Jeremiahchapter 41

A.Gedaliah Murdered at the Table in Mizpahvv. 1-10

1 In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and one of the king’s chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and they ate a meal together there. 2 Then Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the land. 3 Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Chaldean soldiers who were there. 4 On the second day after the murder of Gedaliah, when no one yet knew about it, 5 eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their garments, and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the house of the LORD. 6 And Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When Ishmael encountered the men, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” 7 And when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern. 8 But ten of the men among them said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us, for we have hidden treasure in the field—wheat, barley, oil, and honey!” So he refrained from killing them with the others. 9 Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men he had struck down along with Gedaliah was a large one that King Asa had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain. 10 Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people of Mizpah—the daughters of the king along with all the others who remained in Mizpah—over whom Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set off to cross over to the Ammonites.

B.Johanan Pursues, and the Remnant Turns Toward Egyptvv. 11-18

11 When Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him heard of all the crimes that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, 12 they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. And they found him near the great pool in Gibeon. 13 When all the people with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the army with him, they rejoiced, 14 and all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and went to the Ammonites. 16 Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him took the whole remnant of the people from Mizpah whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam: the soldiers, women, children, and court officials he had brought back from Gibeon. 17 And they went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, near Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt 18 to escape the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of the Chaldeans because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.

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Chapter summary

In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, of the royal seed, eats bread with Gedaliah at Mizpah and murders him, with the Jews and the Chaldean soldiers there.

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In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, of the royal seed, eats bread with Gedaliah at Mizpah and murders him, with the Jews and the Chaldean soldiers there. The next day, before the news is out, eighty pilgrims from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria come toward the house of Jehovah with offerings and incense, beards shaven and clothes rent; Ishmael goes out weeping to meet them, brings them inside, and kills seventy, filling the cistern King Asa had made. He carries off the rest, including the king's daughters, toward Ammon. Johanan overtakes him at the great waters in Gibeon and recovers the captives; Ishmael escapes with eight men. The survivors camp at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, already looking toward Egypt.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Jeremiah — Jeremiah overview

A. 1–10 Gedaliah Murdered at the Table in Mizpah
B. 11–18 Johanan Pursues, and the Remnant Turns Toward Egypt

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Jeremiah 406 verses
- Jeremiah 40:5But before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, “Return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people, or go anywhere else that seems right.” Then the captain of the guard gave him a ration and a gift and released him.
- Jeremiah 40:6So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.
- Jeremiah 40:7When all the commanders and men of the armies in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women, and children who were the poorest of the land and had not been exiled to Babylon,
- Jeremiah 40:8they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men.
- Jeremiah 40:13Meanwhile, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah
- Jeremiah 40:14and said to him, “Are you aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
- Read Jeremiah 40 →
Jeremiah 413 verses
- Jeremiah 41:7And when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern.
- Jeremiah 41:10Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people of Mizpah—the daughters of the king along with all the others who remained in Mizpah—over whom Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set off to cross over to the Ammonites.
- Jeremiah 41:11When Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him heard of all the crimes that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed,
- Read Jeremiah 41 →
Jeremiah 423 verses
- Jeremiah 42:8and he summoned Johanan son of Kareah, all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest.
- Jeremiah 42:14and if you say, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt and live there, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for bread,’
- Jeremiah 42:16then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow on your heels into Egypt, and you will die there.
- Read Jeremiah 42 →
2 Samuel 32 verses
- 2 Samuel 3:16Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.
- 2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
- Read 2 Samuel 3 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

1 Samuel 302 verses
- 1 Samuel 30:1On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down.
- 1 Samuel 30:17And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man escaped, except four hundred young men who fled, riding off on camels.
- Read 1 Samuel 30 →
2 Kings 251 verse
- 2 Kings 25:25In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down and killed Gedaliah, along with the Judeans and Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.
- Read 2 Kings 25 →
Psalms 411 verse
- Psalms 41:9Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
- Read Psalms 41 →
Ecclesiastes 91 verse
- Ecclesiastes 9:18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
- Read Ecclesiastes 9 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.