Why do the people make plots against Jeremiah, saying that the “law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor word from the prophet”?
This passage (Jeremiah 18:18–23) contains another of Jeremiah’s confessions (Jeremiah 18:19–23), which is introduced by a short passage of prose in Jeremiah 18:18.1
It has become abundantly clear once again in Jeremiah 18:1–17 that Jeremiah’s message to Judah was one of impending judgment because of their stubborn refusal to repent of their unfaithfulness. Their response to the warning is to make plots against Jeremiah.
The word plots
picks up the same Hebrew word hasab in Jeremiah 18:8, Jeremiah 18:11 (translated as I intended
; I am devising a plan
) referring to the disaster the Lord plans against nations that reject him. The same word is used again in Jeremiah 18:12 as an expression of Judah’s rebellion when they say, We will follow our own plans.
2 Even as they plot against the Lord’s prophet, they must understand that the Lord is plotting against them. This is not a battle they will win. The people are convinced, however, that the Lord is actually with them. They viewed Jeremiah’s message as false. They were convinced that they would continue to receive the Lord’s word without him, through their priests, wise men and prophets. Jeremiah has already condemned these three groups (Jeremiah 5:30–31; Jeremiah 6:13–15; Jeremiah 8:8–11) for their false message of peace. It is very probable that these men were leading the plot to get rid of Jeremiah.3 In Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day the priests, wise men and prophets all supported the royal establishment and supported the idea that the throne of David had a God-given security that made Judah invincible. Jeremiah’s message was a complete contradiction of these beliefs. Despite this appearance of confidence in their status before the Lord they feel the need to plot against Jeremiah. This reveals the tyranny of the majority and suggests a very troubled conscience as they feel the need to silence the single voice that challenges their confidence.4 This response echoes the words that the Lord placed on the lips of the people in Jeremiah 18:12. There is a hard-hearted resistance to change when leaders and people both have a sense of satisfaction with the status quo.5
18 Then they said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to any of his words.”