Jeremiah Remains in Judah
Jer 40:1 The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon.
Jer 40:2 When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place.
Jer 40:3 And now the LORD has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him.
Jer 40:4 But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”
Jer 40:5 However, before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.” Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go.
Jer 40:6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.
Jer 40:7 When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon,
Jer 40:8 they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men.
Jer 40:9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.
Jer 40:10 I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.”
Jer 40:11 When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them,
Jer 40:12 they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.
Jer 40:13 Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah
Jer 40:14 and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
Jer 40:15 Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?”
Jer 40:16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”
1 Jeremiah, being set free by Nebuzar-adan, get to Gedaliah. 7 The dispersed Jews repair unto him. 13 Johanan revealing Ishmael’s conspiracy is not believed.
Jeremiah Remains in Judah
Jer 40:1 The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon.
Ramah. Modern Ar Ram. 31:15. This town was used by the Babylonians as a station for prisoners brought there from Jerusalem subject to further orders as to their final disposition. Nebuzar-adan apparently had not met Jeremiah before, and used this opportunity to surprise the prophet with the good news that he was to be released immediately (see on ch. 39:14).
Jer 40:2 When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place.
2. The Lord your God. Word having come to him that Jeremiah was the Jewish prophet who had advocated submission to Babylon, the captain of the guard graciously recognizes the God of Israel and His mission through Jeremiah, and respectfully leaves it to the prophet to go where he will (vs. 4, 5).
Jer 40:4 But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”
It is evident from the detailed account that Jeremiah was given his actual physical freedom here at Ramah (see on ch. 39:14).
Jer 40:5 However, before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.” Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go.
Like Jeremiah, Gedaliah was doubtless one of the leaders who had supported the policy of submission to the Chaldeans (see on chs. 26:24; 36:10). During excavations at Lachish a seal impression was discovered bearing the inscription “Belonging to Gedaliahu, who is over the house.”
Because of the privation Jeremiah had suffered on account of the siege, these “provisions” and the “present” were a great blessing. The “present” was probably a gift of money to compensate for the opposition and consequent discomforts suffered by the prophet because he advocated submission to Babylon.
Jer 40:6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.
Mizpah was evidently chosen to be the new centre of government. This city, whose name means “watchtower” (see on Gen. 31:49), was probably in the territory of Benjamin (see on Joshua 18:26; 2 Kings 25:23). It was there that Samuel “judged Israel” (1 Sam. 7:15, 16) and Saul was chosen king (1 Sam. 10:17–25). Mizpah has been identified with Tell en–Naṣbeh, which was excavated by an expedition led by Prof. W. F. Badè.
Jer 40:7 When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon,
The leaders of isolated units of the Jewish army that were “in the fields,” who now realized that further opposition to the Babylonians was futile. Therefore, nothing remained for them but to seek protection from Gedaliah.
Jer 40:8 they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men.
Netophathite was 25/8 mi. (4.2 km.) southeast of Bethlehem.
Jer 40:9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.
Jer 40:10 I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.”
Harvest the wine. This places this incident in the fall of the year. Since the owners of the fields, vineyards, and olive orchards had been taken captive to Babylon, Gedaliah offered the “captains” these products to meet their immediate needs and to provide food for the approaching winter season.
Jer 40:11 When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them,
Those who fled to nearby countries to escape capture by the Chaldeans.
Jer 40:12 they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.
The fields, though unattended for the summer, evidently produced by themselves a great abundance for the pitiful remnant left in Judah.
Jer 40:13 Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah
Jer 40:14 and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
1The king of the Ammonites had been in league with Zedekiah against the Babylonians (ch. 27:3). If he dared not resist Nebuchadnezzar openly, he still hoped through the instrumentality of Ishmael to accomplish his purpose. Johanan learned of the plot, and in fidelity to his new protector warned Gedaliah; but in vain, for the latter, in guileless trustfulness, refused to believe in Ishmael’s guilt (see v. 16).
Jer 40:16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true.” Perhaps Gedaliah did not trust Johanan, of late a “captain” in Zedekiah’s army. In any event the upright Gedaliah would not stoop to follow Johanan’s advice of preventive murder, even though Ishmael was threatening his very life.