Yirmeyah 41:3

3 Yishmael also killed kol haYehudim that were with him, even with Gedalyah, at Mitzpah, and the Kasdim (Chaldeans) that were found there, and the anshei hamilchamah (men of war).

Yirmeyah 41:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 41:3

Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, [even] with
Gedaliah, at Mizpah
Not only those that were at table, but that were in the city also. Josephus ^F6 says, that having slain those that were at the feast with him, he went out in the night, and slew all the Jews in the city, and the soldiers that were left by the Babylonians in it; but this cannot be understood of all the individuals there, or of the main body of the people, for they were carried captive by him, ( Jeremiah 41:9 ) ; but of those that opposed him, or were able to avenge the death of their governor, and he might suspect would do it: and the Chaldeans that were found there, [and] the men of war;
or, "even the men of war" ^F7; this describes more particularly who they were that were slain, those of the Jews, and especially the Chaldeans, who were in military service; either the bodyguards of the governor, or the city guards, or both, whom Ishmael thought it advisable to cut off, lest they should fall upon him, and revenge the death of Gedaliah, and prevent his further designs.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 4.
F7 (hmxlmh yvna ta) "[inquam] viros belli", Schmidt; "bellatores scilicet", Piscator.

Yirmeyah 41:3 In-Context

1 1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Yishmael ben Netanyah ben Elishama, who was zera hameluchah, and the officers of HaMelech, even ten anashim with him, came unto Gedalyah ben Achikam to Mitzpah; and there they did eat lechem together in Mitzpah.

2 Then arose Yishmael ben Netanyah, and the ten anashim that were with him, and struck down Gedalyah ben Achikam ben Shaphan with the cherev, and killed him, whom Melech Bavel had made governor over ha’aretz.

3 Yishmael also killed kol haYehudim that were with him, even with Gedalyah, at Mitzpah, and the Kasdim (Chaldeans) that were found there, and the anshei hamilchamah (men of war).

4 It came to pass on the second day after he had slain Gedalyah and no man knew it,

5 That there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Shomron, even 80 men, their beards shaven, their clothes torn, having cut themselves, with minchah and incense in their hand, to bring them to the Beis Hashem.