L2 l 1-9. Ishmael's treachery.
m 10-. Captives taken.
n -10. Ammonites.
l 11,12. Ishmael's treachery.
m 13,14. Captives rescued.
n 15. Ammonites.
477 B.C.
Jeremiah 41)
1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama (a seal has been found with his name on it), of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah (see 26:24; and cp. 39:14, and 40:5) the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah (see 40:6).
2 Then arose Ishmael (see 40:8) the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor (see 40;5) over the land.
3 Ishmael also slew all the house of Judah that were with him, even with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war.
4 And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it,
5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even eighty men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings (these would be meal-offering, according to Lev. 2:1. Flesh sacrifices were now impossible. Probably for the feast of the 15th [Lev. 23:23,34. Num. 19:12. Deut. 16:13) and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD. (Still recognized as the place which Yehovah had chosen.)
6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, going on and on weeping: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said to them, "Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam."
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.
8 But ten men were found among them that said to Ishmael, "Slay us not: for we have hidden treasures (or stores) in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey." So he forbear, and slew them not among their brethren.
9 Now the pit (or, cistern) wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain besides Gedaliah, [was] a large pit 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.
10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters (see 43:7), and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzar-adan (see 39:9) the captain of the executioners (2 Kings 25:8. Cp. Gen. 37:36; 39:1) had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive,
and departed to go over to the Ammonites.
11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the calamity that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,
12 Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon. (Now el Jib, about 5 miles north of Jerusalem, were Joab treacherously slew Amasa [2 Sam. 20:8,10)
13 Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.
14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and returned, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.
15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men (2 had been slain in the encounter above), and went to the Ammonites.
F2 M 41:16-18. Intention to go to Egypt.
N O 42:1-3. Supplication to Jeremiah.
P 42:4. Jeremiah. Answer promised.
N O 42:5,6. Supplication to Jeremiah.
P 42:7-22. Jeremiah. Answer given.
M 43:1-7. Intention carried out.
16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the young children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:
17 And they departed, and dwelt in the inn of Chimham (probably erected by Bazillai [2 Sam. 19:31-40]. Near hear was the inn where Joseph and Mary could find no room [Luke 2:7]), which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,
18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land. (See 40:5.)
(Ch. 41 records the infamous treachery of Ishmael, so ch. 42 records the obstinate disobedience of Johanan. These incidents are recorded [instead of many others] because they show us something of the moral character of the People; and thus furnish us with the reason for the calamities which overtook them.)