Yirmeyah 41:17

17 And they departed, and dwelt in the Gerut Kimham, which is near Beit-Lechem, intending to go to Mitzrayim,

Yirmeyah 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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Yirmeyah 41:17 In-Context

15 But Yishmael ben Netanyah escaped from Yochanan with eight anashim, and went over to the Bnei Ammon.

16 Then took Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces that were with him, all the she’erit haAm whom he had recovered from Yishmael ben Netanyah, from Mitzpah, after that he had slain Gedalyah ben Achikam, even gevarim anshei hamilchamah, and the nashim, and the children, and the sarisim, whom he had brought from Giveon;

17 And they departed, and dwelt in the Gerut Kimham, which is near Beit-Lechem, intending to go to Mitzrayim,

18 Because of the Kasdim (Chaldeans); for they were afraid of them, because Yishmael ben Netanyah had slain Gedalyah ben Achikam, whom Melech Bavel made governor in ha’aretz.