Jeremiah 40-43
1599 Geneva Bible
40 Jeremiah hath license to go whither he will. 6 He dwelleth with the people that remain with Gedaliah.
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord after that Nebuzaradan the chief steward 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 Babel.
2 [a]And the chief steward took Jeremiah and said unto him, The Lord thy God hath pronounced this plague upon this place.
3 Now the Lord hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have [b]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 on thine hands: if it please thee to come with me into Babel, come, and I will look well unto thee: but if it please thee not to come with me into Babel, [c]tarry still: behold, all the land is [d]before thee: whither it seemeth good, and convenient for thee to go, thither go.
5 For yet he was not returned: therefore he said, Return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babel hath made governor over all the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people, or go wheresoever it pleaseth thee to go. So the chief steward gave him vittles and a reward, and let him go.
6 Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, to [e]Mizpah, and dwelt there with him among the people that were left in the land.
7 Now when all the captains of the host, [f]which were in the fields, even they and their men heard, that the king of Babel had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and that he had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, that were not carried away captive to Babel,
8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even [g]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 Maachathi, they and their men.
9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan (A)sware unto them, and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babel, and it shall be well with you:
10 As for me, Behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to [h]serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but you, gather you wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities, that ye have [i]taken.
11 Likewise when all the Jews that were in [j]Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babel 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 where 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 host, that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
14 And said unto him, Knowest thou not that [k]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 kill 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 [l]not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.
41 2 Ishmael killeth Gedaliah guilefully, and many others with him. 11 Johanan followeth after Ishmael.
1 But in the [m]seventh month came Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama of the seed royal, and the princes of the [n]king, and ten men with him, unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and there they did [o]eat bread together in Mizpah.
2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah with these 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 Babel had made governor over the land.
3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and all the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war.
4 Now the second day that he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it,
5 There came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent and cut, with [p]offerings and incense in their hands to offer in the house of the Lord.
6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping, as he went: and when he met them, he said unto them, Come [q]to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.
7 And when they came into the midst of the city, 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 unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey: so he stayed, and slew them not among their brethren.
9 Now the [pit] wherein Ishmael had cast the dead bodies of the men (whom he had slain because of Gedaliah) is it, which Asa the king had [r]made because 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, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the chief steward 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 [s]captains of the host that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,
12 Then they all took their men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.
13 Now when all the people whom Ishmael carried away captive, saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, that were with him, they were glad.
14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah, returned and came again, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.
15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the [t]Ammonites.
16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host that were with him, all the remnant of the people, whom Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had carried away captive from Mizpah, (after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam) even the strong men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon.
17 And they departed and dwelt in Geruth [u]Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go and to enter into Egypt,
18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they feared them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babel made governor in the land.
42 1 The captains ask counsel of Jeremiah what they ought to do. 7 He admonisheth the remnant of the people not to go into Egypt.
1 Then all the captains of the host, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least unto the most, came,
2 And said unto Jeremiah the Prophet, [v]Hear our prayer, we beseech thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant (for we are left, but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold)
3 That the Lord thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may [w]do.
4 Then Jeremiah the Prophet said unto them, I have heard you: behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words, and whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you: I will keep nothing back from you.
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, [x]The Lord be a witness of truth, and faith between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us.
6 Whether it be good or evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord God, to whom we send thee, that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.
7 ¶ [y]And so after ten days came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah.
8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, which were with him, and all the people from the least to the most,
9 And said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your prayers before him,
10 If ye will dwell in this land, then I will build you, and not destroy you, and I will plant you, and not root you out: for I [z]repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
11 Fear not for the king of Babel, of whom ye are afraid: be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you, to save you, and to deliver you [aa]from his hand,
12 And I will grant you mercy that he may have compassion upon you, and he shall cause you to [ab]dwell in your own land.
13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither hear the voice of the Lord your God,
14 Saying, Nay, but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread, and there will we dwell,
15 (And now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah: thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, If ye set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to dwell there,)
16 Then the sword that ye feared, [ac]shall take you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, for the which ye care, shall there hang upon you in Egypt, and there shall ye die.
17 And all the men that set their faces to enter into Egypt to dwell there, shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, and none of them shall remain, nor escape from the plague, that I will bring upon them.
18 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, As mine anger and my wrath hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem: so shall my wrath be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt, and ye shall be a detestation, and an astonishment, and a [ad]curse, and a reproach, and ye shall see this place no more.
19 O ye remnant of Judah, the Lord hath said concerning you, Go not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
20 Surely ye [ae]dissembled in your hearts when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God, and declare unto us even according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, and we will do it.
21 Therefore I have this day declared it you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor anything for the which he hath sent me unto you.
22 Now therefore, know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence [af]in the place whither ye desire to go and dwell.
43 Johanan carrieth the remnant of the people into Egypt, contrary to the mind of Jeremiah. 8 Jeremiah prophesieth the destruction of Egypt.
1 Now when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto the whole people all the words of the Lord their God, for the which the Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words,
2 Then spake [ag]Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the [ah]proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, [ai]Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath [aj]not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to dwell there,
3 But Baruch the son of Neriah [ak]provoketh thee against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might slay us, and carry us away captives into Babel.
4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, and all the people obeyed not the voice of the Lord, to dwell in the land of Judah.
5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host took all the remnant of Judah that were returned from all [al]nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah:
6 Even men and women, and children, and the king’s daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the chief steward had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the [am]Prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.
