Jeremiah 26:21

21 When King Jehoiakim and his soldiers and officials heard what Uriah had said, the king tried to have him killed. But Uriah heard about it; so he fled in terror and escaped to Egypt.

Jeremiah 26:21 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 26:21

And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men
Either his courtiers, or his soldiers, or both: and all the princes, heard his words;
the words of the Prophet Urijah; not with their own ears very probably, but from the report of others: the king sought to put him to death;
as being a messenger of bad tidings, tending to dispirit his subjects, and allay the joy of his own mind upon his advancement to the throne: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into
Egypt;
which some understand as a piece of prudence in him; but rather it was the effect of pusillanimity and cowardice: it seems to show want of faith and confidence in the Lord; and the fear of man, which brings a snare; and besides, it was no piece of prudence to go to Egypt, whatever it was to flee; since there was such an alliance between the kings of Egypt and Judah; and the latter, though dependent on the former, yet the king of Egypt would easily gratify him in delivering up a subject of his, and a person of such a character.

Jeremiah 26:21 In-Context

19 King Hezekiah and the people of Judah did not put Micah to death. Instead, Hezekiah honored the Lord and tried to win his favor. And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he said he would bring on them. Now we are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves."

20 (There was another man, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim, who spoke in the name of the Lord against this city and nation just as Jeremiah did.

21 When King Jehoiakim and his soldiers and officials heard what Uriah had said, the king tried to have him killed. But Uriah heard about it; so he fled in terror and escaped to Egypt.

22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan son of Achbor and some other men to Egypt to get Uriah.

23 They brought him back to King Jehoiakim, who had him killed and his body thrown into the public burial ground.)