Jeremiah 41:7

And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him. ISHMAEL ... SLEW ... AND CAST THEM INTO THE ... PIT. He had not killed them in the pit (cf. ): these words are therefore rightly supplied in the English version. THE PIT - the pit or cistern made by Ass to guard against a want of water, when Baasha was about to besiege the city (; ). Or the trench or lease round the city (Grotius). Ishmael's motive for the murder seems to have been a suspicion they were coming to live under Gedaliah....

Here Jeremiah relates another circumstance in the nefarious conduct of Ishmael, that by flatteries he enticed simple men, who feared no evil, and while pretending kindness, slew them. The slaughter was in itself very detestable, but added to it was the most abominable deceit, for he pretended to weep with them, and offered an act of kindness, to bring them to Gedaliah, and then he traitorously killed them! We hence see that it was an act of extreme wickedness. In saying that he _wept, _it was no doubt a sign of feigned piety, (121) He saw these good men in torn garments and in tears on account of the Temple being destroyed, he therefore pretended that he had the same feeling. This was falsely to pretend a regard for God, and his tears were those of the crocodile; for he shed tears as though he lamented the ruin of the Temple and of the city. He thus gained the confidence of the unwary me...

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 41:7. _SLEW THEM_] He kept the murder of Gedaliah secret, and no doubt had a band of his assassins lodged in Mizpah; and he decoyed these fourscore men thither that he might have strength to slay them. He kept _ten_ alive because they told him they had treasures hidden in a field, which they would show him. Whether he kept his word with them is not recorded. He could do nothing good or great; and it is likely that, when he had possessed himself of those treasures, he served them as he had served their companions. _Grain_ is preserved to the present day in subterranean pits, called _mattamores_, in different parts of the east....

THE PIT - the cistern, and in Jeremiah 41:9....

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 IT WAS [SO], WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE MIDST OF THE CITY,.... Where Gedaliah's house was, to which he invited them; and as they went in, he shut up the court, as Josephus h says, and slew them, as it here follows: THAT ISHMAEL THE SON OF NETHANIAH SLEW THEM, [AND CAST THEM] INTO THE MIDST OF THE PIT; when he had slain them, the fourscore men he had enticed into the city, except ten of them, he cast their dead bodies into a pit near at hand: HE, AND THE MEN THAT [WERE] WITH HIM; Ishmael and the ten princes, with what servants they brought with them; these were all concerned in the death of these men. h Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 4....

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

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