9 Now the pit H953 wherein Ishmael H3458 had cast H7993 all the dead bodies H6297 of the men, H582 whom he had slain H5221 because H3027 of Gedaliah, H1436 was it which Asa H609 the king H4428 had made H6213 for fear H6440 of Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel: H3478 and Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah H5418 filled H4390 it with them that were slain. H2491
And Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel H3478 went up H5927 against Judah, H3063 and built H1129 Ramah, H7414 that he might not suffer H5414 any to go out H3318 or come in H935 to Asa H609 king H4428 of Judah. H3063 Then Asa H609 took H3947 all the silver H3701 and the gold H2091 that were left H3498 in the treasures H214 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and the treasures H214 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of his servants: H5650 and king H4428 Asa H609 sent H7971 them to Benhadad, H1130 the son H1121 of Tabrimon, H2886 the son H1121 of Hezion, H2383 king H4428 of Syria, H758 that dwelt H3427 at Damascus, H1834 saying, H559 There is a league H1285 between me and thee, and between my father H1 and thy father: H1 behold, I have sent H7971 unto thee a present H7810 of silver H3701 and gold; H2091 come H3212 and break H6565 thy league H1285 with Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 that he may depart H5927 from me. So Benhadad H1130 hearkened H8085 unto king H4428 Asa, H609 and sent H7971 the captains H8269 of the hosts H2428 which he had against the cities H5892 of Israel, H3478 and smote H5221 Ijon, H5859 and Dan, H1835 and Abelbethmaachah, H62 and all Cinneroth, H3672 with all the land H776 of Naphtali. H5321 And it came to pass, when Baasha H1201 heard H8085 thereof, that he left off H2308 building H1129 of Ramah, H7414 and dwelt H3427 in Tirzah. H8656 Then king H4428 Asa H609 made a proclamation H8085 throughout all Judah; H3063 none was exempted: H5355 and they took H5375 away the stones H68 of Ramah, H7414 and the timber H6086 thereof, wherewith Baasha H1201 had builded; H1129 and king H4428 Asa H609 built H1129 with them Geba H1387 of Benjamin, H1144 and Mizpah. H4709
But these five H2568 kings H4428 fled, H5127 and hid H2244 themselves in a cave H4631 at Makkedah. H4719 And it was told H5046 Joshua, H3091 saying, H559 The five H2568 kings H4428 are found H4672 hid H2244 in a cave H4631 at Makkedah. H4719 And Joshua H3091 said, H559 Roll H1556 great H1419 stones H68 upon the mouth H6310 of the cave, H4631 and set H6485 men H582 by it for to keep H8104 them:
In the six H8337 and thirtieth H7970 year H8141 of the reign H4438 of Asa H609 Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel H3478 came up H5927 against Judah, H3063 and built H1129 Ramah, H7414 to the intent that H1115 he might let H5414 none go out H3318 or come in H935 to Asa H609 king H4428 of Judah. H3063 Then Asa H609 brought out H3318 silver H3701 and gold H2091 out of the treasures H214 of the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 and of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and sent H7971 to Benhadad H1130 king H4428 of Syria, H758 that dwelt H3427 at Damascus, H1834 saying, H559 There is a league H1285 between me and thee, as there was between my father H1 and thy father: H1 behold, I have sent H7971 thee silver H3701 and gold; H2091 go, H3212 break H6565 thy league H1285 with Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 that he may depart H5927 from me. And Benhadad H1130 hearkened H8085 unto king H4428 Asa, H609 and sent H7971 the captains H8269 of his armies H2428 against the cities H5892 of Israel; H3478 and they smote H5221 Ijon, H5859 and Dan, H1835 and Abelmaim, H66 and all the store H4543 cities H5892 of Naphtali. H5321 And it came to pass, when Baasha H1201 heard H8085 it, that he left off H2308 building H1129 of Ramah, H7414 and let his work H4399 cease. H7673 Then Asa H609 the king H4428 took H3947 all Judah; H3063 and they carried away H5375 the stones H68 of Ramah, H7414 and the timber H6086 thereof, wherewith Baasha H1201 was building; H1129 and he built H1129 therewith Geba H1387 and Mizpah. H4709 And at that time H6256 Hanani H2607 the seer H7200 came H935 to Asa H609 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and said H559 unto him, Because thou hast relied H8172 on the king H4428 of Syria, H758 and not relied H8172 on the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 therefore is the host H2428 of the king H4428 of Syria H758 escaped H4422 out of thine hand. H3027 Were not the Ethiopians H3569 and the Lubims H3864 a huge H7230 host, H2428 with very H3966 many H7235 chariots H7393 and horsemen? H6571 yet, because thou didst rely H8172 on the LORD, H3068 he delivered H5414 them into thine hand. H3027 For the eyes H5869 of the LORD H3068 run to and fro H7751 throughout the whole earth, H776 to shew himself strong H2388 in the behalf of them whose heart H3824 is perfect H8003 toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: H5528 therefore from henceforth H6258 thou shalt have H3426 wars. H4421 Then Asa H609 was wroth H3707 with the seer, H7200 and put H5414 him in a prison H4115 house; H1004 for he was in a rage H2197 with him because of this thing. And Asa H609 oppressed H7533 some of the people H5971 the same time. H6256
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 41
Commentary on Jeremiah 41 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 41
Jer 41:1-18. Ishmael Murders Gedaliah and Others, Then Flees to the Ammonites. Johanan Pursues Him, Recovers the Captives, and Purposes to Flee to Egypt for Fear of the Chaldeans.
