Jeremiah 41:1-3

Gedaliah Is Murdered

1 1In the seventh month 2Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family and one of the chief officers of the king, along with ten men, came to Mizpah to 3Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. While they 4were eating bread together there in Mizpah,
2 Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him arose and 5struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword and 6put to death the one 7whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
3 Ishmael also struck down all the Jews who were with him, that is with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war.

Jeremiah 41:1-3 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 7

  • 1. 2 Kings 25:25
  • 2. Jeremiah 40:8, 14
  • 3. Jeremiah 39:14; Jeremiah 40:5, 6
  • 4. Psalms 41:9; Jeremiah 40:13, 14
  • 5. 2 Samuel 3:27; 2 Samuel 20:9, 10; 2 Kings 25:25; Psalms 41:9; Psalms 109:5; John 13:18
  • 6. 2 Kings 25:25
  • 7. Jeremiah 40:5

Footnotes 1

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