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Jeremiah 41:2

in Jeremiah 41

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.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

KJV

Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

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This verse in Jeremiah 41

Commentary

4 notes on this verse
Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him,.... After they had eat and drank well, they rose up from their seats at table: and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him; they all drew their swords and thrust at him, and were assisting in the murder of him; though it is probable that it was Ishmael that gave him the mortal wound, since the phrase, "and slew him", is singular.

This site's exposition

in the seventh month

on Jeremiah 41:1-3

In the seventh month Ishmael, “a member of the royal family,” comes with ten men to Gedaliah, and “they ate a meal together there.” After the meal they strike Gedaliah down, with the Jews and the Chaldean soldiers. Keil notes the part of Baalis king of Ammon named in 40:14.

This site's exposition

struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam

The men rise from the meal to kill their host. John Gill notes the verb for the killing is singular, which suggests Ishmael dealt the mortal blow. The verse closes on the office Gedaliah held, so the murder strikes at the king of Babylon's appointment as well as the man.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Smote Gedaliah - See the preceding chapter, Jer 41:14.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

and officers of the king They were jealous of him that he took a high position.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Jeremiah 41:1:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

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

24 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.

  • וַיָּקָם֩and he arose

    vaiyakamH6965 →628 times

  • יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אלIshmael

    yishmaelH3458 →48 times

  • בֶּן־[the] son of

    ben-H1121 →4930 times

  • נְתַנְיָ֜הNethaniah

    netanyahH5418 →20 times

  • וַעֲשֶׂ֥רֶתand [the] ten

    vaaseretH6235 →176 times

  • הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים׀the men

    haanashimH582 →566 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־who

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • הָי֣וּthey were

    hayuH1961 →3559 times

  • אִתּ֗וֹwith him

    ʾitoH854 →929 times

  • וַ֠יַּכּוּand they struck down

    vaiyakuH5221 →499 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּGedaliah

    gedalyahuH1436 →32 times

  • בֶן־[the] son of

    ven-H1121 →4930 times

  • אֲחִיקָ֧םAhikam

    ʾachikamH296 →20 times

  • בֶּן־[the] son of

    ben-H1121 →4930 times

  • שָׁפָ֛ןShaphan

    shafanH8227 →34 times

  • בַּחֶ֖רֶבwith the sword

    bacherevH2719 →413 times

  • וַיָּ֣מֶתand he killed

    vaiyametH4191 →839 times

  • אֹת֑וֹ<obj.> him

    ʾotoH853 →10935 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׃over the land

    baaretzH776 →2504 times

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

Related verses

14 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.

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.5 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.3 works2 Kings 25:22Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, over the people he had left behind in the land of Judah.3 works2 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.2 worksPsalms 109:5They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.2 worksPsalms 41:9Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.2 works
The other 8 cross-references, with their words ▾
2 Samuel 20:9–10“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.2 worksJeremiah 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,2 worksIsaiah 24:2people and priest alike, servant and master, maid and mistress, buyer and seller, lender and borrower, creditor and debtor.2 worksJeremiah 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.2 worksJeremiah 40:16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is a lie.”2 worksJeremiah 41:15But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and went to the Ammonites.2 works2 Kings 22:9And Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported, “Your servants have paid out the money that was found in the temple and have put it into the hands of the workers and supervisors of the house of the LORD.”2 worksNehemiah 6:2Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.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

    Psalms 41:9

    Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

    it leads to

    • John 13:18

      I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’

    • Psalms 55:12–14

      For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide.

    • Matthew 26:23

      Jesus answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me.

    • John 13:26–27

      Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this morsel after I have dipped it.” Then He dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.

    • Psalms 55:20–22

      My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 3:27

    When 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…

    it leads to

    • 1 Kings 2:5

      Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them…

    • 2 Samuel 20:9–10

      “Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 40:5

    But 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.

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 Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Jeremiah 41 →