Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 41

Introduction

Overview

Jeremiah 41:1, Ishmael, treacherously killing Gedaliah and others, purposes with the residue to flee unto the Ammonites; Jeremiah 41:11, Johanan recovers the captives, and is minded to flee into Egypt.

Verse 1

the seventh month: This was the month Tisri answering to the new moon of September, the seventh of the sacred, but the first of the civil year; on the third day of which the Jews keep a fast, in commemoration of the death of Gedaliah, to which the prophet Zechariah refers, Zechariah 8:19, Jeremiah 39:2, Jeremiah 52:6. 2 Kings 25:3, 2 Kings 25:8, 2 Kings 25:25. Zechariah 7:5, Zechariah 8:19.

Ishmael: Jeremiah 40:6, Jeremiah 40:8

Elishama: Jeremiah 36:12, Jeremiah 36:20

of the: Proverbs 13:10, Proverbs 27:4, James 4:1-3

seed: 2 Kings 11:1, 2 Chronicles 22:10, Ezekiel 17:13

they did: Jeremiah 40:14-16, 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 20:9, 2 Samuel 20:10, Psalms 41:9, Psalms 109:5, Proverbs 26:23-26, Daniel 11:26, Daniel 11:27, Luke 22:47, Luke 22:48, John 13:18

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 36:14 - Nethaniah Jeremiah 39:14 - committed Lamentations 5:9 - General Ezekiel 5:4 - take Ezekiel 36:3 - they have made Daniel 1:3 - General

Verse 2

and smote: 2 Kings 25:25

whom: Jeremiah 40:7

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 3:27 - quietly 2 Kings 22:9 - Shaphan 2 Kings 25:22 - Gedaliah Nehemiah 6:2 - they thought Isaiah 24:2 - as with the people Jeremiah 36:14 - Nethaniah Jeremiah 40:5 - Go back Jeremiah 40:14 - Ishmael Jeremiah 40:16 - Thou shalt Jeremiah 41:11 - Johanan Jeremiah 41:15 - eight men Jeremiah 41:18 - because

Verse 3

Jeremiah 41:11, Jeremiah 41:12, 2 Kings 25:25, Ecclesiastes 9:18, Lamentations 1:2

Reciprocal: Joshua 11:3 - land

Verse 4

after: 1 Samuel 27:11, Psalms 52:1, Psalms 52:2

Verse 5

came: 2 Kings 10:13, 2 Kings 10:14

Shechem: Genesis 33:18, Genesis 34:2, Joshua 24:32, Judges 9:1, 1 Kings 12:1, 1 Kings 12:25

Shiloh: Jeremiah 7:12, Jeremiah 7:14, Joshua 18:1

Samaria: 1 Kings 16:24, 1 Kings 16:29

their beards: All these were signs of deep mourning; which, though forbidden on funeral occasions, were customary, and perhaps counted allowable, on seasons of public calamity, and this mourning was probably on account of the destruction of Jerusalem. Leviticus 19:27, Leviticus 19:28, Deuteronomy 14:1, 2 Samuel 10:4, Isaiah 15:2

to the: 1 Samuel 1:7, 2 Kings 25:9, Psalms 102:14

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 19:24 - dressed his feet 1 Chronicles 19:4 - shaved them Psalms 66:15 - with the Jeremiah 16:6 - nor cut Jeremiah 47:5 - how Jeremiah 48:37 - every head Matthew 2:8 - that

Verse 6

weeping: etc. Heb. in going and weeping, Jeremiah 50:4, 2 Samuel 1:2-16, 2 Samuel 3:16, Proverbs 26:23-26

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 3:27 - quietly 2 Samuel 13:24 - let the king

Verse 7

slew: 1 Kings 15:28, 1 Kings 15:29, 1 Kings 16:10-12, 2 Kings 11:1, 2 Kings 11:2, 2 Kings 15:25, Psalms 55:23, Proverbs 1:16, Isaiah 59:7, Ezekiel 22:27, Ezekiel 33:24-26, Romans 3:15

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 3:27 - quietly 2 Samuel 13:24 - let the king Isaiah 14:19 - go Jeremiah 41:11 - Johanan

Verse 8

Slay: Job 2:4, Psalms 49:6-8, Proverbs 13:8, Matthew 6:25, Matthew 16:26, Mark 8:36, Mark 8:37, Philippians 3:7-9

treasures: These "treasures hid in the field" were doubtless laid up in subterranean pits, similar to the mattamores in Barbary, in which, Dr. Shaw informs us, they deposit the grain when winnowed; two or three hundred of them being sometimes together, and the smallest holding four hundred bushels. The same mode of keeping corn prevails in Syria and the Holy Land.