1. seventh month—the second month after the burning of the city (Jer 52:12, 13).
and the princes—not the nominative. And the princes came, for the "princes" are not mentioned either in Jer 41:2 or in 2Ki 25:25: but, "Ishmael being of the seed royal and of the princes of the king" [Maurer]. But the ten men were the "princes of the king"; thus Maurer's objection has no weight: so English Version.
eat bread together—Ishmael murdered Gedaliah, by whom he was hospitably received, in violation of the sacred right of hospitality (Ps 41:9).
2. slew him whom the king of Babylon had made governor—This assigns a reason for their slaying him, as well as showing the magnitude of their crime (Da 2:21; Ro 13:1).
3. slew all the Jews—namely, the attendants and ministers of Gedaliah; or, the military alone, about his person; translate, "even (not 'and,' as English Version) the men of war." The main portion of the people with Gedaliah, including Jeremiah, Ishmael carried away captive (Jer 41:10, 16).
4. no man knew it—that is, outside Mizpah. Before tidings of the murder had gone abroad.
5. beards shaven, &c.—indicating their deep sorrow at the destruction of the temple and city.
cut themselves—a heathen custom, forbidden (Le 19:27, 28; De 14:1). These men were mostly from Samaria, where the ten tribes, previous to their deportation, had fallen into heathen practices.
offerings—unbloody. They do not bring sacrificial victims, but "incense," &c., to testify their piety.
house of … Lord—that is, the place where the house of the Lord had stood (2Ki 25:9). The place in which a temple had stood, even when it had been destroyed, was held sacred [Papinian]. Those "from Shiloh" would naturally seek the house of the Lord, since it was at Shiloh it originally was set up (Jos 18:1).
6. weeping—pretending to weep, as they did, for the ruin of the temple.
Come to Gedaliah—as if he was one of Gedaliah's retinue.
7. and cast them into … pit—He had not killed them in the pit (compare Jer 41:9); these words are therefore rightly supplied in English Version.
the pit—the pit or cistern made by Asa to guard against a want of water when Baasha was about to besiege the city (Jer 41:9; 1Ki 15:22). The trench or fosse round the city [Grotius]. Ishmael's motive for the murder seems to have been a suspicion that they were coming to live under Gedaliah.
8. treasures—It was customary to hide grain in cavities underground in troubled times. "We have treasures," which we will give, if our lives be spared.
slew … not—(Pr 13:8). Ishmael's avarice and needs overcame his cruelty.
9. because of Gedaliah—rather, "near Gedaliah," namely, those intercepted by Ishmael on their way from Samaria to Jerusalem and killed at Mizpah, where Gedaliah had lived. So 2Ch 17:15, "next"; Ne 3:2, Margin, literally, as here, "at his hand." "In the reign of Gedaliah" [Calvin]. However, English Version gives a good sense: Ishmael's reason for killing them was because of his supposing them to be connected with Gedaliah.
10. the king's daughters—(Jer 43:6). Zedekiah's. Ishmael must have got additional followers (whom the hope of gain attracted), besides those who originally set out with him (Jer 41:1), so as to have been able to carry off all the residue of the people. He probably meant to sell them as slaves to the Ammonites (see on Jer 40:14).
11. Johanan—the friend of Gedaliah who had warned him of Ishmael's treachery, but in vain (Jer 40:8, 13).
12. the … waters—(2Sa 2:13); a large reservoir or lake.
in Gibeon—on the road from Mizpah to Ammon: one of the sacerdotal cities of Benjamin, four miles northwest of Jerusalem, now Eljib.
13. glad—at the prospect of having a deliverer from their captivity.
14. cast about—came round.
16. men of war—"The men of war," stated in Jer 41:3 to have been slain by Ishmael, must refer to the military about Gedaliah's person; "the men of war" here to those not so.
eunuchs—The kings of Judah had adopted the bad practice of having harems and eunuchs from the surrounding heathen kingdoms.
17. dwelt—for a time, until they were ready for their journey to Egypt (Jer 42:1-22).
habitation to Chimham—his "caravanserai" close by Beth-lehem. David, in reward for Barzillai's loyalty, took Chimham his son under his patronage, and made over to him his own patrimony in the land of Beth-lehem. It was thence called the habitation of Chimham (Geruth-Chimham), though it reverted to David's heirs in the year of jubilee. "Caravanserais" (a compound Persian word, meaning "the house of a company of travellers") differ from our inns, in that there is no host to supply food, but each traveller must carry with him his own.
18. afraid—lest the Chaldeans should suspect all the Jews of being implicated in Ishmael's treason, as though the Jews sought to have a prince of the house of David (Jer 41:1). Their better way towards gaining God's favor would have been to have laid the blame on the real culprit, and to have cleared themselves. A tortuous policy is the parent of fear. Righteousness inspires with boldness (Ps 53:5; Pr 28:1).