Jeremiah 41:9

Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain. WHOM HE HAD SLAIN BECAUSE OF GEDALIAH - rather, 'near Gedaliah'-literally by the hand (i:e., by the side) of Gedaliah. Those intercepted by Ishmael on their way from Samaria to Jerusalem were killed near Mizpah, where Gedaliah had lived. So , "next;" , margin, literally, as here, 'at his hand.' Calvin explains it, 'In the reign of Gedaliah.' However, the English version gives a good sense: Ishmael's reason for killing them was because of his supposing them to be connected with Gedaliah....

The Prophet tells us by the way that the trench was made by King Asa, when he fortified the city against the attack of Baasha, as it is related in the sixteenth chapter of Second Chronicles. For Baasha, having collected an army, made an attack on the land of Judah and began to build the city, that he might thus keep the Jews as it were besieged, and make thence daily incursions, and where he might safely take his forces together with the spoils. Asa then hired the king of Syria, and induced him to break the treaty which the two kings of Syria and Israel had made with one another. Thus Baasha was forced to leave the work unfinished, and thence Asa is said to have carried away the gathered stones, that thereby the trench might be formed. There is indeed no mention of the trench; but we may conclude that it was then formed, in order that it might interpose between the enemy and the city. Bu...

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 41:9. _NOW THE PIT - WAS IT WHICH ASA THE KING HAD MADE FOR FEAR_ _OF BAASHA_] See 1 Kings 15:22. Asa made this cistern as a reservoir for water for the supply of the place; for he built and fortified _Mizpah_ at the time that he was at war with Baasha, king of Israel....

BECAUSE OF GEDALIAH - By the side “of Gedaliah.” Ishmael now cast beside Gedaliah’s body those of the pilgrims....

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

NOW THE PIT WHEREIN ISHMAEL HAD CAST ALL THE DEAD BODIES,.... Not only of those seventy men of Samaria, c. but OF THE MEN WHOM HE HAD SLAIN BECAUSE OF GEDALIAH because of their attachment to him: or, "by the hand of Gedaliah" k; not by him, as an instrument; unless, as Jarchi observes, because he rejected the advice of Johanan, and provided not for his safety, and his people, it was as if they were slain by him l; rather the sense is, that they were slain by the side of him, or in the, place where he was, or along with him m; see a like phrase in Jeremiah 38:10; now both the one and the other were cast into one pit: and this [WAS] THAT WHICH ASA THE KING HAD MADE FOR FEAR OF BAASHA KING OF ISRAEL; which was either a ditch that was cast up against the wall that went round the city; or a large pit or well in the midst of it, to hold water in it; and

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

THE PIT: or, cistern. Not mentioned elsewhere, but see 1 Kings 15:22 and 2 Chronicles 16:6. BECAUSE OF. besides. WAS IT. By regrouping the letters, this reads "[was]. large pit which", &c....