Reciprocal: Genesis 37:26 - What profit 2 Kings 7:8 - hid it 1 Chronicles 27:25 - the storehouses Proverbs 21:20 - oil

Verse 9

the pit: This was probably a large reservoir for receiving rain water, which Asa had caused to be made in the midst of the city, in case of a siege.

because of Gedaliah: or, near Gedaliah, Heb. by the hand, or the side of Gedaliah. was it. Joshua 10:16-18, Judges 6:2, 1 Samuel 13:6, 1 Samuel 14:11, 1 Samuel 14:22, 1 Samuel 24:3, 2 Samuel 17:9, Hebrews 11:38

for fear: 1 Kings 15:17-22, 2 Chronicles 16:1-10

Reciprocal: Isaiah 14:19 - go Ezekiel 33:27 - in the caves

Verse 10

all the: Jeremiah 40:11, Jeremiah 40:12

even: Jeremiah 22:30, Jeremiah 39:6, Jeremiah 43:5-7, Jeremiah 44:12-14

whom: Jeremiah 40:7

to the: Jeremiah 40:14, Nehemiah 2:10, Nehemiah 2:19, Nehemiah 4:7, Nehemiah 4:8, Nehemiah 6:17, Nehemiah 6:18, Nehemiah 13:4-8

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 38:22 - all Jeremiah 38:23 - they shall Jeremiah 41:16 - even Jeremiah 43:6 - the king's

Verse 11

Johanan: Jeremiah 41:2, Jeremiah 41:3, Jeremiah 41:7, Jeremiah 40:7, Jeremiah 40:8, Jeremiah 40:13-16, Jeremiah 42:1, Jeremiah 42:3, Jeremiah 43:2-5

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 42:8 - Johanan

Verse 12

to fight: Genesis 14:14-16, 1 Samuel 30:1-8, 1 Samuel 30:18-20

the great: 2 Samuel 2:13

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 41:3 - General

Verse 13

that when: They appear to have been weary of the tyranny of Ishmael, and glad of an opportunity to abandon him.

Verse 14

Reciprocal: Joshua 11:3 - land

Verse 15

escaped: 1 Samuel 30:17, 1 Kings 20:20, Job 21:30, Proverbs 28:17, Ecclesiastes 8:11, Ecclesiastes 8:12, Acts 28:4

eight men: Jeremiah 41:2, 2 Kings 25:25

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 43:5 - took

Verse 16

even: Jeremiah 41:10, Jeremiah 42:8, Jeremiah 43:4-7

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 25:26 - General Jeremiah 36:14 - Nethaniah Jeremiah 40:8 - Johanan Jeremiah 42:1 - all the Jeremiah 43:2 - Johanan Jeremiah 43:5 - took

Verse 17

Chimham: 2 Samuel 19:37, 2 Samuel 19:38

to go: As Johanan and the other princes had taken a decided part against Ishmael, they had no sufficient reason to fear that the Chaldeans would revenge on them the murder of Gedaliah; but perhaps Johanan was unwilling to be superseded in the command which he had rightly assumed, and so used his influence to induce the whole company to take refuge in Egypt; and their old attachment to the Egyptians rendered them more ready to concur in this ruinous measure. Jeremiah 42:14, Jeremiah 42:19, Jeremiah 43:7, Isaiah 30:2, Isaiah 30:3

Verse 18

for they: Jeremiah 42:11, Jeremiah 42:16, Jeremiah 43:2, Jeremiah 43:3, 2 Kings 25:25, Isaiah 30:16, Isaiah 30:17, Isaiah 51:12, Isaiah 51:13, Isaiah 57:11, Luke 12:4, Luke 12:5

because: Jeremiah 41:2

whom: Jeremiah 40:5

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 36:14 - Nethaniah Lamentations 5:9 - General