7 So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: thus came they to [an]Tahpanhes.
8 ¶ Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
9 Take great stones in thine hand, and [ao]hide them in the clay in the brick kiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes in the sight of the men of Judah,
10 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, Behold, I will send and bring Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel [ap]my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid, and he shall spread his pavilion over them.
11 And when he shall come, he shall smite the land of Egypt: [aq]such as are appointed for death, to death, and such as are for captivity, to captivity, and such as are for the sword, to the sword.
12 And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captives, and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a [ar]shepherd putteth on his garment, and shall depart from thence in peace.
13 He shall break also the images of [as]Beth Shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt, and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 40:2 From this second verse unto Jer. 42:7, it seemeth to be as a parenthesis, and separated matter: and there this story beginneth again, and this vision is declared what it was.
- Jeremiah 40:3 God moved this infidel to speak this to declare the great blindness and obstinacy of the Jews, which could not feel that which this heathen man confessed.
- Jeremiah 40:4 Hebrew, cease.
- Jeremiah 40:4 Or, at thy commandment.
- Jeremiah 40:6 Which was a city of Judah.
- Jeremiah 40:7 Which were scattered abroad for fear of the Chaldeans.
- Jeremiah 40:8 Who was of the king’s blood and after slew him, Jer. 41:2.
- Jeremiah 40:10 Or, to receive them, or to entreat them for you.
- Jeremiah 40:10 Or, chosen to dwell in.
- Jeremiah 40:11 Which were fled also for fear of the Chaldeans.
- Jeremiah 40:14 For under the color of entertaining of Ishmael, he sought only to make them destroy one another.
- Jeremiah 40:16 Thus the godly, which think no harm to others, are soonest deceived, and never lack such as conspire their destruction.
- Jeremiah 41:1 The city was destroyed in the fourth month: and in the seventh month, which contained part of September, and part of October, was the governor Gedaliah slain.
- Jeremiah 41:1 Meaning, Zedekiah.
- Jeremiah 41:1 They did eat together as familiar friends.
- Jeremiah 41:5 For they thought that the Temple had not been destroyed and therefore came up to the feast of Tabernacles: but hearing of the burning thereof in the way, they showed these signs of sorrow.
- Jeremiah 41:6 For his death was kept secret, and he feigned that he lament for the destruction of Jerusalem, and the Temple: but after slew them when they seemed to favor Gedaliah.
- Jeremiah 41:9 Asa fortified Mizpah for fear of the enemy, and cast ditches and trenches, 1 Kings 15:22.
- Jeremiah 41:11 Which had been captains under Zedekiah.
- Jeremiah 41:15 For Baalis the king of the Ammonites was the cause of this murder.
- Jeremiah 41:17 Which place David of old had given to Chimham the son of Barzillai the Gileadite, 2 Sam. 19:38.
- Jeremiah 42:2 Hebrew, Let our prayer fall before thee, as Jer. 36:7
- Jeremiah 42:3 This declareth the nature of hypocrites, which would know of God’s word what they should do, but will not follow it, but inasmuch as it agreeth with that thing, which they have purposed to do.
- Jeremiah 42:5 There are none more ready to abuse the Name of God and take it in vain, than the hypocrites, which to color their falsehood use it without all reverence, and make it a means for them to deceive the simple and the godly.
- Jeremiah 42:7 Here is declared the vision and the occasion thereof, whereof mention was made, Jer. 40:1.
- Jeremiah 42:10 Read Jer. 18:8.
- Jeremiah 42:11 Because all kings’ hearts and ways are in his hands, he can turn them and dispose them as it pleaseth him, and therefore they need not to fear man, but only obey God, Prov. 21:1.
- Jeremiah 42:12 Or, return.
- Jeremiah 42:16 Thus God turneth the policy of the wicked to their own destruction: for they thought themselves sure in Egypt, and there Nebuchadnezzar destroyed them and the Egyptians, Jer. 46:25.
- Jeremiah 42:18 Read Jer. 26:6 and 24:12, showing that this should come upon them for their infidelity and stubbornness.
- Jeremiah 42:20 For ye were fully minded to go into Egypt, whatsoever God spake to the contrary.
- Jeremiah 42:22 To wit, in Egypt.
- Jeremiah 43:2 Who was also called Jezaniah, Jer. 42:1.
- Jeremiah 43:2 This declareth that pride is the cause of rebellion: and contempt of God’s ministers.
- Jeremiah 43:2 When the hypocrisy of the wicked is discovered, they burst forth into open rage: for they can abide nothing but flattery, read Isa. 30:10.
- Jeremiah 43:2 He showeth what is the nature of the hypocrites: to wit, to feign that they would obey God and embrace his word, if they were assured that his messenger spake the truth: though indeed they be most far from all obedience.
- Jeremiah 43:3 Thus the wicked do not only contemn and hurt the messengers of God, but slander, and speak wickedly of all them that support or favor the godly.
- Jeremiah 43:5 As from the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, Jer. 40:11.
- Jeremiah 43:6 Whom these wicked lead away by force.
- Jeremiah 43:7 A city in Egypt near to Nilus.
- Jeremiah 43:9 Which signified that Nebuchadnezzar should come even to the gates of Pharaoh, where were his brick kilns for his buildings.
- Jeremiah 43:10 Read Jer. 25:9.
- Jeremiah 43:11 Everyone shall be slain by that means that God hath appointed, Jer. 15:2.
- Jeremiah 43:12 Meaning, most easily and suddenly shall he carry the Egyptians away.
- Jeremiah 43:13 Or, the house of the Sun.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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