2 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
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
Now while he was not yet gone back, H7725 he said, Go back H7725 also to Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 the son H1121 of Shaphan, H8227 whom the king H4428 of Babylon H894 hath made governor H6485 over the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and dwell H3427 with him among H8432 the people: H5971 or go H3212 wheresoever it seemeth convenient H3477 H5869 unto thee to go. H3212 So the captain H7227 of the guard H2876 gave H5414 him victuals H737 and a reward, H4864 and let him go. H7971
And when Abner H74 was returned H7725 to Hebron, H2275 Joab H3097 took him aside H5186 in H413 H8432 the gate H8179 to speak H1696 with him quietly, H7987 and smote H5221 him there under the fifth H2570 rib, that he died, H4191 for the blood H1818 of Asahel H6214 his brother. H251
And Joab H3097 said H559 to Amasa, H6021 Art thou in health, H7965 my brother? H251 And Joab H3097 took H270 Amasa H6021 by the beard H2206 with the right H3225 hand H3027 to kiss H5401 him. But Amasa H6021 took no heed H8104 to the sword H2719 that was in Joab's H3097 hand: H3027 so he smote H5221 him therewith in the fifth H2570 rib, and shed out H8210 his bowels H4578 to the ground, H776 and struck him not again; H8138 and he died. H4191 So Joab H3097 and Abishai H52 his brother H251 pursued H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri. H1075
Now when all the captains H8269 of the forces H2428 which were in the fields, H7704 even they and their men, H582 heard H8085 that the king H4428 of Babylon H894 had made Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 governor H6485 in the land, H776 and had committed H6485 unto him men, H582 and women, H802 and children, H2945 and of the poor H1803 of the land, H776 of them that were not carried away captive H1540 to Babylon; H894
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.