The Challenge (Ch. 7:1-15; 26:1-19, 24). 

        Jeremiah, who had been repelled by the outwardness of Josiah’s reformation, saw the position and its dangers so clearly that he decided that the people must face the truth at once. At the first suitable moment (26:1) he announced in the entry of the court of the temple (7:2; 26:2) that unless there was a moral reformation the temple would be destroyed as was the sanctuary in Shiloh (presumably after Eli’s death, I Sam, 4:18), and the people would go into exile.

        Ch. 7:1-15 is a summary of his message, while 26:1-19, though including the message, is mainly concerned with the results. For the people, Jeremiah’s action was unpardonable, for he was undermining their chief confidence; in addition, there is nothing more dangerous than to attack popular religion. It hardly needs saying that they found natural leaders in the priests and sanctuary prophets (26:7). When brought to trial before the princes, Jeremiah found men who probably had little love for the priests, and so received a fair trial. The evidence that saved him (26:17ff) was the evidence of similar prophesying by Micaiah, i.e. Micah (3:12). Though the evidence follows the verdict (26:16) by a common artifice in Hebrew story-telling, it should be clear that it was in fact the cause of the verdict. The fickle crowd sided for the tune being with the judges, but 26:24 strongly suggests that the priests, secure in their knowledge of the royal attitude (26:20-23), stirred up the people to lynch Jeremiah, and were only foiled by Ahikam; or did they appeal to the king?

        In the English versions 26:20-23 is printed as though it were part of the elders’ evidence. This is manifestly false. It is doubtful whether, on chronological ground, we could even date it before Jeremiah’s challenge. It is inserted to show the royal attitude to troublesome prophets, and the danger that Jeremiah ran by his bold challenge.