Jeremiah 22:19

19 With the burial of an ass he shall be buried, dragged and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem."

Jeremiah 22:19 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 22:19

He shall be buried with the burial of an ass
Have no burial at all, or no other than what any brute creature has; which, when it dies, is cast into a ditch, and becomes the food of dogs, and the fowls of the air. The "ass" is mentioned, as being a sordid stupid creature; and such an one was this king; drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem;
as the carcass of a beast is dragged about by dogs; or as a malefactor, when executed, is dragged and cast into a ditch: this perhaps was done by the Chaldeans, who, when he was slain, dragged him along, and cast him beyond the gates of Jerusalem. So Josephus F23 says, that when Nebuchadnezzar entered Jerusalem, he slew the most robust and beautiful with Jehoiakim their king, and ordered him to be cast without the walls unburied; and so, though he is said to "sleep with his fathers", yet not to be buried with them, ( 2 Kings 24:6 ) . Kimchi says that he died without Jerusalem, as they were carrying him into captivity a second time; and the Chaldeans would not suffer him to be buried. Jerom reports, from the Hebrew history, that he was killed by the robbers and thieves of the Chaldeans, Syrians, Ammonites, and Moabites. Some think, that as he was bound in chains, in order to be carried to Babylon, that he was had there, and there died, and after his death used in this ignominious manner: and the words will bear to be rendered, "cast forth far beyond the gates of Jerusalem" F24; even as far as Babylon; see ( 2 Chronicles 36:6 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 6. sect. 3.
F24 (Mlvwry yrevl halhm Klvhw) "et projiciendo procul ultra portas Hierosolymae", Schmidt. So Grotius and Gataker.

Jeremiah 22:19 In-Context

17 But you have eyes and heart only for your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for practicing oppression and violence."
18 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah: "They shall not lament for him, saying, 'Ah my brother!' or 'Ah sister!' They shall not lament for him, saying, 'Ah lord!' or 'Ah his majesty!'
19 With the burial of an ass he shall be buried, dragged and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem."
20 "Go up to Lebanon, and cry out, and lift up your voice in Bashan; cry from Ab'arim, for all your lovers are destroyed.
21 I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, 'I will not listen.' This has been your way from your youth, that you have not obeyed my voice.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.