Jeremiah 26:19 Study Bible: Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD, and seek the favor of the LORD, and the LORD relented of the disaster which he had pronounced against them? Thus should we commit great evil against our own souls.

Bible > Jeremiah > Chapter 26 > Verse 19

◄ Jeremiah 26:19 ►

Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did Hezekiah not fear the LORD and seek His favor, and did not the LORD relent of the disaster He had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great harm on ourselves!"

Study Bible

Did Hezekiah king of Judah
Hezekiah, a revered king of Judah, is often remembered for his faithfulness and reforms that led the nation back to the worship of Yahweh. His reign is documented in 2 Kings 18-20 and 2 Chronicles 29-32. Hezekiah's leadership during a time of Assyrian threat and his efforts to restore the temple worship highlight his commitment to God. The mention of Hezekiah here serves as a historical precedent, reminding the people of Judah of a time when their king responded rightly to prophetic warnings.

or anyone else in Judah
This phrase emphasizes the collective responsibility and response of the people of Judah. It suggests that not only the king but also the people had a role in responding to prophetic messages. The historical context here is crucial, as it reflects a time when the nation was united in its reverence for God and willingness to heed His warnings, contrasting with the current situation in Jeremiah's time.

put him to death?
The rhetorical question refers to the prophet Micah, who prophesied during Hezekiah's reign. Instead of executing Micah for his dire prophecies, Hezekiah and the people listened and repented. This historical reference serves as a lesson, urging the current generation to consider the consequences of rejecting God's messengers.

Did not Hezekiah fear the LORD
The "fear of the LORD" is a recurring biblical theme, denoting reverence, awe, and obedience to God. Hezekiah's fear of the LORD led him to seek divine guidance and favor, resulting in God's mercy. This phrase underscores the importance of a heart posture that acknowledges God's sovereignty and righteousness.

and seek the LORD’s favor?
Seeking the LORD's favor involves prayer, repentance, and a sincere desire to align with God's will. Hezekiah's actions, such as restoring temple worship and celebrating Passover, were tangible expressions of seeking God's favor. This serves as an inspirational call to prioritize a relationship with God, especially in times of crisis.

And did not the LORD relent
The Hebrew root for "relent" (נָחַם, nacham) conveys a change of mind or heart, often in response to human repentance. God's relenting is not a sign of weakness but of His compassion and willingness to forgive. This highlights the dynamic relationship between divine justice and mercy, encouraging believers to trust in God's readiness to forgive when they turn back to Him.

concerning the disaster He had pronounced against them?
The disaster refers to the impending judgment due to the nation's sins. However, God's pronouncements are often conditional, allowing room for repentance and change. This phrase serves as a reminder of God's justice but also His mercy, offering hope that sincere repentance can avert disaster.

We are about to bring great harm on ourselves!”
This concluding warning is a sobering reminder of the consequences of rejecting God's word. The speaker acknowledges the self-inflicted nature of the impending judgment, urging the people to learn from history and avoid repeating past mistakes. It serves as a call to action, encouraging a return to faithfulness and obedience to God to prevent self-destruction.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Hezekiah
King of Judah known for his faithfulness to God and his reforms to restore proper worship in Judah. His reign is marked by a return to the worship of Yahweh and the removal of idolatry.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which included Jerusalem. During Hezekiah's reign, Judah faced threats from Assyria but was delivered by God due to Hezekiah's faithfulness.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who is just and merciful. He responds to the repentance and faithfulness of His people.

4. Prophet Micah
A prophet who prophesied during the reign of Hezekiah. His message of impending judgment led to repentance and averted disaster.

5. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to Judah. In this chapter, he faces opposition for his prophecies of judgment.

Teaching Points

The Power of Repentance
Hezekiah's account illustrates the transformative power of genuine repentance. When we turn from our sins and seek God's favor, He is merciful and may relent from judgment.

Leadership and Influence
Hezekiah's leadership had a profound impact on the people of Judah. Godly leadership can lead a nation or community towards righteousness and away from disaster.

God's Relenting Nature
God's willingness to relent from sending disaster shows His mercy and desire for His people to return to Him. This encourages us to intercede and seek God's favor in times of crisis.

The Importance of Heeding Prophetic Warnings
The people of Judah heeded Micah's warning, which led to their deliverance. We should be attentive to God's messages through His Word and His messengers today.

