Jeremiah 41:3

3 Yishma'el also killed all the Yehudim who were with him, [to wit], with Gedalyahu, at Mitzpah, and the Kasdim who were found there, the men of war.

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.


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 Now it happened in the seventh month, that Yishma'el the son of Netanyah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal and [one of] the chief officers of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedalyahu the son of Achikam to Mitzpah; and there they ate bread together in Mitzpah.
2 Then arose Yishma'el the son of Netanyah, and the ten men who were with him, and struck Gedalyahu the son of Achikam the son of Shafan with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Bavel had made governor over the land.
3 Yishma'el also killed all the Yehudim who were with him, [to wit], with Gedalyahu, at Mitzpah, and the Kasdim who were found there, the men of war.
4 It happened the second day after he had killed Gedalyahu, and no man knew it,
5 that there came men from Shekhem, from Shiloh, and from Shomron, even eighty men, having their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and having cut themselves, with meal-offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.