Jeremiah 40:7

Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon; CAPTAINS ... IN THE FIELDS. The leaders of the Jewish army had been "scattered" throughout the country on the capture of Zedekiah (), in order to escape the notice of the Chaldeans....

Mention has been before made of Gedaliah. We have seen that the Prophet was once rescued from death through his kindness, for he interposed for him when almost all with one consent doomed the holy Prophet to death. (119) And God bestowed on him no common honor, that while he was seeking nothing, Nebuchadnezzar should set him as governor over the land. He did not, indeed, enjoy power for any length of time; but it was yet God’s will to extend his hand to the pious man, so that he might have, at least for a time, some evidence of his favor. He was at length, as we shall see, killed by treachery. The Prophet now tells us, that the leaders of the forces, before scattered together with their troops, were now come to him. When the Prophet says that they were _in the field, _I do not think as some, that they were those who fled when the city was taken. But probably they were those who were forc...

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...

The men would be the old and infirm: the women those whose husbands and protectors had perished in the wars (e. g. Jeremiah 41:10). The word children includes all the inferior members of a household....

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...

NOW WHEN ALL THE CAPTAINS OF THE FORCES WHICH [WERE] IN THE FIELDS,.... Not the captains of the king of Babylon's forces, but the captains of the king of Judah's forces; who either during the siege had lurked in the fields and villages, not daring to fall upon the Chaldean army, or attempt to raise the siege; or rather who fled with Zedekiah from Jerusalem, when the city was taken, and who deserted him, when he was apprehended, and shifted for themselves, and were dispersed about in the country, where they continued for some little time: but when THEY AND THEIR MEN; their servants, or rather the common soldiers that were under them: HEARD THAT THE KING OF BABYLON HAD MADE GEDALIAH THE SON OF AHIKAM GOVERNOR IN THE LAND; his viceroy or deputy governor in the land of Judea; being a prince of considerable note among the Jews, and in high favour with the king of Babylon: and had committed...

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....

MEN. Hebrew pi. of _'enosh._ App-14. GOVERNOR. No more attempts to make. king, after Zedekiah's perjury. See Ezekiel 17:15. CHILDREN. young children. POOR. Hebrew "poverty", put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Adjunct), App-6, for poor people. See Proverbs 6:11....

_all the captains of the forces_ the various leaders of bands among the Jews, who would keep out of the way during the presence of the Babylonian forces and until they found what was likely to be the condition of the country and the nature of the new government....