Jeremiah 40:16

16 And Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, said to Johanan, the son of Kareah, Do not thou do this word, for thou speakest false of Ishmael. (But Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, said to Johanan, the son of Kareah, Do not thou do this thing, for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.)

Jeremiah 40:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 40:16

But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of
Kareah
In answer to his request, and the motion made by him: thou shalt not do this thing;
or, "do not do this thing" ^F26; dissuading him from it, as being unlawful to take away a man's life in such a secret manner, without any legal process against him; though it seems to carry more in it, that he laid his commands upon him not to do it, and threatened him if he did: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael;
or "a lie" ^F1; a falsehood, a mere calumny; which was not using Johanan well, neither kindly nor genteelly, who had expressed such a concern for him, and for the public good. The event related in the following chapter shows that the information was good, and that it was no lie or calumny that was told; and it would have been well for Gedaliah, and the people of the Jews, had he given credit to it; but the time was not come for the Jewish commonwealth to be restored; and things were thus suffered to be, for the further punishment of the sins of that people.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 (rbdh ta vet la) "noli facere hoc verbum", V. L. "ne facias verbum hoc", Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt.
F1 (rqv) "mendacium", Schmidt; "falsum", Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 40:16 In-Context

14 and said to him, Know thou, that Baalis, king of the sons of Ammon, hath sent Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, to smite thy life. And Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, believed not to them. (and said to him, Know thou, that Baalis, the king of the Ammonites, hath sent Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, to strike down thy life. But Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, did not believe them.)

15 Forsooth Johanan, the son of Kareah, said to Gedaliah asides half in Mizpah, and spake, I shall go, and slay Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, while no man knoweth, lest he slay thy life, and all the Jews be scattered, that be gathered to thee, and the remnants of Judah shall perish. (Then Johanan, the son of Kareah, took Gedaliah aside in Mizpah, and said, I shall go, and kill Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, while no one knoweth it, lest he kill thee, and then all the Jews be scattered, who now be gathered to thee, and so the remnant of Judah shall perish.)

16 And Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, said to Johanan, the son of Kareah, Do not thou do this word, for thou speakest false of Ishmael. (But Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, said to Johanan, the son of Kareah, Do not thou do this thing, for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.)