Jeremiah 26:10

“When the princes of Judah heard these things, etc.] The tumult there was in the temple; these were the princes of the blood, or the nobles of the realm, particularly the courtiers, and who were of the king’s privy council; or else the great sanhedrim, consisting of seventy persons, and were the chief court of judicature: then they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord; from the royal palace where they resided; by which it should seem that they were the king’s courtiers, and counsellors, and officers of state; unless in those times the sanhedrim sat there; from hence they came up to the temple, where Jeremiah and the priests, etc. were, which, being built on a hill, was…”

“princes--members of the Council of State or Great Council, which took cognizance of such offenses. heard--the clamor of the popular tumult. came up--from the king's house to the temple, which stood higher than the palace. sat--as judges, in the gate, the usual place of trying such cases. new gate--originally built by Jotham ("the higher gate," Kg2 15:35) and now recently restored.”

“The princes of Judah - The priests could scourge a man etc., but could not then try him for his life, as the Sanhedrim subsequently did until the Romans deprived them of the power. The new gate - That built by Jotham 2 Kings 15:35, and probably a usual place for trials. return to 'Top of Page'”

“When - When the nobles, and other civil magistrates, heard of the tumult, they came from the king's court, where the nobles and great officers of nations usually are, to the temple. At the entry - It was the place where their sanhedrim, who were to judge of false prophets, were wont to sit. Jeremiah 26:11”

“26:10-15 Court trials were customarily held at a gateway to the city. City gateways at this time were covered and multi-chambered. In this location, where the commerce of the city went in and out, the elders of the city would congregate where they could be called upon to apply their wisdom to legal conflicts. In this case, the officials were fair; they gave each party an opportunity to present its side of the quarrel.”

“the princes: Jer 26:16, Jer 26:17, Jer 26:24, Jer 34:19, Jer 36:12-19, Jer 36:25, Jer 37:14-16, Jer 38:4-6; Eze 22:6, Eze 22:27 in the entry: or, at the door the new: Jer 36:10; Kg2 15:35 Jeremiah 26:11”