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Jeremiah 40:3-13

Listen to Jeremiah 40:3-13
3 The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. 1Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you.
4 Now, behold, I release you today from 2the chains on your hands. 3If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, 4but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. 5See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go.
5 If you remain, [a] then return to 6Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, 7whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever you think it right to go. ” So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go.
6 Then Jeremiah went to 8Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at 9Mizpah, and lived with him 10among the people 11who were left in the land.
7 12When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that 13the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of 14the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon,
8 they went to Gedaliah at 15Mizpah— 16Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, 17Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, 18Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.
9 Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, 19and it shall be well with you.
10 As for me, I will dwell at 20Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you, 21gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken. ”
11 Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in 22Moab and among 23the Ammonites and in 24Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as governor over them,
12 25then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they 26gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.
13 Now 27Johanan the son of Kareah and 28all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

Jeremiah 40:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 40

This chapter treats of the release of Jeremiah, and the care taken of him; of the gathering of the princes and people of the Jews to Gedaliah, appointed their governor, dispersed about Judea, and other countries; and of a conspiracy against him, of which information was given him. The release of Jeremiah, where, and by whom, Jer 40:1-4; the liberty granted him to go to Babylon, or stay in Judea, as he thought fit; and, if he chose the latter, is advised to go to Gedaliah, appointed governor, or where he would; and is dismissed with food, and a reward, Jer 40:4-6; upon which he went and dwelt with Gedaliah, Jer 40:7; to whom also the captains of the dispersed forces joined themselves, to whom he swore, and bid them be of good cheer; and exhorted them to serve the Chaldeans, which he urged from the profit of it to them, and by his own example, Jer 40:8-10; and to whom also gathered the Jews in other countries, Jer 40:11,12; by the captains he is informed of a conspiracy against his life, and one of them offers to destroy the conspirator, which Gedaliah would not agree to, disbelieving the information, Jer 40:13-16.

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Cross References 28

  • 1. 40:3 ch. 44:3, 23; Deut. 29:25; See Dan. 9:10-12
  • 2. 40:4 [See ver. 1 above]
  • 3. 40:4 [ch. 39:12]
  • 4. 40:4 [ch. 39:12]
  • 5. 40:4 [Gen. 20:15]
  • 6. 40:5 See ch. 39:14
  • 7. 40:5 ch. 41:2
  • 8. 40:6 [See ver. 5 above]
  • 9. 40:6 ch. 41:6; Josh. 18:26
  • 10. 40:6 ch. 37:12; 39:14
  • 11. 40:6 ch. 39:10
  • 12. 40:7 For ver. 7-9, see 2 Kgs. 25:23, 24
  • 13. 40:7 ver. 5
  • 14. 40:7 ch. 39:10; 2 Kgs. 25:12
  • 15. 40:8 [See ver. 6 above]
  • 16. 40:8 ver. 14, 15, 16; See ch. 41:1-3
  • 17. 40:8 ver. 13, 15, 16; ch. 42:1, 8
  • 18. 40:8 ch. 42:1
  • 19. 40:9 ch. 38:20
  • 20. 40:10 [See ver. 6 above]
  • 21. 40:10 [ver. 12]
  • 22. 40:11 [Num. 22:1; 2 Sam. 8:2]
  • 23. 40:11 1 Sam. 11:1; 12:12
  • 24. 40:11 Gen. 36:8
  • 25. 40:12 [ch. 43:5]
  • 26. 40:12 [ver. 10]
  • 27. 40:13 ver. 8, 15, 16; ch. 42:1, 8
  • 28. 40:13 ch. 41:11; 42:1

Footnotes 1

  • [a] 40:5 Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025

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