Jeremiah 41:4

4 On the day after the murder of Gedali'ah, before any one knew of it,

Jeremiah 41:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 41:4

And it came to pass, the second day after he had slain
Gedaliah
That is, the day following, for it was in the night, as Josephus relates, as before observed, the murder was committed: and no man knew [it];
not any out of the city, or in remote parts; for those that were in the city must be sensible of it; but as yet the report of it had not reached the neighbourhood, and much less distant parts; this is observed on account of the following story, and to show how easily the persons after mentioned were drawn in by Ishmael.

Jeremiah 41:4 In-Context

2 Ish'mael the son of Nethani'ah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedali'ah the son of Ahi'kam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor in the land.

3 Ish'mael also slew all the Jews who were with Gedali'ah at Mizpah, and the Chalde'an soldiers who happened to be there.

4 On the day after the murder of Gedali'ah, before any one knew of it,

5 eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and Sama'ria, with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, bringing cereal offerings and incense to present at the temple of the LORD.

6 And Ish'mael the son of Nethani'ah came out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he came. As he met them, he said to them, "Come in to Gedali'ah the son of Ahi'kam."