Jeremiah 40
OGCREVIEW OF CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I. Facts to Master
The choice which the Chaldeans gave to Jeremiah at Riblah (Jeremiah 40:4).
The man the Chaldeans appointed governor (Jeremiah 40:9).
The headquarters of Gedaliah and the new home of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 40:6; Jeremiah 40:10).
Names of the king of Ammon and the Jewish officer who plotted against Gedaliah (Jeremiah 40:14).
The various ones slain by Ishmael (Jeremiah 41:2-5).
Place where Ishmael buried those he had slain (Jeremiah 41:9).
Place to which Ishmael was attempting to flee after the assassination of Gedaliah (Jeremiah 41:10).
The captain who rescued the hostages (Jeremiah 41:11).
Place at which the rescue took place (Jeremiah 41:12).
Fate of Ishmael (Jeremiah 41:15).
The request which the captains made of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 42:1-3).
Amount of time which elapsed before the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 42:7).
Substance of Jeremiah’s advice to the remnant (Jeremiah 42:8-22).
The one the captains blamed for the oracle of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 43:3).
Place in Egypt to which the remnant came (Jeremiah 43:7).
That which Jeremiah was commanded to do in Egypt (Jeremiah 43:9).
Substance of the threat which followed the above act (Jeremiah 43:10-13).
Locations in Egypt where Jews had settled (Jeremiah 44:1).
The accusation Jeremiah made against the remnant in Egypt (Jeremiah 44:7-8).
The threat against the remnant in Egypt (Jeremiah 44:12; Jeremiah 44:14).
The goddess being worshiped by the remnant (Jeremiah 44:17).
The oath which God had taken regarding the remnant in Egypt (Jeremiah 44:26).
The name of the Egyptian pharaoh who would be given into the hands of his enemy as a sign (Jeremiah 44:30).
The person to whom Jeremiah directed a personal word (Jeremiah 45:1).
The time and occasion of the oracle in chapter 45.
II. Questions to Ponder
Why were the Chaldeans so kind to Jeremiah? (Jeremiah 39:11-14; Jeremiah 40:4-5).
What were Jews doing in foreign countries? Why did they come back after the destruction of Jerusalem? (Jeremiah 40:11-12)
Why did Gedaliah refuse the warnings of his faithful officers concerning the plot against his life? (Jeremiah 40:13-16)
Where were the eighty going to worship? Why the signs of mourning? Why no sacrificial animals? (Jeremiah 41:5)
Why did Ishmael slay these pilgrims? (Jeremiah 41:7) Why take the rest of the people in Mizpah captive? (Jeremiah 41:10)
Why does the narrator go into so much detail concerning the administration of assassination of Gedaliah?
Were the captains sincere in asking Jeremiah to seek divine guidance for the remnant? (Jeremiah 42:1-6; Jeremiah 43:2)
What is the meaning of Beth-shemesh? To what Egyptian city is Jeremiah likely referring? (Jeremiah 43:13)
Why so much emphasis on the destruction of Egyptian temples? (Jeremiah 43:12-13)
Summarize the argument for idolatry which the remnant offered in response to Jeremiah’s denunciation. (Jeremiah 44:17-19)
Summarize the rebuttal which Jeremiah gave to the women in Egypt (Jeremiah 44:20-23)
Would all the remnant in Egypt perish in war? (See 43:14; Jeremiah 44:28)
In what way would the death of Pharaoh Hophra be a sign to the Jews? What were the circumstances of his death?
Why did Baruch feel self-pity? (Jeremiah 45:3)
How does God deal with the self-pity of this disciple? (Jeremiah 45:4)
What is the meaning of the words I will give you your life for a prey?
What other great men of God experienced self-pity? How did God deal with them?
Jeremiah 40:1-6
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
TRAGEDY BEYOND TRAGEDY
Jeremiah 40:1 to Jeremiah 45:5
Chapter s 40-44 are a continuation of the narrative begun in chapter 37 which was interrupted briefly by the oracle to Ebed-melech in Jeremiah 39:15-18. The events take place in two geographical areasJudah (Jeremiah 40:1 to Jeremiah 43:7) and Egypt (Jeremiah 43:8 to Jeremiah 44:30). Chapter 45 serves as an appendix to the entire second division of the Book of Jeremiah (Chapter s 26-45).
