43:2 Then spoke {a} Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the {b} proud men, saying to Jeremiah, {c} Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath {d} not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
(a) Who was also called Jezaniah, Jer 42:1.
(b) This declares that pride is the cause of rebellion and contempt of God's ministers.
(c) When the hypocrisy of the wicked is discovered, they burst forth into open rage: for they can abide nothing but flattery, read Isa 30:10.
(d) He shows what is the nature of the hypocrites: that is, to pretend that they would obey God and embrace his word, if they were assured that his messenger spoke the truth: though indeed they are most far from all obedience.
43:1-7 Only by pride comes contention, both with God and man. They preferred their own wisdom to the revealed will of God. Men deny the Scriptures to be the word of God, because they are resolved not to conform themselves to Scripture rules. When men will persist in sin, they charge the best actions to bad motives. These Jews deserted their own land, and threw themselves out of God's protection. It is the folly of men, that they often ruin themselves by wrong endeavours to mend their situation.
