Jeremiah 41:2

Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. ISHMAEL ... SMOTE GEDALIAH ... AND 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 (; for "every soul" should "be subject unto the higher powers: for there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God," )....

1-10 Those who hate the worshippers of God, often put on the appearance of piety, that they may the easier hurt them. As death often meets men where they least expect it, we should continually search whether we are in such a state and frame of mind, as we would wish to be found in when called to appear before our Judge. Sometimes the ransom of a man's life is his riches. But those who think to bribe death, saying, Slay us not, for we have treasures in the field, will find themselves wretchedly deceived. This melancholy history warns us, never to be secure in this world. We never can be sure of peace on this side heaven....

Verse Jeremiah 41:2. _SMOTE GEDALIAH_] See the preceding chapter, Jeremiah 40:14....

EXPOSITION JEREMIAH 41:1 Assassination of Gedaliah and other Jews. JEREMIAH 41:1 IN THE SEVENTH MONTH; _i.e._ two months after the destruction of Jerusalem and the appointment of Gedaliah. It seems strange, however, that the occurrences related in Jeremiah 40:1; Jeremiah 41:1. should have taken so short a time. Gratz calls in question the accuracy of the chronological statement. He quotes Ezekiel 33:24, which shows that at least six months (accor

THEN AROSE ISHMAEL THE SON OF NETHANIAH, AND THE TEN MEN THAT WERE WITH HIM,.... After they had eat and drank well, they rose up from their seats at table: AND SMOTE GEDALIAH THE SON OF AHIKAM THE SON OF SHAPHAN WITH THE SWORD, AND SLEW HIM; they all drew their swords and thrust at him, and were assisting in the murder of him; though it is probable that it was Ishmael that gave him the mortal wound, since the phrase, "and slew him", is singular. Josephus d says that Gedaliah prepared a splendid table, and made a sumptuous entertainment for them, and being drunk himself, which they observed, took the opportunity and slew him, and all at table with him: WHOM THE KING BABYLON HAD MADE GOVERNOR OVER THE LAND; which mentioned; both to aggravate the crime they were guilty of, and to observe the reason of it, and what it was that prompted them to it; for so the words may be rendered, "becaus...

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

MURDER OF GEDALIAH BY ISHMAEL. Three months (Jeremiah 39:2) after the capture of Jerusalem, Ishmael, who was of royal blood (and so perhaps jealous of the governor's position), together with ten followers, took advantage of Gedaliah's hospitality to murder him, and those with him (in his house, or at the banquet). Jeremiah 41:3. Omit, with LXX, even with Gedaliah, and even the men of war, _i.e._ the body-guard....

ISHMAEL. See note on Jeremiah 40:8. HAD MADE. Compare Jeremiah 40:5....

Jeremiah 41:1. See introd. summary to the section. For Jeremiah 41:1 see 2 Kings 25:25....

2. _The plot executed_ (Jeremiah 41:1-3) TRANSLATION (1) And it came to pass in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal descent, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam accompanied by ten men who were also royal princes. And they ate bread there together in Mizpah. (2) And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him rose up and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword and killed him whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land. (3) Ishmael also smote all the Jews who were with Gedaliah in Mizpah, the Chaldeans who were found there, and all the soldiers. COMMENTS It was in the seventh month that Ishmael began to set his plan in motion. Unfortunately the narrator has failed to mention the year in which the assassination took place. Does he mean that