Jeremiah 40:8

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

⁷When all the commanders and men of the armies in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women, and children who were the poorest of the land and had not been exiled to Babylon, ⁸they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah-Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite: they and their men.⁹Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, "Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you. ¹⁰As for me, I will stay in Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us. As for you, gather in wine, summer fruit, and oil, place them in your storage jars, and live in the cities you have taken over." ¹¹When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, over them, ¹²they all returned from all the places to which they had been banished and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered an abundance of wine and summer fruit. ¹³Meanwhile, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah ¹⁴and said to him, "Are you aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?" But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them. ¹⁵Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. "Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah," he said. "No one will know it. Why should he take your life and scatter all the Jews who have gathered to you, so that the remnant of Judah would perish?" ¹⁶But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, "Do not do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is a lie."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

came: Jeremiah 40:6, Jeremiah 40:11, Jeremiah 40:12

even: Jeremiah 40:14, Jeremiah 41:1-16, 2 Kings 25:23, 2 Kings 25:25

Johanan: Jeremiah 41:11, Jeremiah 41:16, Jeremiah 42:1, Jeremiah 42:8, Jeremiah 43:2, Jeremiah 43:5

Jonathan: Jeremiah 37:15, Jeremiah 37:20, Jeremiah 38:26

Netophathite: 2 Samuel 23:28, 2 Samuel 23:29, 1 Chronicles 2:54, 1 Chronicles 11:30, Ezra 2:2, Ezra 2:22, Nehemiah 7:26

Maachathite: Deuteronomy 3:14, Joshua 12:5, 2 Samuel 10:6, 2 Samuel 10:8, 2 Samuel 23:34, 1 Chronicles 2:48

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 36:14 - Nethaniah

Cross-References

Genesis 40:10
and on the vine were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes.

Genesis 40:11
Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and placed the cup into his hand."

Genesis 40:15
For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing for which they should have put me in this dungeon."

Genesis 40:16
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: There were three baskets of white bread on my head.

Psalms 25:14
The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them.

Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn't a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

Daniel 2:11
What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals."

Daniel 2:28
But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these:

Daniel 2:47
The king said to Daniel, "Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, a revealer of mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery."

Daniel 4:8
But at last, Daniel came into my presence (his name is Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) And I told him the dream:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,.... Having heard that the Chaldean army was gone, and so were in no fear of that; and also that Gedaliah was made deputy governor, one of their own nation, a pious, prudent, good man, a man of ingenuity, mildness, and integrity; under whose government they might expect to live comfortably; and which was much preferable to captivity in a foreign country, though tributary to Babylon:

even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah; who was of the seed royal,

Jeremiah 41:1;

and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah; two brothers, but who they were, or their father, is not known, no mention being made of them but in this story:

and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth; who he was is also uncertain:

and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite; so called from Netophah, a city of the tribe of Judah near Bethlehem, and are mentioned together, Ezra 2:22; the Netophathites inhabited several villages, 1 Chronicles 9:16; mention is made in the Misnic t writings of artichokes and olives this place was famous for:

and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite; a family so called from Maacah, Caleb's concubine, 1 Chronicles 2:48;

they and their men; these generals, and the forces under their command.

t Shebiit, c. 9. sect. 5. & Pea, c. 7. sect. 1.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 40:8. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah — This is he who afterwards murdered Gedaliah. He had been employed to do this by Baalis, king of the Ammonites, with whom he appears to have taken refuge during the siege. See Jeremiah 40:14.