Jeremiah 19:1,2 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Go and get a potter's earthen bottle The meaning of this emblem is fully explained in the subsequent verses; and indeed the whole chapter requires little more comment than a reference to the passages in the margin. And take of the ancients of the people Or, take with thee some of the ancients, &c. By these, men of reputation and eminence are meant, probably such as were members of the Sanhedrim. And of the ancients of the priests The heads of the four and twenty courses: see 1 Chronicles 24:4. Such were the most proper to be witnesses of those things which the prophet was about to say and do. And go unto the valley of the son of Hinnom A most noted valley, to the east of Jerusalem; which is by the entry of the east gate By which men entered into the temple; from whence they had a prospect of the valley of Hinnom, which lay south- east of the temple, Joshua 15:8. The Hebrew is שׁער החרסית, the gate Harsith, which some interpret, the dung gate, mentioned Nehemiah 2:13; others, the potters' gate; the potters' field being near the temple: see Zechariah 11:13.