Jeremiah 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;_ No JFB commentary on this verse....

The Prophet shews here, that except intestine wickedness had arisen, the condition of the people would have been endurable until the time of exile had elapsed. God had pre-fixed, as it has been before stated, seventy years. Nebuchadnezzar had already so withdrawn the flower of the people, that still some inhabitants remained, that the land might not be wholly naked and forsaken. For besides the poor who had been left, he has already told us, that some chief men came with their troops. He now adds that _all the Jews, _who had fled to neighboring nations, came to Geda-liah; some had taken refuge among the Ammonites, and some among the Moabites; these came and _dwelt _in the land. Then God did thus moderate the rigor of his vengeance, so that some remnants continued in Judea until the restoration of the whole people. But the perverseness of those who had before despised his favor, is on the...

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...

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...

LIKEWISE, WHEN ALL THE JEWS THAT [WERE] IN MOAB,.... Who had fled thither, and to the places after mentioned, when the king of Babylon first invaded the land, and where they had continued unto this time: AND AMONG THE AMMONITES, AND IN EDOM, AND THAT [WERE] IN ALL THE COUNTRIES; in all other neighbouring countries, besides Moab, Ammon, and Edom; some fleeing one way, and some another, which lay nearest to their borders, or where they thought themselves safest: when they HEARD THAT THE KING OF BABYLON HAD LEFT A REMNANT OF JUDAH; a few of their brethren, to cultivate the land, and repopulated it: AND THAT HE HAD SET OVER THEM GEDALIAH THE SON OF AHIKAM THE SON OF SHAPHAN; whom they knew to be a wise and good man; these were engaging motives to them to return to their own land, being more desirable to live in than any other, could they enjoy peace and safety; and to dwell with their bre...

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....

B. The Program of Gedaliah Jeremiah 40:7-12 TRANSLATION (7) When all the army officers and their men who were in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land and had committed to him those men, women, and children of the poor of the land who had not been deported to Babylon, (8) they came unto Gedaliah to MizpahIshmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite. These came along with their men. (9) And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Do not fear to serve the Chaldeans. Remain in the land and serve the king of Babylon and it will be well with you. (10) And as for me, Behold, I shall dwell in Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans

GEDALIAH AS GOVERNOR (586 B.C.) Jeremiah 40:7 to Jeremiah 43:6 are briefly summarised in 2 Kings 25:22. The account in the book of Kings mentions merely the accomplished results; while here the process by which these results were brought about are fully detailed. We learn here in particular that Ishmael benNethaniah was prompted to assassinate Gedaliah by the Ammonite king, Baalis, and that Gedaliah was warned of the plot by Johanan, but that he refused to believe that Ishmael would do such a thing. Full details of the slaughter of the people at Mizpah are also given here, as well as an account of the pursuit of Ishmael by Johanan and the recovery of the captives. We are told here also what is omitted in Kings

WHEN ALL THE JEWS THAT WERE IN MOAB... — It lay in the nature of things that many of the dwellers in Judæa fled before the march of the Chaldæan armies, and took refuge in the neighbouring regions. In Ruth 1:2; 1 Samuel 22:3; Isaiah 16:4, we find analogous instances of fugitives from Judah finding shelter in the Moabite country. These, on hearing of the generous policy adopted by Gedaliah, took courage and returned in time to profit by his permission to gather the produce which otherwise would have been left to perish on the soil....