Jeremiah 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. MIZPAH - lying on the way between Babylon and Judah, and so, convenient for transacting business between the two countries. AS FOR ME ... BUT YE. He artfully, in order to conciliate them, represents the burden of the service to the Chaldeans as falling on him, while they may freely gather their wine, fruits, and oil. He does not now add that these very fruits were to constitute the chief part of the tribute to be paid to Babylon; which, though fruitful in corn, was less productive of grapes, figs, and olives (Herodotus, 1: 193). The grant of "vineyards" to the "poor" () would give hope to the discontented of enj...

And he ordered them to _gather _wine, and corn, and fruit, and to store them up, as there would be no danger from war. He also ordered them to dwell in the _cities _which they had taken, or to which they had been driven. The verb here is ambiguous; but I prefer its most literal meaning, _which ye have taken. _They could not, indeed, have taken a city by force and arms, as they had only a few men, and could never have been equal to their enemies. Then the forcible taking of cities is not what is meant; but Gedaliah’s meaning was, that they might safely remain wherever they were, or that they might dwell in any city they came to. But it was a great ‘thing when he said to them, that he would _stand _for them; for he thus laid down his own life, as though he had said that he would be a surety that nothing grievous should happen to them. And hence it is more clearly seen that he did not regar...

7-16 Jeremiah had never in his prophecies spoken of any good days for the Jews, to come immediately after the captivity; yet Providence seemed to encourage such an expectation. But how soon is this hopeful prospect blighted! When God begins a judgment, he will complete it. While pride, ambition, or revenge, bears rule in the heart, men will form new projects, and be restless in mischief, which commonly ends in their own ruin. Who would have thought, that after the destruction of Jerusalem, rebellion would so soon have sprung up? There can be no thorough change but what grace makes. And if the miserable, who are kept in everlasting chains for the judgment of the great day, were again permitted to come on earth, the sin and evil of their nature would be unchanged. Lord, give us new hearts, and that new mind in which the new birth consists, since thou hast said we cannot without it see thy...

TO SERVE THE CHALDEANS - literally, as margin; to be their minister and lieutenant. Gedaliah supposed that officers of high rank would come from time to time from Babylon to look after the king’s interests. But whatever was ordered would be done through him, as being the prime minister. GATHER YE WINE - As Jerusalem was captured in the fifth month, August, it would now be autumn, and there would be fruit upon the trees, enough to maintain the scanty population during the winter. TAKEN - Or, seized. Every captain had probably occupied some place by force as his head quarters, and Gedaliah bids them retain them. He frankly accepts the whole existing state of things, as a necessary step toward re-establishing confidence....

EXPOSITION The first of a series of chapters (40-45.) describing Jeremiah's fortunes and ministry after the fall of Jerusalem. JEREMIAH 40:1 The liberation of Jeremiah. JEREMIAH 40:1 THE WORD THAT CAME TO JEREMIAH. The formula seems to announce a prophecy; but no prophecy follows. It is not allowable to suppose, with Keil and others, that "the word" describes the entire body of prophetic utterance in ch. 40-45 (in spite of the fact that Jeremiah 44:1. and 45. have special headings). The use would be unexampled; and a prologue of forty verses (see...

AS FOR ME, BEHOLD, I WILL DWELL AT MIZPAH, TO SERVE THE CHALDEANS THAT COME UNTO US,.... Here he urges his own example, as before their welfare, to engage them to dwell in the land, and serve the Chaldeans; this was what he had determined to do, and had fixed upon Mizpah, a frontier town, and in the way to Babylon, as a proper seat of residence for him, as a governor under the king of Babylon: "to serve the Chaldeans"; or "to stand before them" u; that should come to him as messengers from the king of Babylon, to receive tribute or bring orders to him; all which he would take care of, as well as be an advocate for the Jews, and plead on their behalf, for favours to be bestowed on them; and particularly for these generals and their forces, that they might be pardoned, and dwell safely in the land: he suggests, that they need not trouble themselves about these things; all affairs of this k...

III. AFTER THE FALL OF JERUSALEM (40-45) Chapter S 40-41 The Treachery in the Land and the Flight to Egypt _ 1. Jeremiah's choice (Jeremiah 40:1) _ 2. Gedaliah and Ishmael's deed (Jeremiah 40:7; Jeremiah 41:1) 3. Ishmael's further atrocities and retreat (Jeremiah 41:4) Jeremiah 40:1. The opening paragraph of this chapter tells us of the choice which was given to Jeremiah. He was loosed from the prisoner's chains and told by the captain of the guard “If it seems good unto thee to come with me i

THE GOVERNORSHIP OF GEDALIAH. The scattered Jewish forces which remained heard of Gedaliah's appointment as governor, and made submission to him at Mizpah. He guaranteed their security, and encouraged them to proceed with agriculture. Their example was followed by Jews who had migrated to the surrounding districts. The hope of this community to become the nucleus of future growth is reflected in Ezekiel 33:24. Jeremiah 40:8. Netophah: E. of Bethlehem; MAACAH: a district SE. of Hermon. Jeremiah 40:9. For to serve read, with LXX and 2 Kings 25:24, because of the servants of....

WINE. Hebrew. _yayin._ App-27. SUMMER FRUITS. Hebrew "summer". Put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Adjunct), App-6, for the fruits gathered in summer....

_to stand before_ probably meaning that, as a servant of the Chaldaeans, he would be able in their presence to defend the interests of the Jews. See on Jeremiah 15:1....