Jeremiah 41:18
in Jeremiah 41to 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.
KJV
Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.
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This verse in Jeremiah 41
Commentary
6 notes on this verseWe have scarcely such an instance of perfidious cruelty in all the scripture; so that with John, when he saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, we may well wonder with great admiration. But God permitted it for the completing of the ruin of an unhumbled people, and the filling up of the measure of their judgments, who had filled up the measure of their iniquities.
This site's exposition
Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him took the whole remnant
on Jeremiah 41:16-18
Johanan takes the remnant, “the soldiers, women, children, and court officials,” and they stop at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem “in order to proceed into Egypt.” The reason is fear of reprisal: “they were afraid of the Chaldeans” because Ishmael had killed Babylon’s governor. The chapter ends on that fear.
This site's exposition
they were afraid of the Chaldeans
The remnant fears Babylon will avenge Gedaliah. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown say the better course was to lay the blame on Ishmael son of Nethaniah and clear themselves. Matthew Henry calls the fear a pretext for an old wish to return to Egypt.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But they only make use of this as a sham to cover that corrupt inclination of their unbelieving ancestors, which was so strong in them, to return into Egypt. Those will justly lose their comfort in real fears that excuse themselves in sin with pretended fears.
Because of the Chaldeans,.... Which clause some think should have been joined to Jer 41:
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Their better way towards gaining God's favor would have been to have laid the blame on the real culprit, and to have cleared themselves. A tortuous policy is the parent of fear. Righteousness inspires with boldness (Ps 53:5;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
in Geruth Chimham In the sojourning place that David gave to Chimham the son of Barzilai the Gileadite when he returned from the war of Absalom, as it is stated in the Book of Samuel (II: 39): “Chimham shall go over with me.”
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִפְּנֵי֙ | mipenei | from before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים | hakasdim | the Chaldeans | H3778 → | 80 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָרְא֖וּ | yareu | they were afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם | mipeneihem | of <before> them | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הִכָּ֞ה | hikah | he had struck down | H5221 → | 499 times |
| יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל | yishmael | Ishmael | H3458 → | 48 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| נְתַנְיָ֗ה | netanyah | Nethaniah | H5418 → | 20 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ | gedalyahu | Gedaliah | H1436 → | 32 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אֲחִיקָ֔ם | ʾachikam | Ahikam | H296 → | 20 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הִפְקִ֥יד | hifkid | he had appointed | H6485 → | 303 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| בָּבֶ֖ל | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ ס | baaretz | over the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
מִפְּנֵי֙from before
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔יםthe Chaldeans
hakasdimH3778 →80 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יָרְא֖וּthey were afraid
yareuH3372 →315 times
מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑םof <before> them
mipeneihemH6440 →2123 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הִכָּ֞הhe had struck down
hikahH5221 →499 times
יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אלIshmael
yishmaelH3458 →48 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
נְתַנְיָ֗הNethaniah
netanyahH5418 →20 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙Gedaliah
gedalyahuH1436 →32 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
אֲחִיקָ֔םAhikam
ʾachikamH296 →20 times
אֲשֶׁר־whom
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
הִפְקִ֥ידhe had appointed
hifkidH6485 →303 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
בָּבֶ֖לBabylon
bavelH894 →262 times
בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ סover the land
baaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Isaiah 57:11Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and failed to remember Me or take this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear…
it leads to
- Isaiah 51:12–13
“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?
- Psalms 50:21
You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
- Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.
- Jeremiah 3:21
A voice is heard on the barren heights, the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy, because they have perverted their ways and forgotten the LORD their God.
- Isaiah 51:12–13
Through
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.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 11:8
You fear the sword, so I will bring the sword against you, declares the Lord GOD.
- Jeremiah 44:27
I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and every man of Judah who is in the land of Egypt will meet his end by sword or famine, until they are…
- Amos 9:1–4
I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Topple them on the heads of all the people, and I will…
- Ezekiel 11:8
Through
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…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 39:14
had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guard, and they turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So Jeremiah remained among his own people.
- Jeremiah 39:14
About Jeremiah
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsIshmaelAbraham's son by Hagar — blessed and made a great nation, but not the covenant heir; Paul's figure of the flesh (Gal 4:21–31).
- PlaceBabil Governorate (archaeological site)BabylonAncient Mesopotamian city and imperial capital; site of the Israelite exile and a recurring biblical symbol of worldly power.
This page draws on Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.