The introductory formula at the beginning of Jer 40:1 would lead one to expect a prophetic utterance to follow. The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord. As a matter of fact no oracle or prophecy occurs until Jeremiah 42:9. Some suppose that a prophetic word or prophecy originally followed this introduction and that it has been lost or removed to some other part of the book.[338] Others think that the word includes all the revelations given at various times during the critical period pictured in Chapter s 40-44.[339] Probably, however, the expression the word should be taken in a wider sense, including history as well as prophecy.[340]
[338] Cheyne, op. cit., II, 156.
[339] Laetsch. op. cit. p. 302.
[340] Streane.* op. cit.,* p. 261.
I. EVENTS IN JUDAH Jeremiah 40:1 to Jeremiah 43:7
The events in Judah following the fall of Jerusalem center around the Babylonian appointed Gedaliah, his administration (Jeremiah 40:1-12), his assassination (Jeremiah 40:13 to Jeremiah 41:16) and the aftermath of his death (Jeremiah 41:17 to Jeremiah 43:7). This section contains biographical narrative[341] (Jeremiah 40:1 to Jeremiah 42:6; Jeremiah 43:1-7) and one prose sermon (Jeremiah 42:7-22).
[341] With the exception of Jer 40:1-6, a brief account of the release of Jeremiah, the life of the prophet is not mentioned in Chapter s 40 or 41. The term biographical narrative is still appropriate however in that these Chapter s are the necessary transition to the last chapter of the prophet’s life, his forced immigration to Egypt.
A. The Preferential Treatment of Jer 40:1-6
TRANSLATION
(1) The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard, had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him bound with chains in the midst of all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being deported to Babylon. (2) And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said unto him, the LORD your God spoke all this evil against this place; (3) and the LORD has brought about and accomplished all that He spoke. Because you have sinned against the LORD and you have not obeyed His voice, this thing has happened to you. And now behold, I have set you free this day from the chains which are upon your hands. If it is good in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you; but if in your opinion it is not good for you to come to Babylon, then do not come. See, all the land is before you. Go wherever you think it good and proper to go. (5) When he did not turn away, he added, Or return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah and dwell with him in the midst of the people, or go wherever you think is proper to go. So the commander of the guard gave him provisions, and a present, and released him. (6) And Jeremiah went unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah and dwelled with him in the midst of the people who remained in the land.
COMMENTS
In chapter 39 Jeremiah was freed from prison and committed to the care of Gedaliah. He was taken to his home where he must have remained for some time. Evidently while mingling with the people, Jeremiah was picked up by Babylonian soldiers under orders to fetter the Jews and prepare them for deportation. Perhaps Gedaliah was away from Jerusalem on business for Nebuchadnezzar at the time. In the absence of his protector Jeremiah did not receive any special favor from the soldiers who were in charge of the deportation. When Jerusalem was put to the torch the captives Were removed to Ramah which appears to have been the processing point for deportation to Babylon (Jeremiah 40:1).
Nebuzaradan, the commander of the occupational forces, found Jeremiah among the captives in Ramah. He quickly and apologetically removed the chains from the wrists of the prophet. How embarrassed Nebuzaradan must have been to discover that Jeremiah had been subjected to the indignities of being a captive when Nebuchadnezzar had expressly given orders that he be treated with kindness. This seems to be the first face to face meeting between Jeremiah and this powerful general. Nebuzaradan must have been quite accurately informed about the preaching of Jeremiah. He certainly speaks the very language of the prophet in Jeremiah 40:2-3. Most commentators regard these two verses as later insertion by some pious reader. A heathen could never have spoken in this manner! But is it not possible that this heathen might have heard of the predictions of Jeremiah? Perhaps he was impressed with the way in which these predictions had been so accurately fulfilled. It is, of course, possible that Jeremiah is merely paraphrasing the words of Nebuzaradan and putting his thoughts into language that would be meaningful to an Israelite. At any rate there are several other examples in Scripture of amazingly perceptive language attributed to heathen leaders.[342]
[342] As for example the edicts of Cyrus (Ezra 1:3-4) and Darius (Ezra 6:1-12), of Huram of Tyre (2 Chronicles 2:11-12); Pharaoh Necho at the battle of Megiddo (2 Chronicles 35:21) and Rabshakeh’s boast outside the walk of Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:25).
