Jeremiah 40

Chapter context

What is happening in Jeremiah 40?

judgmenttearsnew covenantfalse worship

Jeremiah 40 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as fall of Jerusalem and later appendices. Jeremiah combines fierce warning, autobiographical anguish, symbolic action, the promise of a new covenant, and the trauma of Jerusalem’s fall. Read this chapter with the wider themes of judgment, tears, and new covenant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon. ² And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place. ³ Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you. ⁴ And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go. ⁵ Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go. ⁶ Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land. ⁷ Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon; ⁸ Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. ⁹ And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. ¹⁰ As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken. ¹¹ Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan; ¹² Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much. ¹³ Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, ¹⁴ And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not. ¹⁵ Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish? ¹⁶ But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.

Study helps

Glossary

Babylon Place v. 1, 4-5, 7, 9, 11: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Babylon.
Jeremiah Person v. 1-2, 6: Raised up or appointed by Jehovah. (1. ) A Gadite who joined David in the wilderness ( 1 Chr. 12:10 ). (2. ) A Gadite warrior ( 1 Chr. 12:13 ). (3. ) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:4 ).
Jerusalem Place v. 1: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jerusalem.
Ramah Place v. 1: ( Matt. 2:18 ), the Greek form of Ramah. (1. ) A city first mentioned in Josh. 18:25 , near Gibeah of Benjamin. It was fortified by Baasha, king of Israel ( 1 Kings 15:17-22 ; 2 Chr. 16:1-6 ). Modern identification: Al Ram.
Ahikam Person v. 5-7, 9, 11, 14, 16: Brother of support = helper, one of the five whom Josiah sent to consult the prophetess Huldah in connection with the discovery of the book of the law ( 2 Kings 22:12-14 ; 2 Chr. 34:20 ).
Gedaliah Person v. 5-9, 11-16: Made great by Jehovah. (1. ) the son of Jeduthum ( 1 Chr. 25:3 , 9). (2. ) The grandfather of the prophet Zephaniah, and the father of Cushi ( Zeph. 1:1 ). (3. ) One of the Jewish nobles who conspired against Jeremiah.
Mizpah Place v. 6, 8, 10, 12-13, 15: Or Miz’peh, watch-tower; the look-out. (1. ) A place in Gilead, so named by Laban, who overtook Jacob at this spot ( Gen. 31:49 ) on his return to Palestine from Padan-aram. Modern identification: Tell en Nasbeh.
Jonathan Person v. 8: Whom Jehovah gave, the name of fifteen or more persons that are mentioned in Scripture. The chief of these are, (1. ) A Levite descended from Gershom ( Judg. 18:30 ). His history is recorded in 17:7-13 and 18:30.
Kareah Person v. 8, 13, 15-16: Bald, the father of Johanan and Jonathan, who for a time were loyal to Gedaliah, the Babylonian governor of Jerusalem ( Jer. 40:8 , 13, 15, 16).
Nethaniah Person v. 8, 14-15: Given of Jehovah. (1. ) One of Asaph’s sons, appointed by David to minister in the temple ( 1 Chr. 25:2 , 12). (2. ) A Levite sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the law ( 2 Chr. 17:8 ). (3. ) Jer. 36:14 . (4. ) 2 Kings 25:23 , 25.
Seraiah Person v. 8: Soldier of Jehovah. (1. ) The father of Joab ( 1 Chr. 4:13 , 14). (2. ) The grandfather of Jehu ( 1 Chr. 4:35 ). (3. ) One of David’s scribes or secretaries ( 2 Sam. 8:17 ). (4. ) A Netophathite.
Chaldea Place v. 9-10: Biblical region. Modern identification: Tell el Muqayyar.
Ammon Place v. 11, 14: Biblical region. Modern identification: Amman.
Edom Place v. 11: Biblical region. Modern identification: Buseira.
Moab Place v. 11: Biblical region. Modern identification: Kerak.