4 and I brought them into the house of Yahweh, into the room of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was by the room of the princes, which was above the room of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the threshold.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
The title man of God, i. e., prophet, belongs to Hanan, identified by many with Hanani 2-Chronicles 16:7. The sons of Hanan were probably his disciples. If so, we find a religious school or sect, regularly established in the precincts of the temple, of whose views and modes of interpretation we know nothing. Plainly however, the Hananites were friendly to Jeremiah, and lent him their hall for his purpose.
The chamber of the princes - Probably the council-chamber in which the great officers of state met for the despatch of business.
The keeper of the door - There were three of these keepers, answering to the outer and inner courts of the temple, and the entrance to the temple itself. They were officers of high rank, having precedence next to the high priest and his deputy.
Igdaliah, a man of God - A prophet or holy man, having some office in the temple.
And I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man (c) of God, who [was] by the chamber of the princes, which [was] above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:
(c) That is, a prophet.
And I brought them into the house of the Lord,.... Into the temple, as he was ordered; that is, he invited them thither, and they came along with him, having, no doubt, a respect for him as a prophet; and the rather, as it is highly probable he came in the name of the Lord to them:
into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God; a prophet, as the Targum and Syriac version; and so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it. This must be understood of Hanan, and not Igdaliah, as the accents show: he is thought by some to be the same with Hanani the seer, in the times of Asa, 2-Chronicles 16:7;
which was by the chamber of the princes; these were not the princes of the blood, the sons of Jehoiachim; their chambers or apartments were not in the temple, but in the royal palace; but these were the princes or rulers of the people, as they are called, Acts 4:8; the sanhedrim, whose this chamber was, as Dr. Lightfoot (d) has observed:
which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door: a porter, whose chamber or lodge was under that in which the sanhedrim sat. The Targum calls him a treasurer; one of the seven "amarcalim", who had the keys of several chambers, where the vessels of the sanctuary and other things were put; and Kimchi observes, the word we render door comprehends the vessels of the sanctuary, and the vessels of wine, and other things.
(d) Temple-Service, c. 9. p. 1063.
man of God--a prophet (Deuteronomy 33:1; 1-Samuel 2:27; 1-Kings 12:22; 2-Kings 4:7), also "a servant of God" in general (1-Timothy 6:11), one not his own, but God's; one who has parted with all right in himself to give himself wholly to God (2-Timothy 3:17). He was so reverenced that none would call in question what was transacted in his chamber.
keeper of the door--Hebrew, "of the vessel." Probably the office meant is that of the priest who kept in charge the capitation money paid for the use of the temple and the votive offerings, such as silver vessels, &c. There were seven such keepers [GROTIUS]. Compare 2-Kings 12:9; 2-Kings 25:18; 1-Chronicles 9:18-19, which support English Version.
I said . . . Drink--Jeremiah does not say, The Lord saith, Drink: for then they would have been bound to obey. Contrast the case in 1Ki. 13:7-26.
Igdaliah - A prophet. The princes - The chamber were the princes were wont to meet.
*More commentary available at chapter level.