Upon freeing Jeremiah, Nebuzaradan allows the prophet to choose his own course of action. He may either go to Babylon with the other captives or remain in the homeland with the remnant of the people. If he should choose the former alternative, Nebuzaradan promises to personally see to his welfare. NOW while he was not yet gone back, i.e., while he was still in the process of making up his mind, Nebuzaradan suggested that if he should choose to remain in the homeland he should join Gedaliah the newly appointed governor. Jeremiah chose to cast his lot with the humble people who remained in the land. Like Moses before him, he chose to suffer ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the prestige and pleasure of a royal court. So Jeremiah was given a supply of food, a present of some kind, and then was sent on his way. The prophet elected to follow the advice of Nebuzaradan and join Gedaliah who had set up his headquarters at Mizpah.
Mizpah is generally identified with Tell en-Nasbeh, seven miles north of Jerusalem on the main road to Shechem. This town had played an important role in the history of Israel. Here Samuel led the nation in a great revival (1 Samuel 7:5); Saul was publicly named king of Israel (1 Samuel 10:17). Excavations have revealed no signs of a destruction of Mizpah in the sixth century B.C. It may be that Mizpah opened its gates to the Babylonians and as a result was made an administrative center by the conquerors.
Jeremiah 40:7-12
B. The Program of Gedaliah Jeremiah 40:7-12
TRANSLATION
(7) When all the army officers and their men who were in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land and had committed to him those men, women, and children of the poor of the land who had not been deported to Babylon, (8) they came unto Gedaliah to MizpahIshmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite. These came along with their men. (9) And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Do not fear to serve the Chaldeans. Remain in the land and serve the king of Babylon and it will be well with you. (10) And as for me, Behold, I shall dwell in Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans. As for you, gather wine, summer fruit, and oil and put them in vessels and live in the cities which you have taken. (11) When also all the Jews who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and in all lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant to Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, (12) all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven; and they came to the land of Judah to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and very much summer fruit.
COMMENTS
After the fall of Jerusalem, Judah became a province of the Babylonian empire. The Holy City, of course, had been completely destroyed, reduced to a heap of ashes. Jerusalem had been a thorn in the flesh of Nebuchadnezzar for so many years that he had unleashed his vengeance against her. But it was not the intention of Nebuchadnezzar to leave the whole land desolate. In case of future campaigns against Egypt it would be very advantageous to have cultivated land available in that area which could furnish at least part of the provisions for his huge armies. Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah, a member of a prominent Jewish family, as governor. He did not appoint a Babylonian as governor because he did not wish to arouse the hostility of those Jews who remained in the land. Nor would a descendant of the house of David do, lest ambitions of a restored monarchy be aroused. Gedaliah was an ideal choice. He came from a God-fearing and influential family[343] which through the years had supported the contention of Jeremiah that Nebuchadnezzar had been appointed by God the ruler of the world. Some conjectureand they are probably correctthat Gedaliah had followed the advice of Jeremiah and defected to the Chaldeans early in the siege of Jerusalem. Be that as it may, it would have been very difficult for Nebuchadnezzar to have found a man better qualified than Gedaliah to lead the Jews in reorganizing themselves, Under his leadership Nebuchadnezzar intended to create in Palestine a self-governing commonwealth under Babylonian sovereignty. The great king hoped to maintain the loyalty of the new colony by granting to them as much freedom as possible, especially freedom of religion. Thus he hoped to create a state in western Asia upon which he could depend in any future showdown with Egypt.
[343] Gedaliah’s father, Ahikam, had once protected Jeremiah when he was on trial for his life (Jeremiah 26:24). His grandfather Shaphan had been secretary of state under the godly king Josiah (2 Kings 22:8).
The wisdom of Nebuchadnezzar’s choice of Gedaliah became evident at once. Gedaliah immediately launched into a program of reconstruction. His first goal was to unite the various factions into which the remnant of the people was divided. Scattered throughout the land were small guerrilla bands which had somehow escaped capture and destruction by the Chaldean army. Once the main body of foreign troops withdrew, these guerrilla units either came voluntarily or were summoned to Mizpah. Gedaliah wished to discuss with the leaders of these troops the future of the community in Palestine. Among those named as participating in the discussions are Ishmael who later turned traitor and murdered Gedaliah; Johanan and his brother Jonathan who later would lead the remnant to Egypt; Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth; the sons of Ephai from the town of Netophah which was located near Bethlehem; and Jezaniah, the son of the Maachathite.[344] With the cooperation of these men Gedaliah hoped to form a central government which would be adequate to the needs of the people during these dark days.
