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Jeremiah 41:8

in Jeremiah 41

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.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not; for we have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

KJV

But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

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This verse in Jeremiah 41

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

But ten of the men among them said to Ishmael

on Jeremiah 41:8-10

Ten of the men save their lives by telling of “hidden treasure in the field.” The cistern he fills with the dead is the one “King Asa had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel” (1 Kings 15:22). Ishmael takes the remnant captive and sets off for the Ammonites.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Skin for skin, and all that a man has, will he give for his life. Ishmael saved them, not for the love of mercy, but for the love of money. Here were riches kept for the owners thereof, not to their hurt ( Eccl. v. 13 ) and to cause them to lose their lives ( Job xxxi.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

But ten men were found among them, that said unto Ishmael, slay us not,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

treasures--It was customary to hide grain in cavities underground in troubled times. "We have treasures," which we will give, if our lives be spared. slew . . . not-- (Pr 13:8).

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

Treasures - Hidden stores; which would be of great value to Ishmael in his retreat back to Baalis.

The words behind it

23 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.

  • וַעֲשָׂרָ֨הand ten

    vaasarahH6235 →176 times

  • אֲנָשִׁ֜יםmen

    ʾanashimH582 →566 times

  • נִמְצְאוּ־they were found

    nimtzeu-H4672 →455 times

  • בָ֗םamong <the> them

    vam

  • וַיֹּאמְר֤וּand they said

    vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙Ishmael

    yishmaelH3458 →48 times

  • אַל־may not

    ʾal-H408 →724 times

  • תְּמִתֵ֔נוּyou kill us

    temitenuH4191 →839 times

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • יֶשׁ־there is

    yesh-H3426 →140 times

  • לָ֤נוּ[belonging] to <the> us

    lanu

  • מַטְמֹנִים֙treasures

    matmonimH4301 →

  • בַּשָּׂדֶ֔הin the field

    basadehH7704 →334 times

  • חִטִּ֥יםwheat<s>

    chitimH2406 →

  • וּשְׂעֹרִ֖יםand barley<s>

    useorimH8184 →

  • וְשֶׁ֣מֶןand oil

    veshemenH8081 →

  • וּדְבָ֑שׁand honey

    udevashH1706 →54 times

  • וַיֶּחְדַּ֕לand he refrained

    vaiyechdalH2308 →58 times

  • וְלֹ֥אand not

    velo'H3808 →5168 times

  • הֱמִיתָ֖םhe killed them

    hemitamH4191 →839 times

  • בְּת֥וֹךְin among

    betokhH8432 →418 times

  • אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃relatives their

    ʾacheihemH251 →630 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.

Isaiah 45:3I will give you the treasures of darkness and the riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.6 worksJob 2:4“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.4 worksProverbs 21:20Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.4 worksProverbs 13:8Riches may ransom a man’s life, but a poor man hears no threat.3 worksPsalms 49:6–8They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.2 worksPhilippians 3:7–9But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.2 works
The other 6 cross-references, with their words ▾
Matthew 6:25Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?2 worksMatthew 16:26What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?2 worksMark 8:36–37What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?2 works2 Kings 7:8When the lepers reached the edge of the camp, they went into a tent to eat and drink. Then they carried off the silver, gold, and clothing, and went and hid them. On returning, they entered another tent, carried off some items from there, and hid them.2 worksGenesis 37:26Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?2 works1 Chronicles 27:25Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the royal storehouses. Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the fortresses.2 works

The walk

8 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

    Matthew 6:25

    Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more…

    it leads to

    • Philippians 4:6

      Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

    • 1 Peter 5:7

      Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

    • Romans 8:32

      He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?

    • Psalms 55:22

      Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.

    • Luke 12:22–31

      Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.

  • Through

    Proverbs 13:8

    Riches may ransom a man’s life, but a poor man hears no threat.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 16:26

      What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 1 Peter 1:18–19

      For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,

  • Through

    Job 2:4

    “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.

    it leads to

    • Philippians 3:8–10

      More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may…

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 41 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.

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