Jeremiah 22:10

The dead. A reference to the righteous king of Judah, Josiah, for whom Jeremiah had composed a solemn lamentation (see 2 Chron. 35:25). Josiah was greatly respected and beloved by his people, and his untimely death was deeply mourned.

Him that goeth away. A reference to Josiah’s son and successor, Jehoahaz, whom Pharaoh-Necho removed from the throne and carried away into Egypt (2 Kings 23:31-34; 2 Chron. 36:2-4). The fate of this king, who was to “return no more” to his “native country,” was more suitable for lamentation than was the death of Josiah, who had been fatally wounded on the field of battle (see on 2 Kings 23:29, 30; 2 Chron. 35:24), and had thus been spared the evil to come to his people (2 Kings 22:20; Isa. 57:1). These references to Josiah and Jehoahaz indicate that the time when this message was given was certainly after the reign of Jehoahaz (see on Jer. 22:1, 11).