Jeremiah 41:11-18

Johanan Rescues the People

11 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the ¹commanders of the forces that were with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done.

12 So they took all the men and went to ²fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and they found him by the ³great pool that is in Gibeon.

13 Now as soon as all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and the commanders of the forces that were with him, they were glad.

14 So all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.

15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah ⁴escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the sons of Ammon.

16 Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him took from Mizpah ⁵all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, that is, the men who were soldiers *, the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon.

17 And they went and stayed in ⁶Geruth Chimham, which is beside Bethlehem, in order to ⁷proceed * into Egypt

18 because * of the Chaldeans; for they were ⁸afraid of them, since Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom ⁹the king of Babylon had appointed 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

• 1. Jer 40:7, 8, 13-16
• 2. Genesis 14:14-16; 1 Sam 30:1-8, 18, 20
• 3. 2 Samuel 2:13
• 4. 1 Samuel 30:17; 1 Kings 20:20; Job 21:30; Proverbs 28:17
• 5. Jeremiah 42:8; Jeremiah 43:4-7
• 6. 2 Sam 19:37, 38, 40
• 7. Jeremiah 42:14
• 8. Isaiah 51:12, 13; Isaiah 57:11; Jeremiah 42:11, 16; Jeremiah 43:2, 3; Luke 12:4, 5
• 9. Jeremiah 40:5

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "waters"
• [b]. Lit "brought back"
• [c]. Lit "men of war"
• [d]. Lit "infants"
• [e]. Or "the lodging place of Chimham"