Jeremiah 41:12

12 So they took all the men and went to 1fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and they found him by the 2great pool that is in Gibeon.

Jeremiah 41:12 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 41:12

Then they took all the men
All the soldiers that were under their command; this they did at once, believing the report to be true, as they had reason to do; since they knew of Ishmael's designs, and had given notice and warning of them to Gedaliah, though he would not listen to them: and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah:
resolving to give him battle, and to revenge the innocent blood he had shed, and rescue the captives out of his hands he was carrying to the Ammonites: and found him by the great waters that [are] in Gibeon;
taking this road to the country of Ammon, though it was not quite the direct road; either to avoid the forces of Johanan; or rather for the sake of the hid treasure at Shechem, or Shiloh, or Samaria, the ten men had promised him for their lives. These great waters were the same with the pool at Gibeon, where the servants of Ishbosheth and the servants of David met, and sat one on one side, and the other on the other; and where twelve young men on each side slew one another, and from thence called Helkathhazzurim, ( 2 Samuel 2:12-16 ) ; and the Targum calls it

``the pool of many waters, which were in Gibeon.''
Josephus F16 calls it a fountain in Hebron; which perhaps should be read Gibeon.
FOOTNOTES:

F16 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 5.

Jeremiah 41:12 In-Context

10 Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people who were in Mizpah, the king's daughters and all the people who were left in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had put under the charge of Gedaliah the son of Ahikam; thus Ishmael the son of Nethaniah took them captive and proceeded to cross over to the sons of Ammon.
11 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done.
12 So they took all the men and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and they found him by the great pool that is in Gibeon.
13 Now as soon as all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and the commanders of the forces that were with him, they were glad.
14 So all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Genesis 14:14-16; 1 Sam 30:1-8, 18, 20
  • 2. 2 Samuel 2:13

Footnotes 1

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