JEREMIAH
40
A
Bible Study - Commentary by Jim Melough
Copyright
2003 James Melough
40:1. “The word
that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after that Nebuzar-adan the captain of
the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in
chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which
were carried away captive unto Babylon.”
The reference here to
Jeremiah's being “bound in chains” relates to his having been taken with others
from Jerusalem to Ramah for examination, he then being released when the
Babylonians became aware of his true state as one who had been imprisoned by
the evil Zedekiah on the charge of having advised the Jews to surrender to
Nebuchadnezzar.
40:2. “And the
captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The Lord thy God hath
pronounced this evil upon this place.”
40:3. “Now the
Lord hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have
sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing
is come upon you.”
It seems that Nebuzar-adan
had learned, possibly from other captured Jews, or from those who had
defected, that Jeremiah had been imprisoned for having predicted Jerusalem’s
fall, and having advised surrender to the Babylonians. It is clear also that
he acknowledged that the capture of the city had been according to the word of
God as proclaimed by the prophet.
40:4. “And now,
behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If
it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look
well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon,
forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and
convenient for thee to go, thither go.”
Obedience to God brings its
own reward. The Jews might hate and imprison him for having declared God’s
word against them, but now while they are either slain or carried away captive
out of the land, he is free, not only to go where he may choose in Israel, but
in Babylon also.
40:5. “Now while
he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam
the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the
cities of Judah, and dwell with him amongst the people: or go wheresoever it
seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him
victuals and a reward, and let him go.”
40:6. “Then went
Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among
the people that were left in the land.”
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam
was a Jew whom Nebuchadnezzar had appointed to rule as governor over
vanquished Judah, he being one of those who accepted the fact that it was
God’s will for Judah, because of sin, to be subject to Babylonian rule.
Nebuzar-adan therefore also
suggested that if Jeremiah choose to remain in Judah he should go and dwell
with this Gedaliah who would be able to protect him and abundantly supply all
his needs.
Having given the prophet his
freedom, Nebuzar-adan then gave him provisions and a gift, and set him free to
go wherever he choose, and he accordingly accepted the suggestion and went and
dwelt with Gedaliah.
40:7. “Now when
all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their
men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam,
governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children,
and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to
Babylon;”
40:8. “Then they
came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and
Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of
Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their
men.”
These forces in the field
were roaming bands of Judeans who had not yet been captured or had not
surrendered to the Babylonians.
40:9. “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.”
Gedaliah encouraged them to
surrender to the Babylonians, assuring them that it would be in their own best
interests, and that they would have nothing to fear.
40:10. “As for
me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans, which will come
unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in
your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.”
He himself, as the governor
appointed by Babylon, was going to remain at Mizpah, making it the center of
his administration; his encouragement to the Jews who had come to him being
that they settle in the towns and villages, and gather in the ripening
harvest.
40:11. “Likewise
when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and
that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a
remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the
son of Shaphan,”
40:12. “Even all
the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the
land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits
very much.”
It is possible that we may
be intended to see in this a symbolic picture of what will follow the
Tribulation, for then, as here, an Israel, that will have been scattered
amongst the nations, will return to the land; Gedaliah, meaning magnified
of Jehovah, being a type of the Lord Jesus Christ? The abundance of the
harvest gathered by that returning remnant, and their enjoyment of the land in
peace, are very appropriate symbols of millennial abundance and blessing.
40:13. “Moreover
Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the
fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,”
40:14. “And said
unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath
sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam believed them not.”
These “captains of the
forces ... in the fields” were the leaders of the scattered bands of Judeans
who had returned to the towns and villages in submission to Babylon’s conquest
of the land. They came to warn Gedaliah of an Ammonite plot to assassinate
him, but he refused to believe that it was true.
As to why such a plot should
have been hatched, it has been suggested that the Ammonites were afraid that
with Judah
conquered, Babylon would next turn its attention to them. Babylon’s
occupation with a revolted Judah, however, would afford Ammon relief from
such an attack.
As to why Ishmael should
have been the assassin, it is to be remembered that he was a descendant of
David, so he may have felt that he, rather than Gedaliah, ought to have been
appointed governor.
40:15. “Then
Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me
go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man
shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are
gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish?”
40:16. “But
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not
do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.”
Gedaliah unfortunately
refused to listen, and accused Johanan of lying about Ishmael, with the result
that the assassination plot succeeded.
[Jeremiah
41]