[344] The name Jaazaniah was found on a seal discovered at what is thought to be ancient Mizpah in 1932.
Gedaliah honestly and forthrightly presented his program to these captains and urged them to use their influence to secure peace throughout the land. First he assured these former soldiers that they had no reason to fear serving the Chaldeans. It may have been that Gedaliah had used his influence to secure from Nebuchadnezzar amnesty for all those who participated in the war against Babylon. Secondly, Gedaliah calls upon these leaders and their followers to dwell peacefully in the land and render service to the king of Babylon. If they continue to do this he promises them a life of peace and tranquility (Jeremiah 40:9). Gedaliah assures them that he would stay at Mizpah and handle the affairs of government,[345] He would act as liaison between Judeans and the Chaldean officials who might appear from time to time in the land. Finally, he urges the people to get busy and gather the harvest for the coming winter (Jeremiah 40:10).
[345] The verb in 10a translated serve is not the same verb that is used in Jeremiah 40:9. The verb here literally means stand before and means to be the minister of another and look after his interests.
News of Gedaliah’s appointment and the progress he had made in reorganizing the remnant spread far and wide. Many homesick Jews, who had fled across the Jordan some months earlier when hostilities had broken out in Palestine, now began to filter back to their native land. From Moab, Ammon and Edom as well as other lands they came. Catching the spirit of the reorganized community they joined in harvesting the land. After reaping an abundant harvest the remnant settled down in their homeland (Jeremiah 40:11-12). How thankful they must have been that God had so abundantly cared for their needs even during those difficult months of devastating warfare. How thankful they must have been to be living in the land of their forefathers.
C The Plot of Ishmael Jeremiah 40:13 to Jeremiah 41:16
The peace and tranquility of the tiny remnant in Palestine was soon shattered. Ishmael, a member of the royal family, began plotting behind the scenes to assassinate Gedaliah. Just what motivated Ishmael in this ruthless plot is not clear. It may be that he resented the fact that Gedaliah had been appointed governor rather than a member of the royal family. On the other hand Ishmael may have despised and hated Gedaliah for collaborating with the Chaldeans. Whatever the explanation for the dastardly deed which he committed, it is clear that Ishmael is being used as political pawn of Baalis, the king of the Ammonites. Baalis must have coveted the territory of Judah for himself and decided that Gedaliah was standing in the way. Envy, jealousy and greed must surely have been the factors which drove Baalis and Ishmael into their unholy alliance.
Jeremiah 40:13-16
- The plot revealed (Jeremiah 40:13-16)
TRANSLATION
(13) Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the officers of the army which was in the field came unto Gedaliah at Mizpah. (14) And they said unto him, Are you at all aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay you? But Gedaliah did not believe them. (15) so Jonathan the son of Kareah privately said to Gedaliah in Mizpah, let me go I beg you that I may smite Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and no man will know of it. Why should he smite you and cause all of the Jews who have gathered unto You to be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish? (16) But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Do not do this thing, for you are speaking a falsehood concerning Ishmael.
COMMENTS
Somehow word of the treacherous plot reached the ears of Johanan. Perhaps Ishmael had even tried to enlist Johanan in the conspiracy. At once he warned the governor (Jeremiah 40:13-14). Gedaliah, being the righteous and godly man that he was, could not bring himself to believe that the report was true. Whether Gedaliah is here being naive and foolish or courageous is difficult to tell. Some have suggested that he brushed aside this threat to his life in order to inspire confidence on the part of the various leaders who had come to him at Mizpah. Perhaps he thought the report was only symptomatic of the divisions within the remnant and that it would be best to disregard such malicious slander. But Johanan knew that the death of Gedaliah would mean disaster for the tiny remnant. He was convinced that the reports concerning Ishmael were true. Privately he pressed the matter with the governor, offering to immediately slay Ishmael if Gedaliah so desired. He underscored the point that if Gedaliah were slain the Jewish remnant in Palestine would be scattered and destroyed (Jeremiah 40:15). If Gedaliah had merely been putting up a brave front before there is no reason for him to do so now. He ordered that no action be taken against Ishmael and he accuses Johanan of making false accusations against a fellow officer (Jeremiah 40:16). While of course Gedaliah was right in refusing to allow the assassination of Ishmael, it does seem that he should have taken more active steps to protect his own person. His lack of cautiousness led to his own assassination.