For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every
side
It was brought to the prophet's ears by some of his friends, how
he was defamed by many, and these great and mighty ones, as the
word also signifies; how his character was aspersed; his good
name taken away; and false and scandalous reports were raised of
him from all quarters; which filled him with fear all around, so
that he might quickly expect fresh trouble from one side or
another; see ( Psalms 31:13
) ; and this was a reason of his entering into the above
resolution to leave off prophesying: though some understand it as
an additional reason to the former for going on with it; being
not only inwardly pressed to it in spirit, but outwardly provoked
by the usage of his enemies. Some retain the words
"Magormissabib", untranslated, and render the whole thus, "for I
heard the defaming of many magormissabibs"; of many such as
Pashur, so called, ( Jeremiah
20:3 ) ; but neither the accents nor the syntax will admit of
it; since there is an accent on many, which makes a stop, and
"magormissabib" is in the singular number: rather it may be
rendered, "I have heard the defaming of many; [even of]
magormissabib", that is, of Pashur and his associates;
report, [say they], and we will report it;
these are the words of the defamers, whether Pashur and his
accomplices, or the great ones, the princes and nobles, the
priests and false prophets, that more especially bore a grudge to
Jeremiah; addressing themselves to the common people, and such
who were most acquainted with the prophet, and his manner of
life; saying, tell us what you can of him, right or wrong, true
or false, that may be any ways improved against him, and we shall
tell it to the king, or to the sanhedrim, the court of
judicature, and get him punished for it; or we shall take care to
have it spread about city and country, and so blast his character
and credit with the people, that none will after regard his
prophecies; all my familiars watched for my
halting;
or, "every man of my peace" {f}; who pretended to be at peace,
and to be friendly with him, and wished well unto him, spoke fair
to his face, as if they were cordial friends, and fond of the
most intimate acquaintance with him; perhaps the men of Anathoth,
the birth place of Jeremiah, are here meant; whom the priests at
Jerusalem, or others, had engaged on their side, narrowly to
observe what was said and done by him, of which any handle could
be made against him to the government; and accordingly they did;
they watched his words, and observed his actions, if they could
catch at anything that was imprudently or inadvertently said or
done, or what could be misconstrued to his disadvantage;
[saying], peradventure he will be enticed;
to say or do something that may be laid hold on, and be produced
against him, to the ruin of him; he not being on his guard, and
knowing of no design against him: and we shall prevail
against him;
gain our point, get him accused, condemned, and punished:
and we shall take our revenge on him;
for inveighing so severely against their sins, which they could
not bear; and for threatening them with punishments that should
be inflicted on them, which they liked not to hear.