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Scripture Reading: Jer. 39:1-14; 40:1-16; 41:1-18
Jeremiah 2—45 speaks of Israel's sin against Jehovah and Jehovah's punishment upon Israel. Not only before the fall of Jerusalem, but even in the fall and after the fall of Jerusalem, Israel remained stubborn in their sinning against Jehovah. Yet Jeremiah remained firm in his speaking for Jehovah.
Jeremiah 39:1-10 is a record concerning the fall of Jerusalem.
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and besieged it (39:1). In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city and Jerusalem was captured (vv. 2-3).
In verses 4 through 10 we see the punishment upon Zedekiah. When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw the Chaldeans, they fled from the city by night by way of the king's garden. However, the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he judged him. The king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also slew all the nobles of Judah. Then he blinded (put out) Zedekiah's eyes and bound him in bronze fetters to bring him to Babylon.
Following this, the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. The rest of the people, both those who deserted to Nebuchadnezzar and those who remained, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard carried into exile to Babylon. But some of the poorest people the captain of the bodyguard left in the land of Judah and gave them vineyards and fields at that time.
In 39:11-14 and 40:1—44:30 we have a record of certain things that happened after the fall of Jerusalem.
In 39:11-14 and 40:1-6 there is a word regarding the release of Jeremiah.
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard to take Jeremiah and look after him and do no evil to him but deal with him just as Jeremiah would tell him (39:11-12). So Nebuzaradan and all the chief officers of Nebuchadnezzar sent men and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard and gave him to Gedaliah to take him home. And he dwelt among the people (vv. 13-14).
While Jeremiah was bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah, who were being exiled to Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard let him go (released him) from Ramah (40:1). He said to Jeremiah, "Now, behold, I release you today from the chains which are on your hands. If it is good in your sight to come to Babylon with me, come, and I will look after you; but if it is evil in your sight to come with me to Babylon, let it be so. See, all the land is before you; wherever it is good and right in your sight to go, there go" (v. 4). While Jeremiah still had not turned away, the captain of the bodyguard said that he should return to Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Then he went on to say that Jeremiah could go wherever it was right in his sight to go. After speaking to Jeremiah in this way, the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present and let him go. Then Jeremiah came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land (vv. 5-6).
In 40:7—44:30 we are given the history of the remnant of Judah from Gedaliah to Johanan.
Jeremiah 40:7-12 describes the gathering of the remnant of Judah to Gedaliah.
When all the leaders of the forces in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah over the land and had committed to him all the poor of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah (vv. 7-8). Gedaliah swore to them, saying, "Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans; remain in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you" (v. 9). Then he said that he would dwell in Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who came to them, but they, the remnant of Judah, should gather wine, summer fruit, and oil and put them in their holds and dwell in the cities which they had taken (v. 10).
All the Jews who were in Moab and among the children of Ammon and in Edom and who were in all the lands also heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah and had appointed over them Gedaliah. All of them returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to Gedaliah at Mizpah in the land of Judah (vv. 11-12).
Jeremiah 40:13—41:10 tells about the murder of Gedaliah.
Johanan and all the leaders of the forces who were in the field came to Gedaliah and told him that Baalis the king of Ammon had sent Ishmael to take his life. However, Gedaliah would not believe them (vv. 13-14). Then Johanan said secretly to Gedaliah that he would go and strike Ishmael so that Ishmael would not take Gedaliah's life. Johanan said, "Why should he take your life, and all the Jews who are gathered to you be scattered and the remnant of Judah perish?" (v. 15). But Gedaliah would not let Johanan do it, for he said that Johanan was speaking falsehood concerning Ishmael (v. 16).
In the seventh month Ishmael of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, and ten men with him came to Gedaliah and ate bread together in Mizpah. Then Ishmael and his ten men struck down Gedaliah with the sword and put him to death (41:1-2). Ishmael also struck down all the Jews who were with Gedaliah as well as the Chaldeans, the men of war. No one knew about it. On the next day eighty men came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria with meal offerings and incense in their hands to bring to the house of Jehovah. Ishmael went down to meet them and asked them to come to Gedaliah. When they came into the midst of the city, Ishmael and his men slew them and cast them into the pit, except ten who had hidden stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey in the field. Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people who were in Mizpah: the king's daughters and all the people whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had committed to Gedaliah. Then he went to cross over to the children of Ammon (vv. 3-10).
When Johanan and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the evil of Ishmael, they took all the men and went to fight with Ishmael. When all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan and all the leaders of the forces with him, they rejoiced and turned around and came back to Johanan. Ishmael escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to Ammon (vv. 11-15).
Johanan and all the leaders of the forces with him took all the remnant of the people from Mizpah whom he brought back from Ishmael: mighty men, men of war, women and little children, and eunuchs. They went and stayed in the lodging place of Chimham (cf. 2 Sam. 19:38, 40), near Bethlehem, in order to go and enter into Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans because of the murder of Gedaliah by Ishmael (Jer. 41:16-18).
