Jeremiah 41:6

And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. ISHMAEL ... WENT FORTH ... TO MEET THEM, WEEPING - pretending to weep, as the "fourscore men from Samaria, Shechem, and Shiloh" did () for the ruin of the temple. HE SAID UNTO THEM, COME TO GEDALIAH - as if he was one of Gedaliah's retinue....

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 41:6. _WEEPING ALL ALONG AS HE WENT_] This felonious hypocrite pretended that he also was deeply afflicted, and wished to bear them company in their sorrow. _COME TO GEDALIAH_] He will appoint you vineyards and fields....

Ishmael’s conduct seems to have been dictated by the malicious desire utterly to frustrate Gedaliah’s work. WEEPING - By this artifice he lured them into Mizpah. The Septuagint: “as they were ... weeping.”...

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

AND ISHMAEL THE SON OF NETHANIAH WENT FORTH TO MIZPAH TO MEET THEM,.... Hearing there was such a number of men upon the road to Jerusalem, in such a habit, and upon such a design, he thought it advisable to go out and meet them, and stop them, and decoy them into the city, and there destroy them; lest, if they should have got any hint of what had been done by him, they should spread it, and raise the country upon him, before he had executed his whole design: WEEPING ALL ALONG AS HE WENT; pretending equal concern for the destruction of the land, city, and temple, as they had: AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS HE MET THEM; when he came up to them, and some discourse had passed between them: HE SAID UNTO THEM, COME TO GEDALIAH THE SON OF AHIKAM; as if he was alive, and for whom he had a great respect, and whose character was well known to these men; and thought that this would be an inducement to...

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

ISHMAEL'S DEEDS AND FLIGHT. Eighty pilgrims from N. Israel to Jerusalem, mourning its fall, and carrying offerings (Jeremiah 17:26), were met by Ishmael and enticed into Mizpah. There he killed them all except ten who acknowledged that they had stores of grain, etc. Ishmael threw all the dead bodies into a great cistern, made by Asa, and started for Ammon, with the surviving Jews as his captives, including certain princesses (doubtless also Jeremiah and Baruch; _cf._ Jeremiah 42:2; Jeremiah 43:3). Johanan and other Jews pursued Ishmael and overtook him at Gibeon, but he escaped with eight men. His captives were taken by Johanan to the neighbourhood of Bethlehem, with a view to migration into Egypt (for other ref

WEEPING ALL ALONG AS HE WENT. going on and on weeping....

Jeremiah 41:4-18. Ishmael commits further massacres and carries off captives The section may be summarized as follows. (i) Jeremiah 41:4. The following day eighty pilgrims arrive. Ishmael goes weeping to meet them, and bids them come to Gedaliah. Having thus decoyed them into the city, he puts them all to death, except ten men who purchase their lives by disclosing the places where they possess hidden stores of food. Ishmael fills a pit with the slain, and carries away captive all the rest of the inhabitants of Mizpah. (ii) Jeremiah 41:11. Johanan and the captains who were with him go in pursuit of Ishmael, and release his captives. Ishmael himself with ten men escapes to the country of Ammon, while J