Jeremiah 40:4

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

¹This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had released him at Ramah, having found him bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. ²The captain of the guard found Jeremiah and said to him, "The LORD your God decreed this disaster on this place, ³and now the LORD has fulfilled it; He has done just as He said. Because you people have sinned against the LORD and have not obeyed His voice, this thing has happened to you. ⁴But now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains that were on your wrists. If it pleases you to come with me to Babylon, then come, and I will take care of you. But if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, go no farther. Look, the whole land is before you. Wherever it seems good and right for you to go, go there."⁵But before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan told him, "Return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people, or go anywhere else that seems right." Then the captain of the guard gave him a ration and a gift and released him. ⁶So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Genesis 44:21 - that I may 1 Kings 17:6 - the ravens Esther 3:11 - to do Jeremiah 28:14 - I have put Jeremiah 36:5 - General Jeremiah 37:14 - said Jeremiah 39:12 - look well to him Jeremiah 40:5 - or go Acts 12:6 - bound

Cross-References

Genesis 37:36
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

Genesis 39:1
Meanwhile, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, where an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

Genesis 40:21
Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.

Genesis 40:23
The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot all about him.

Psalms 37:5
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which [were] upon thine hands,.... Or rather are; for, when he said these words, it is highly probable they were on him, though now ordered to be taken off; these were not what were put upon him by the Jews, when in the court of the prison; for rather his legs, than his hands, would have had fetters on them there; but what were put upon him by the Chaldeans, when he fell into their hands; though inadvertently done by the inferior officers, and without the knowledge of the princes, or of this captain, who loosed them; with these he came manacled to Ramah, with the rest of the captives, but now were loosed in the sight of them:

if it seem good unto thee to come with me unto Babylon, come, and one will look well unto thee; or, "I will set mine eyes upon thee" r; as the king of Babylon had ordered him to do, Jeremiah 39:12; would favour him, protect him, provide for him, and use him in the most kind and generous manner:

but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me to Babylon, forbear; if it was not agreeable to him to leave his native country, and to go into Babylon, he would not urge it, but leave him to his liberty; yea, would advise him to continue where he was, and not take one step out of it:

behold, all the land [is] before thee; the land of Judea, which was at the disposal of the king of Babylon; and Jeremiah has a grant from him, by his officer, to settle where he pleased:

whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go; he left him to take his own way, and do as he thought fit; and this agrees with his master's orders to him, Jeremiah 39:12.

r ואשים את עיני עליך "ponam oculos meos super te", Schmidt; "et ponam oculum meum super te", Pagninus, Montanus.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 40:4. Come; and I will look well unto thee — Thou art now at full liberty to do as thou pleasest; either to come to Babylon or to stay in thy own land.