Jeremiah 26:21

21 And king Jehoiakim, and all the mighty men, and princes of them (and their leaders), heard these words; and the king sought to slay him; and Urijah heard, and dreaded, and he fled, and entered into 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 Whether Hezekiah, king of Judah, and all Judah condemned him by death? Whether they dreaded not the Lord, and besought the face of the Lord? and it repented the Lord of the evil which he spake against them. Therefore do we not great evil against our souls. (Did Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and all Judah condemn him to death? Rather, did they not fear the Lord, and besought the face of the Lord? and then the Lord repented for the evil which he spoke against them. And so let us not do this great evil against ourselves.)

20 Also Urijah, the son of Shemaiah, of Kiriathjearim, was a man prophesying in the name of the Lord; and he prophesied against this city, and against this land, by all the words of Jeremy (with words like those of Jeremiah).

21 And king Jehoiakim, and all the mighty men, and princes of them (and their leaders), heard these words; and the king sought to slay him; and Urijah heard, and dreaded, and he fled, and entered into Egypt.

22 And king Jehoiakim sent men into Egypt, (namely,) Elnathan, the son of Achbor, and (the other) men with him, into Egypt;

23 and they led Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him to king Jehoiakim; and the king killed him with sword, and casted forth his carrion in the sepulchres of the common people unnoble. (and they led Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him to King Jehoiakim; and the king killed him with a sword, and cast forth his dead body onto the graves of the common, or the unnoble, people.)