Jeremia 40:16

16 Maar Gedalia, de zoon van Ahikam, zeide tot Johanan, den zoon van Kareah: Doe deze zaak niet, want gij spreekt vals van Ismael.

Jeremia 40:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 40:16

But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of
Kareah
In answer to his request, and the motion made by him: thou shalt not do this thing;
or, "do not do this thing" ^F26; dissuading him from it, as being unlawful to take away a man's life in such a secret manner, without any legal process against him; though it seems to carry more in it, that he laid his commands upon him not to do it, and threatened him if he did: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael;
or "a lie" ^F1; a falsehood, a mere calumny; which was not using Johanan well, neither kindly nor genteelly, who had expressed such a concern for him, and for the public good. The event related in the following chapter shows that the information was good, and that it was no lie or calumny that was told; and it would have been well for Gedaliah, and the people of the Jews, had he given credit to it; but the time was not come for the Jewish commonwealth to be restored; and things were thus suffered to be, for the further punishment of the sins of that people.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 (rbdh ta vet la) "noli facere hoc verbum", V. L. "ne facias verbum hoc", Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt.
F1 (rqv) "mendacium", Schmidt; "falsum", Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremia 40:16 In-Context

14 En zeiden tot hem: Weet gij wel, dat Baalis, de koning der kinderen Ammons, Ismael, den zoon van Nethanja, uitgezonden heeft, om u aan het leven te slaan? Maar Gedalia, de zoon van Ahikam, geloofde hen niet.

15 Johanan nochtans, de zoon van Kareah, sprak tot Gedalia, in het verborgene, te Mizpa, zeggende: Laat mij toch henengaan, en Ismael, den zoon van Nethanja, slaan, en niemand zal het weten; waarom zou hij u aan het leven slaan, en gans Juda, die tot u vergaderd zijn, verstrooid worden, en het overblijfsel van Juda verloren gaan?

16 Maar Gedalia, de zoon van Ahikam, zeide tot Johanan, den zoon van Kareah: Doe deze zaak niet, want gij spreekt vals van Ismael.