Jeremiah 41:17

17 And they went and stayed in ¹Geruth Chimham, which is beside Bethlehem, in order to ²proceed * into Egypt

Jeremiah 41:17 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 41:17

And they departed
From Mizpah, Johanan, and the captains of the forces, and all the people rescued from Ishmael: and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem:
so called perhaps from Chimham, the son of Barzillai the Gileadite, to whom David or Solomon might give this place to dwell in, ( 2 Samuel 19:37 ) ( 1 Kings 2:7 ) . The Targum is express for the former, calling it

``the habitation which David gave to Chimham, the son of Barzillai the Gileadite;''

and as it was near Bethlehem, it might be a part of the patrimony which belonged to David, as a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite; which he might give to Chimham, out of respect to his father Barzillai, who showed kindness to him when he was obliged to flee from Absalom; which, though it returned to David's family in the year of jubilee, as all inheritances did, yet might continue to be called after the name of Chimham, in commemoration of the royal grant of it to him. Josephus ^F18 calls the name of the place Mandra. The reason why Johanan and those with him pitched on this place was, because it lay in the way to go to enter into Egypt;
where they had an inclination to go; having still a friendly regard to that people, and a confidence in them, as appears by some following chapters; and that they might be ready and at hand to flee thither, should the Chaldeans come against them, which they feared.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 5.

Jeremiah 41:17 In-Context

15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the sons of Ammon.

16 Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him took from Mizpah all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, that is, the men who were soldiers , the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon.

17 And they went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, which is beside Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt

18 because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, since Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Sam 19:37, 38, 40
• 2. Jeremiah 42:14

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "the lodging place of Chimham"