Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying,
&c.] (See Gill on Jeremiah 29:4); because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that
[are] at Jerusalem;
not in the name of the captives, whom he consulted not; nor with Ezekiel the prophet of the Lord, who was of the captivity; but in his own name, taking upon him to direct and order what should be done in Jerusalem. These letters were sent, very probably, by the hands of the king's messengers, when they returned, whose names are mentioned, ( Jeremiah 29:3 ) ; some of them were sent to the people, to set them against the prophet of the Lord, Jeremiah, that they might not give any heed and credit to him; and others to the priests, as follows: and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest;
not the high, priest, but his sagan or deputy; the second priest, as he is called, ( Jeremiah 52:24 ) ; for Seraiah was high priest, unless he was now become high priest in his room. This Maaseiah was either his immediate parent, or else the head of that course to which Zephaniah belonged, as a common priest, which was the twenty fourth in order, ( 1 Chronicles 24:18 ) ; saying:
as follows: