aimed at destroying Jeremiah's reputation and credibility. Their ultimate goal is explicitly stated: "let us not give heed to any of his words." This is a deliberate, conscious decision to ignore, dismiss, and invalidate everything Jeremiah says, regardless of its divine origin. They are not merely disagreeing; they are actively closing their ears and hearts to God's message, demonstrating profound spiritual rebellion.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 18:18 is rich with literary devices that underscore the intensity and nature of the opposition. The phrase "devise devices" is an example of Polyptoton (the repetition of words derived from the same root but with different forms) or a Cognate Accusative, emphasizing the deliberate and calculated nature of their conspiracy. It highlights that their thoughts are entirely consumed with plotting against Jeremiah. The most striking device is the Metaphor in "smite him with the tongue," which vividly portrays words as weapons capable of inflicting severe harm, akin to physical blows. This metaphor underscores the destructive power of slander, false accusations, and verbal abuse, revealing the plotters' intent to destroy Jeremiah's influence and character. There is also profound Irony in their declaration that "the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet," while simultaneously rejecting the very word of God delivered by Jeremiah. They claim to uphold the channels of divine truth even as they actively suppress and refuse to "give heed" to the authentic divine message. This highlights their spiritual blindness, hypocrisy, and self-deception.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 18:18 serves as a stark reminder of humanity's propensity to reject divine truth when it challenges comfortable sin or established norms. The plotters' confidence in their religious institutions ("the law from the priest, counsel from the wise, word from the prophet") reveals a dangerous theological error: the presumption that God's favor and guidance are guaranteed by mere institutional presence, rather than by a faithful and obedient heart. This verse highlights the tension between institutional religion and authentic prophetic revelation, where the latter often disrupts the former. It also underscores the profound spiritual cost of rejecting God's word, as it leads not only to judgment but also to active hostility against the messenger. The "smiting with the tongue" reveals the insidious nature of verbal persecution, a weapon often employed to silence truth-tellers and maintain a false narrative. This passage thus speaks to the enduring conflict between God's challenging truth and humanity's stubborn resistance.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 18:18 offers profound and sobering lessons for believers today. It challenges us to examine our own hearts for any tendency to prioritize comfortable traditions or human institutions over the clear, often challenging, voice of God's truth. Do we, like the plotters, seek to silence or discredit voices that expose our sin or call us to uncomfortable repentance? The verse also serves as a potent warning about the destructive power of the tongue. In an age of instant communication and social media, the ability to "smite with the tongue" through gossip, slander, and false accusations is amplified. We are called to use our words to build up, to speak truth in love, and to honor God, rather than to tear down or spread malice. Finally, it reminds us that faithfulness to God's word, especially when it is unpopular, often comes at a cost, and we must be prepared to stand for truth even in the face of opposition and verbal assault, trusting that God's word will ultimately prevail.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "smite him with the tongue" mean in Jeremiah 18:18?
"Smite him with the tongue" is a powerful metaphor for verbal assault, slander, and character assassination. It means to attack someone through malicious speech, false accusations, and efforts to discredit their reputation and message. The plotters against Jeremiah intended to destroy his credibility and influence through words, rather than through physical violence, though Jeremiah also faced physical persecution (e.g., Jeremiah 20:2). This phrase highlights the destructive power of words used with harmful intent, demonstrating how verbal attacks can be as damaging as physical blows.
Why did the religious leaders reject Jeremiah's message, even claiming "the law shall not perish from the priest"?
The religious leaders rejected Jeremiah's message primarily because it was a message of judgment and repentance, which threatened their comfortable status quo and exposed their sin. Their claim that "the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet" reveals a deep-seated presumption that God's favor and guidance were guaranteed through their established institutions, regardless of their spiritual condition. They believed they had a monopoly on divine truth and therefore dismissed Jeremiah's prophetic word as illegitimate or inconvenient. This highlights a spiritual blindness where they valued the form of religion over the substance of obedience and truth, as also seen in Jeremiah 7:4, where the people trusted in the Temple rather than genuine repentance.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 18:18 profoundly foreshadows the rejection and persecution of Jesus Christ, the ultimate Prophet and the very Word of God incarnate. Just as Jeremiah was conspired against by the religious authorities of his day who claimed to uphold the Law and prophetic tradition, so too was Jesus rejected by the Pharisees and Sadducees who boasted of their adherence to the Law and their lineage from Abraham. They, like the plotters against Jeremiah, sought to "devise devices" against Him, fabricating false accusations and seeking to discredit His divine authority, as recounted in Matthew 26:59-60. The desire to "smite him with the tongue" finds its ultimate fulfillment in the verbal abuse, mockery, and false testimony leveled against Jesus during His trials and crucifixion, as detailed in passages like Matthew 27:39-44. Jesus Himself lamented Jerusalem's consistent rejection of the prophets, culminating in their rejection of Him, the Son, as prophesied in the parable of the tenants in Matthew 21:33-46. Ultimately, Jesus, the true "Word" who would never perish (John 1:1), endured the slanders and plots of humanity, not because His message was false, but because it exposed the sin and spiritual blindness of those who preferred their own "devices" over God's saving truth, thereby paving the way for our redemption through His suffering and resurrection.