15 But Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah H5418 escaped H4422 from H6440 Johanan H3110 with eight H8083 men, H582 and went H3212 to the Ammonites. H1121 H5983
That the wicked H7451 is reserved H2820 to the day H3117 of destruction? H343 they shall be brought forth H2986 to the day H3117 of wrath. H5678
A man H120 that doeth violence H6231 to the blood H1818 of any person H5315 shall flee H5127 to the pit; H953 let no man stay H8551 him.
And they slew H5221 every one H376 his man: H376 and the Syrians H758 fled; H5127 and Israel H3478 pursued H7291 them: and Benhadad H1130 the king H4428 of Syria H758 escaped H4422 on an horse H5483 with the horsemen. H6571
But it came to pass in the seventh H7637 month, H2320 that Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah, H5418 the son H1121 of Elishama, H476 of the seed H2233 royal, H4410 came, H935 and ten H6235 men H582 with him, and smote H5221 Gedaliah, H1436 that he died, H4191 and the Jews H3064 and the Chaldees H3778 that were with him at Mizpah. H4709
Because sentence H6599 against an evil H7451 work H4639 is not executed H6213 speedily, H4120 therefore the heart H3820 of the sons H1121 of men H120 is fully set H4390 in them to do H6213 evil. H7451 Though a sinner H2398 do H6213 evil H7451 an hundred times, H3967 and his days be prolonged, H748 yet surely I know H3045 that it shall be well H2896 with them that fear H3373 God, H430 which fear H3372 before H6440 him:
Then arose H6965 Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah, H5418 and the ten H6235 men H582 that were with him, and smote H5221 Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 the son H1121 of Shaphan H8227 with the sword, H2719 and slew H4191 him, whom the king H4428 of Babylon H894 had made governor H6485 over the land. H776
And G1161 when G5613 the barbarians G915 saw G1492 the venomous beast G2342 hang G2910 on G1537 his G846 hand, G5495 they said G3004 among G4314 themselves, G240 No doubt G3843 this G3778 man G444 is G2076 a murderer, G5406 whom, G3739 though he hath escaped G1295 G1537 the sea, G2281 yet vengeance G1349 suffereth G1439 not G3756 to live. G2198
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 41
Commentary on Jeremiah 41 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 41
It is a very tragical story that is related in this chapter, and shows that evil pursues sinners. The black cloud that was gathering in the foregoing chapter here bursts in a dreadful storm. Those few Jews that escaped the captivity were proud to think that they were still in their own land, when their brethren had gone they knew not whither, were fond of the wine and summer-fruits they had gathered, and were very secure under Gedaliah's protectorship, when, on a sudden, even these remains prove ruins too.
Jer 41:1-10
It is hard to say which is more astonishing, God's permitting or men's perpetrating such villanies as here we find committed. Such base, barbarous, bloody work is here done by men who by their birth should have been men of honour, by their religion just men, and this done upon those of their own nature, their own nation, their own religion, and now their brethren in affliction, when they were all brought under the power of the victorious Chaldeans, and smarting under the judgments of God, upon no provocation, nor with any prospect of advantage-all done, not only in cold blood, but with art and management. We have scarcely such an instance of perfidious cruelty in all the scripture; so that with John, when he saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, we may well wonder with great admiration. But God permitted it for the completing of the ruin of an unhumbled people, and the filling up of the measure of their judgments, who had filled up the measure of their iniquities. Let it inspire us with an indignation at the wickedness of men and an awe of God's righteousness.
Jer 41:11-18
It would have been well if Johanan, when he gave information to Gedaliah of Ishmael's treasonable design, though he could not obtain leave to kill Ishmael and to prevent it that way, yet had staid with Gedaliah; for he, and his captains, and their forces, might have been a life-guard to Gedaliah and a terror to Ishmael, and so have prevented the mischief without the effusion of blood: but, it seems they were out upon some expedition, perhaps no good one, and so were out of the way when they should have been upon the best service. Those that affect to ramble are many times out of their place when they are most needed. However, at length they hear of all the evil that Ishmael had done (v. 11), and are resolved to try an after-game, which we have an account of in these verses.