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Jeremiah 40:4

in Jeremiah 40

But now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains that were on your wrists. If it pleases you to come with me to Babylon, then come, and I will take care of you. But if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, go no farther. Look, the whole land is before you. Wherever it seems good and right to you, go there.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which are upon thy hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will look well unto thee; but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee; whither it seemeth good and right unto thee to go, thither go.

KJV

And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.

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This verse in Jeremiah 40

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

John Calvin

1509–1564

Commentaries (1554)

He now tells us, that he, as yet bound with chains, had been brought forth to Ramah in that miserable condition. These things appear inconsistent, but, as I have said, we must bear in mind, that there is an omission in that summary, which we have noticed.

This site's exposition

I am freeing you today from the chains that were on your wrists

on Jeremiah 40:4-6

Nebuzaradan frees Jeremiah and gives him a choice: come to Babylon, “I will take care of you,” or stay, “the whole land is before you.” He gives him “a ration and a gift”. Jeremiah goes to Gedaliah at Mizpah and stays “among the people who were left in the land.”

The record, by era

The Reformation1 voice

A commentator

John Calvin

1509–1564

Commentaries (1554)

proposed

And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

He advised him to go to Gedaliah and settle with him. This Gedaliah, made governor of the land under the king of Babylon, was an honest Jew, who (it is probably) betimes went over with his friends to the Chaldeans, and approved himself so well that he had this great trust put into his hands,
And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hands,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The great resort of the Jews that remained scattered in the neighbouring countries to Gedaliah, who was made their governor under the king of Babylon; and the good posture they were in for a while under him,

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

look well unto thee--the very words of Nebuchadnezzar's charge (Jer 39:12). all the land is before thee . . . seemeth good-- (Ge 20:15, Margin). Jeremiah alone had the option given him of staying where he pleased, when all the rest were either carried off or forced to remain there.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Come; and I will look well unto thee - Thou art now at full liberty to do as thou pleasest; either to come to Babylon or to stay in thy own land.

The words behind it

39 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְעַתָּ֞הand now

    veatahH6258 →433 times

  • הִנֵּ֧הhere!

    hinehH2009 →843 times

  • פִתַּחְתִּ֣יךָI have set free you

    fitachtikhaH6605 →144 times

  • הַיּ֗וֹםthis day

    haiyomH3117 →2304 times

  • מִֽן־from

    min-H4480 →1188 times

  • הָאזִקִּים֮the chains

    hazikimH246 →

  • אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • עַל־[are] on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • יָדֶךָ֒hand your

    yadekhaH3027 →1618 times

  • אִם־if

    ʾim-H518 →1069 times

  • ט֨וֹבit is good

    tovH2895 →45 times

  • בְּעֵינֶ֜יךָin view your

    beeineikhaH5869 →887 times

  • לָב֧וֹאto come

    lavo'H935 →2568 times

  • אִתִּ֣יwith me

    ʾitiH854 →929 times

  • בָבֶ֗לBabylon

    vavelH894 →262 times

  • בֹּ֚אcome

    bo'H935 →2568 times

  • וְאָשִׂ֤יםso I may set

    veasimH7760 →584 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • עֵינִי֙eye my

    ʾeiniH5869 →887 times

  • עָלֶ֔יךָon you

    ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times

  • וְאִם־and if

    veim-H518 →1069 times

  • רַ֧ע[is] displeasing

    ra'H7489 →107 times

  • בְּעֵינֶ֛יךָin view your

    beeineikhaH5869 →887 times

  • לָבֽוֹא־to come

    lavo'-H935 →2568 times

  • אִתִּ֥יwith me

    ʾitiH854 →929 times

  • בָבֶ֖לBabylon

    vavelH894 →262 times

  • חֲדָ֑לrefrain

    chadalH2308 →58 times

  • רְאֵה֙see

    reehH7200 →1300 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • הָאָ֣רֶץthe land

    haaretzH776 →2504 times

  • לְפָנֶ֔יךָ[is] <to> before you

    lefaneikhaH6440 →2123 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • ט֨וֹב[the place] good

    tovH2896 →538 times

  • וְאֶל־and to

    veel-H413 →5510 times

  • הַיָּשָׁ֧רthe [place] right

    haiyasharH3477 →119 times

  • בְּעֵינֶ֛יךָin view your

    beeineikhaH5869 →887 times

  • לָלֶ֥כֶתto go

    lalekhetH1980 →1546 times

  • שָׁ֖מָּהthere towards

    shamahH8033 →834 times

  • לֵֽךְ׃go

    lekhH1980 →1546 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

12 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Jeremiah 39:11–12Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, saying,5 worksGenesis 20:15And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”4 worksJeremiah 39:12“Take him, look after him, and do not let any harm come to him; do for him whatever he says.”3 worksEsther 3:11“Keep your money,” said the king to Haman. “These people are given to you to do with them as you please.”3 worksLamentations 3:7He has walled me in so I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains.3 works1 Kings 17:6The ravens would bring him bread and meat in the morning and evening, and he would drink from the brook.2 works
The other 6 cross-references, with their words ▾
Jeremiah 36:5Then Jeremiah commanded Baruch, “I am restricted; I cannot enter the house of the LORD;2 worksJeremiah 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.2 worksJeremiah 28:14For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I have even given him control of the beasts of the field.’”2 worksActs 12:6On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.2 worksGenesis 44:21Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’2 worksGenesis 13:9Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”1 works

The walk

7 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Genesis 20:15

    And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”

    it leads to

    • Genesis 34:10

      You may settle among us, and the land will be open to you. Live here, move about freely, and acquire your own property.”

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Genesis 13:9

      Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to…

    • Genesis 47:6

      the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They may dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know of any talented…

  • Through

    Genesis 13:9

    Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to…

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 12:14

      Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

    • 1 Peter 3:8–12

      Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.

    • Genesis 20:15

      And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”

    • Romans 12:18

      If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

Where this verse is studied

About Jeremiah

Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, Rembrandt, 1630. Public domain.
Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, Rembrandt, 1630. Public domain.
Jeremiah: the study guide →Read Jeremiah 40 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Jeremiah 40 →