Jeremiah 40:9
in Jeremiah 40Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
KJV
And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
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This verse in Jeremiah 40
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
To serve the Chaldeans - literally, as margin; to be their minister and lieutenant. Gedaliah supposed that officers of high rank would come from time to time from Babylon to look after the king’s interests. But whatever was ordered would be done through him, as being the prime minister. Gather ye wine - As Jerusalem was captured in the fifth month, August, it would now be autumn, and there would be fruit upon the trees, enough to maintain the scanty population during the winter. Taken - Or, seized.
This site's exposition
When all the commanders and men of the armies in the field heard
on Jeremiah 40:7-10
The commanders hear that Gedaliah has been appointed, and they come to him at Mizpah. Gedaliah swears, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans,” the counsel Jeremiah gave in 29:5-7. Gill notes Gedaliah was the grandson of Shaphan, who read the law to Josiah in 2 Kings 22:10.
This site's exposition
Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans
The captains had fought Babylon and feared they would find no pardon, so Gedaliah gives his oath, as Jamieson, Fausset and Brown explain. Matthew Henry adds that God's sentence had bound Judah to yield to Babylon. Jeremiah had given Zedekiah the same counsel at 27:12.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Fear not the sin of it." Though the divine law had forbidden them to make leagues with the heathen, yet the divine sentence had obliged them to yield to the king of Babylon. "Fear not the reproach of it, and the disparagement it will be to your nation; it is what God has brought you to, has bound you to, and it is no disgrace to any to comply with him.
And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan aware unto them and to their men,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Fear not--They were afraid that they should not obtain pardon from the Chaldeans for their acts. He therefore assured them of safety by an oath. serve--literally, "to stand before" (Jer 40:10; Jer 52:12), that is, to be at hand ready to execute the commands of the king of Babylon.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע | vaiyishava' | and he swore an oath | H7650 → | 186 times |
| לָהֶ֜ם | lahem | to <the> them | ||
| גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ | gedalyahu | Gedaliah | H1436 → | 32 times |
| בֶן־ | ven- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אֲחִיקָ֤ם | ʾachikam | Ahikam | H296 → | 20 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שָׁפָן֙ | shafan | Shaphan | H8227 → | 34 times |
| וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֣ם | uleansheihem | and to men their | H582 → | 566 times |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּֽירְא֖וּ | tireu | you be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| מֵעֲב֣וֹד | meavod | from serving | H5647 → | 288 times |
| הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑ים | hakasdim | the Chaldeans | H3778 → | 80 times |
| שְׁב֣וּ | shevu | remain | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בָאָ֗רֶץ | vaaretz | in the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְעִבְד֛וּ | veivdu | and serve | H5647 → | 288 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מֶ֥לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| בָּבֶ֖ל | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| וְיִיטַ֥ב | veyitav | so it may go well | H3190 → | 117 times |
| לָכֶֽם׃ | lakhem | for <the> you |
וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨עand he swore an oath
vaiyishava'H7650 →186 times
לָהֶ֜םto <the> them
lahem
גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּGedaliah
gedalyahuH1436 →32 times
בֶן־[the] son of
ven-H1121 →4930 times
אֲחִיקָ֤םAhikam
ʾachikamH296 →20 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
שָׁפָן֙Shaphan
shafanH8227 →34 times
וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֣םand to men their
uleansheihemH582 →566 times
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּֽירְא֖וּyou be afraid
tireuH3372 →315 times
מֵעֲב֣וֹדfrom serving
meavodH5647 →288 times
הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑יםthe Chaldeans
hakasdimH3778 →80 times
שְׁב֣וּremain
shevuH3427 →1079 times
בָאָ֗רֶץin the land
vaaretzH776 →2504 times
וְעִבְד֛וּand serve
veivduH5647 →288 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מֶ֥לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
בָּבֶ֖לBabylon
bavelH894 →262 times
וְיִיטַ֥בso it may go well
veyitavH3190 →117 times
לָכֶֽם׃for <the> you
lakhem
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
Psalms 37:3Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 17:7–8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.
- Matthew 6:31–33
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
- Psalms 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah
- 1 Corinthians 15:57–58
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
- Psalms 34:9–10
Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.
- Jeremiah 17:7–8
Through
Jeremiah 27:11But the nation that will put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave in its own land, to cultivate it and reside in it, declares…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 38:2
“This is what the LORD says: Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will live; he will retain his life like a…
- Jeremiah 27:8
As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation by sword and famine and plague,…
- Jeremiah 21:9
Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who besiege you will live; he will retain his life like a…
- Jeremiah 38:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.