Jeremiah 41:3

3 Also Ishmael killed all the Jews, that were with Gedaliah in Mizpah, and the Chaldees, that were found there, and the men warriors. (Ishmael also killed all the Jews, who were with Gedaliah in Mizpah, and the Chaldeans, who were found there, and the warriors.)

Jeremiah 41:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 41:3

Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, [even] with
Gedaliah, at Mizpah
Not only those that were at table, but that were in the city also. Josephus ^F6 says, that having slain those that were at the feast with him, he went out in the night, and slew all the Jews in the city, and the soldiers that were left by the Babylonians in it; but this cannot be understood of all the individuals there, or of the main body of the people, for they were carried captive by him, ( Jeremiah 41:9 ) ; but of those that opposed him, or were able to avenge the death of their governor, and he might suspect would do it: and the Chaldeans that were found there, [and] the men of war;
or, "even the men of war" ^F7; this describes more particularly who they were that were slain, those of the Jews, and especially the Chaldeans, who were in military service; either the bodyguards of the governor, or the city guards, or both, whom Ishmael thought it advisable to cut off, lest they should fall upon him, and revenge the death of Gedaliah, and prevent his further designs.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 4.
F7 (hmxlmh yvna ta) "[inquam] viros belli", Schmidt; "bellatores scilicet", Piscator.

Jeremiah 41:3 In-Context

1 And it was done in the seventh month, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the king's seed, and the principal men of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, in Mizpah; and they ate there loaves together in Mizpah. (And it was done in the seventh month, that Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the king's descendants, and some of the king's principal men, or some of his leaders, that is, the ten men who were with him, came to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, in Mizpah; and they ate bread, or a meal, together there in Mizpah.)

2 Forsooth Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, rose up, and killed with sword Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan; and they killed him, whom the king of Babylon had made sovereign of the land. (And then Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him, rose up, and killed with the sword Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan; yea, they killed him, whom the king of Babylon had made the ruler of the land.)

3 Also Ishmael killed all the Jews, that were with Gedaliah in Mizpah, and the Chaldees, that were found there, and the men warriors. (Ishmael also killed all the Jews, who were with Gedaliah in Mizpah, and the Chaldeans, who were found there, and the warriors.)

4 Forsooth in the second day (And on the second day), after that he had slain Gedaliah, (but) while no man knew (it) yet,

5 fourscore men with shaven beards, and rent clothes, and pale men, came from Shechem, and from Shiloh, and from Samaria; and they had gifts and incense in the hand, for to offer in the house of the Lord. (eighty men with shaved beards, and torn clothes, and pale from cutting themselves, came from Shechem, and from Shiloh, and from Samaria; and they had gifts and incense in their hands, to offer in the House of the Lord.)