Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 29:24–end
We have perused the contents of Jeremiah's letter to the captives in Babylon, who had reason, with a great deal of thanks to God and him, to acknowledge the receipt of it, and lay it up among their treasures. But we cannot wonder if the false prophets they had among them were enraged at it; for it gave them their true character. Now here we are told concerning one of them,
I. How he manifested his malice against Jeremiah. this busy fellow is called Shemaiah the Nehelamite, the dreamer (so the margin reads it), because all his prophecies he pretended to have received from God in a dream. He had got a copy of Jeremiah's letter to the captives, or had heard it read, or information was given to…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 29:27
of Anathoth--said contemptuously, as "Jesus of Nazareth."
maketh himself--as if God had not made him one, but he himself had done so.
John Gill on Jeremiah 29:27
Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth,.... Not by words only, but by actions; by beating and scourging, by pillory or imprisonment, and so restraining him from prophesying to the people:
which maketh himself a prophet unto you? takes upon him such an office, though not sent of the Lord, as he would insinuate: this shows the haughtiness and insolence of the false prophets in Babylon, to assume such authority to themselves, to dictate to the high priest, as Kimchi takes him to be, or however the second priest, what he should do, and to rebuke him for not doing his office.
John Calvin on Jeremiah 29:24-27
Jeremiah 29:24-27
24. Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
24. Et ad Semaiah Nehelamitem dices, dicendo, (sic dices,)
25. Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
25. Sic dicit Jehova exercituum, Deus Israel, dicendo, Propterea quod tu misisti in nomine meo literas ad totum populum, qui est Jerosolymae, et ad Zephaniam filium Maassiae, et ad cunctos sacerdotes, dicendo,
26. The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the hous…