Avoiding Self-Inflicted Harm
The warning in Jeremiah 26:19 about bringing harm upon themselves serves as a reminder that ignoring God's warnings can lead to self-destruction.

Bible Study Questions

1. How did Hezekiah's response to Micah's prophecy differ from the initial reaction to Jeremiah's message, and what can we learn from this about responding to God's warnings?

2. In what ways can we apply Hezekiah's example of seeking the Lord's favor in our personal lives and communities today?

3. How does the account of Hezekiah and the people of Judah illustrate the concept of God's mercy and justice working together?

4. What are some modern-day "prophetic warnings" that we might be ignoring, and how can we ensure we are attentive to God's messages?

5. How can we, as individuals or as a church, avoid bringing "great harm on ourselves" by aligning our actions with God's will?

Connections to Other Scriptures

2 Kings 18-20
These chapters provide a detailed account of Hezekiah's reign, his reforms, and his reliance on God during the Assyrian threat.

Micah 3:12
This verse is the specific prophecy referenced in Jeremiah 26:19, where Micah foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, leading to Hezekiah's repentance.

Jonah 3
Similar to Hezekiah's response, the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah's warning, and God relented from sending disaster.

2 Chronicles 32:26
Chronicles Hezekiah's humility and repentance, which led to God's mercy.

Sermons

Afflictions, Distresses, Tumults	F. B. Meyer, B. A.	Jeremiah 26:1-24
The Prophet of God Arraigned by the Nation	A.F. Muir	Jeremiah 26:1-17, 24
An Argument from History	D. Young	Jeremiah 26:17-23

People

Achbor, Ahikam, Elnathan, Hezekiah, Jehoiakim, Jeremiah, Josiah, Micah, Shaphan, Shemaiah, Uriah, Urijah

Places

Babylon, Egypt, Jerusalem, Kiriath-jearim, Moresheth, New Gate, Shiloh, Zion

Topics

Act, Anyone, Appeaseth, Beseech, Besought, Bring, Changed, Commit, Committing, Death, Decision, Didn't, Disaster, Entreat, Evil, Face, Favor, Favour, Fear, Grace, Hezekiah, Hezeki'ah, Judah, Mind, Misfortune, Ourselves, Prayer, Procure, Pronounced, Relent, Relented, Repent, Repented, Repenteth, Seek, Souls, Spake, Supplicate, Terrible, Thus, Yea

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Jeremiah 26:19

     1120   God, repentance of
     1255   face of God
     5036   mind, of God

Jeremiah 26:17-19

8160 seeking God

Library

The Life of Mr. Robert Garnock.
Robert Garnock was born in Stirling, anno ----, and baptized by faithful Mr. James Guthrie. In his younger years, his parents took much pains to train him up in the way of duty: but soon after the restoration, the faithful presbyterian ministers being turned out, curates were put in their place, and with them came ignorance, profanity and persecution.--Some time after this, Mr. Law preached at his own house in Monteith, and one Mr. Hutchison sometimes at Kippen. Being one Saturday's evening gone …
John Howie—Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies)

A Godly Reformation
'Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. 3. He in the first year of his reign, in the first mouth, opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them. 4. And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Prophet Micah.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Micah signifies: "Who is like Jehovah;" and by this name, the prophet is consecrated to the incomparable God, just as Hosea was to the helping God, and Nahum to the comforting God. He prophesied, according to the inscription, under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. We are not, however, entitled, on this account, to dissever his prophecies, and to assign particular discourses to the reign of each of these kings. On the contrary, the entire collection forms only one whole. At …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Second Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Condemned by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin.
(Palace of Caiaphas. Friday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 57, 59-68; ^B Mark XIV. 53, 55-65; ^C Luke XXII. 54, 63-65; ^D John XVIII. 24. ^d 24 Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. [Foiled in his attempted examination of Jesus, Annas sends him to trial.] ^b and there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. ^a 57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, ^c and brought him into the high priest's house. ^a where …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Sanctification.
I. I will remind you of some points that have been settled in this course of study. 1. The true intent and meaning of the law of God has been, as I trust, ascertained in the lectures on moral government. Let this point if need be, be examined by reference to those lectures. 2. We have also seen, in those lectures, what is not, and what is implied in entire obedience to the moral law. 3. In those lectures, and also in the lectures on justification and repentance, it has been shown that nothing is …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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