Jeremiah 41:9

9 Forsooth the pit into which Ishmael casted forth all the carrions of [the] men, which he killed for Gedaliah, is that pit, which king Asa made for Baasha, the king of Israel; Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, filled that pit with slain men. (And the pit into which Ishmael cast forth all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had lured to their deaths using the name of Gedaliah, is that pit, which King Asa made for Baasha, the king of Israel; Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, filled that pit with dead men.)

Jeremiah 41:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 41:9

Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies
Not only of those seventy men of Samaria but of the men whom he had slain because of Gedaliah;
because of their attachment to him: or, "by the hand of Gedaliah" ^F11; not by him, as an instrument; unless, as Jarchi observes, because he rejected the advice of Johanan, and provided not for his safety, and his people, it was as if they were slain by him ^F12; rather the sense is, that they were slain by the side of him, or in the, place where he was, or along with him ^F13; see a like phrase in ( Jeremiah 38:10 ) ; now both the one and the other were cast into one pit: and this [was] that which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of
Israel;
which was either a ditch that was cast up against the wall that went round the city; or a large pit or well in the midst of it, to hold water in it; and this was made by King Asa, either when he built and fortified Mizpah, ( 1 Kings 15:22 ) ; or, as the Targum here, when Baasha king of Israel besieged it; which he made that he might be provided for with water during the siege; or to hide himself in it; or stop the enemy from proceeding any further, should he enter: [and] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with [them that were]
slain;
which shows it rather to be a pit or well within the city than a ditch about it; since it was filled with the slain, with those that were slain with Gedaliah, and those seventy other persons; and by which he made the well useless to the inhabitants hereafter.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (whyldg dyb) "in manu Gedaliae", Montanus, Vatablus.
F12 So T. Bab. Nidda, fol. 61. 1.
F13 "Ad latus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "in loco", some in Munster; "cum Gedalia", De Dieu, Gataker.

Jeremiah 41:9 In-Context

7 and when they were come to the midst of the city, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, killed them about the midst of the pit, he and the men that were with him. (and when they were come into the midst of the city, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and the men who were with him, killed them there, and threw them into the midst of the pit.)

8 But ten men were found among them, that said to Ishmael, Do not thou slay us, for we have treasure(s) of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey, in the field. And he ceased, and killed not them with their brethren. (But ten men were found among them, who said to Ishmael, Do not thou kill us, for we have treasures of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey, in the field. And so he ceased, and did not kill them with their kinsmen.)

9 Forsooth the pit into which Ishmael casted forth all the carrions of [the] men, which he killed for Gedaliah, is that pit, which king Asa made for Baasha, the king of Israel; Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, filled that pit with slain men. (And the pit into which Ishmael cast forth all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had lured to their deaths using the name of Gedaliah, is that pit, which King Asa made for Baasha, the king of Israel; Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, filled that pit with dead men.)

10 And Ishmael led (away as) prisoners all the remnants of the people, that were in Mizpah, the daughters of the king, and all the people that dwelled in Mizpah, which Nebuzaradan, the prince of [the] chivalry, had betaken to keeping to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. And Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, took them, and went to pass over to the sons of Ammon. (And Ishmael led away as prisoners all the remnant of the people who were in Mizpah, that is, the daughters of the king, and all the people who lived in Mizpah, which Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had delivered to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. And Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, took them, and left to go over to the Ammonites.)

11 Forsooth Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the princes of warriors, that were with him (Now Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the leaders of the warriors, who were with him), heard (of) all the evil, which Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, had done.