Jeremias 22:10

10 Weep not for the dead, nor lament for him: weep bitterly for him that goes away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native land.

Jeremias 22:10 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 22:10

Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him
Not Jehoiakim, as Jarchi and Kimchi; but King Josiah, slain by Pharaohnecho; who, being a pious prince, a good king, and very useful, and much beloved by his people, great lamentation was made for him by them, and by the prophet also; but now he exhorts them to cease weeping, or at least not to weep so much for him, it being well with him, and he taken away from evil to come; and especially since they had other and worse things to lament; see ( 2 Chronicles 35:24 2 Chronicles 35:25 ) ; [but] weep sore for him that goeth away:
or, "in weeping weep" F6: weep bitterly, and in good earnest; there is reason for it; for him that was about to go, or was gone out of his own land, even Jehoahaz or Shallum, after mentioned, who reigned but three months, and was put into bonds by Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, and carried by him thither, ( 2 Chronicles 36:4 ) ; for he shall return no more, nor see his native country;
for he died in Egypt, ( 2 Kings 23:34 ) ; Jarchi interprets the dead, in the first clause, of Jehoiakim, who died before the gate, when they had bound him to carry him captive, ( 2 Chronicles 36:6 ) ; "and him that goeth away", of Jeconiah and Zedekiah, who were both carried captive; and so Kimchi; but the former interpretation is best. Some understand this not of particular persons, but of the people in general; signifying that they were more happy that were dead, and less to be lamented, than those that were alive, and would be carried captive, and never see their own country any more; see ( Ecclesiastes 4:2 ) ; but particular persons seem manifestly designed.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 (wkb wkb) "deplorate deplorando", Schmidt; "flete flendo", Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremias 22:10 In-Context

8 And nations shall pass through this city, and each shall say to his neighbour, Why has the Lord done thus to this great city?
9 And they shall say, Because they forsook the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshipped strange gods, and served them.
10 Weep not for the dead, nor lament for him: weep bitterly for him that goes away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native land.
11 For thus saith the Lord concerning Sellem the son of Josias, who reigns in the place of Josias his father, who has gone forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any more:
12 but in that place whither I have carried him captive, there shall he die, and shall see this land no more.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.