Jeremiah 41:11-18

11 But when 1Johanan the son of Kareah and 2all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,
12 they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael the son of Nethaniah. They came upon him at 3the great pool that is in 4Gibeon.
13 And when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and 5all the leaders of the forces with him, they rejoiced.
14 6So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.
15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to 7the Ammonites.
16 Then Johanan the son of Kareah and 8all the leaders of the forces with him took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam--soldiers, 9women, children, and eunuchs, whom Johanan brought back from 10Gibeon.
17 And they went and stayed at Geruth 11Chimham near 12Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt
18 because of the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, 13whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

Jeremiah 41:11-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 41

This chapter relates the event of the conspiracy against Gedaliah Johanan and the princes had informed him of, to which he gave no credit; but it proved true. An account is given of the murder of Gedaliah, and of the Jews and Chaldeans with him; and of the perpetrators of it, Jer 41:1-3; and of the chief of them, Ishmael's treacherous dealing with fourscore men that came from several parts to the house of God to offer sacrifice, who all perished by his hands, excepting ten, Jer 41:4-9; and of the rest of the people at Mizpah being carried away, in order to be captives among the Ammonites, Jer 41:10; and of Johanan, and the rest of the captives, hearing of all this, and coming out to fight with Ishmael; upon which the people deserted him, and he fled to the Ammonites, Jer 41:11-15; and of Johanan and the people settling in the way to Egypt, to flee there on occasion, should the Chaldeans fall on them for what was done to the governor, which they feared, Jer 41:16-18.

Cross References 13

  • 1. See Jeremiah 40:8
  • 2. Jeremiah 40:13
  • 3. [2 Samuel 2:13]
  • 4. Joshua 9:3, 17
  • 5. Jeremiah 40:13
  • 6. ver. 10, 16
  • 7. [Jeremiah 40:14]
  • 8. [See ver. 13 above]
  • 9. Jeremiah 40:7
  • 10. Joshua 9:3, 17
  • 11. [2 Samuel 19:37, 38]
  • 12. [Matthew 2:1, 14]; See Genesis 35:19
  • 13. ver. 2; Jeremiah 40:5
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