Jeremiah 40:2

2 When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place.

Jeremiah 40:2 in Other Translations

KJV
2 And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.
ESV
2 The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, "The LORD your God pronounced this disaster against this place.
NLT
2 The captain of the guard called for Jeremiah and said, “The LORD your God has brought this disaster on this land,
MSG
2 The captain of the bodyguard singled out Jeremiah and said to him, "Your God pronounced doom on this place.
CSB
2 The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, "The Lord your God decreed this disaster on this place,

Jeremiah 40:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 40:2

And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah
When he mustered his prisoners, to his great surprise he found the prophet among them, whom he took out from them, and set him free; though, before he dismissed him, he had the following conversation with him: and said unto him, the Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil on this
place;
the city of Jerusalem; from whence the prophet and the rest of the captives were just brought, and which now lay in ruins; the houses burnt; the walls broken down; and the inhabitants spoiled and carried captive. This was the evil which the Lord, he says, had "decreed", as the Targum renders it; had purposed to bring upon it; and which he had declared and pronounced by the mouth of Jeremiah, whose Lord God he was, being his prophet, and a worshipper of him: this Nebuzaradan was apprized of by the Jews that deserted to the Chaldeans; and particularly, as is probable, by Gedaliah.

Jeremiah 40:2 In-Context

1 The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon.
2 When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place.
3 And now the LORD has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him.
4 But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”
5 However, before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.” Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Romans 13:4
  • 2. S Isaiah 10:22
  • 3. S 2 Chronicles 34:24; S Psalms 18:18; S Proverbs 8:36; Galatians 6:7-8
  • 4. S Joshua 23:15; Jeremiah 50:7
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.