Jeremias 41:14-22

14 When six years are accomplished, thou shalt set free thy brother the Hebrew, who shall be sold to thee: for he shall serve thee six years, and thou shalt let him go free: but they hearkened not to me, and inclined not their ear.

15 And this day they turned to do that which was right in my sight, to proclaim every one the release of his neighbour; and they had concluded a covenant before me, in the house whereon my name is called.

16 But ye turned and profaned my name, to bring back every one his servant, and every one his handmaid, whom ye had sent forth free at their own disposal, to be to you men-servants and maid-servants.

17 Therefore thus said the Lord; Ye have not hearkened to me, to proclaim a release every one to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a release to you, to the sword, and to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will give you up to dispersion all the kingdoms of the earth.

18 And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, who have not kept my covenant, which they made before me, the calf which they prepared to sacrifice with it,

19 the princes of Juda, and the men in power, and the priests, and the people;

20 I will even give them to their enemies, and their carcases shall be food for the birds of the sky and for the wild beasts of the earth.

21 And I will give Sedekias king of Judea, and their princes, into the hands of their enemies, and the host of the king of Babylon them that run away from them.

22 Behold, I give command, saith the Lord, and will bring them back to this land; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire, and the cities of Juda; and I will make them desolate without inhabitants.

Jeremias 41:14-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 41

This chapter relates the event of the conspiracy against Gedaliah Johanan and the princes had informed him of, to which he gave no credit; but it proved true. An account is given of the murder of Gedaliah, and of the Jews and Chaldeans with him; and of the perpetrators of it, Jer 41:1-3; and of the chief of them, Ishmael's treacherous dealing with fourscore men that came from several parts to the house of God to offer sacrifice, who all perished by his hands, excepting ten, Jer 41:4-9; and of the rest of the people at Mizpah being carried away, in order to be captives among the Ammonites, Jer 41:10; and of Johanan, and the rest of the captives, hearing of all this, and coming out to fight with Ishmael; upon which the people deserted him, and he fled to the Ammonites, Jer 41:11-15; and of Johanan and the people settling in the way to Egypt, to flee there on occasion, should the Chaldeans fall on them for what was done to the governor, which they feared, Jer 41:16-18.