Jeremiah 40:12 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 40:12 nkjv
then all the Jews returned out of all places where they had been driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruit in abundance.
Jeremiah 40:12 niv
they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.
Jeremiah 40:12 esv
then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.
Jeremiah 40:12 nlt
they began to return to Judah from the places to which they had fled. They stopped at Mizpah to meet with Gedaliah and then went into the Judean countryside to gather a great harvest of grapes and other crops.
Jeremiah 40 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 40:7 | Now when all the captains of the forces… heard that the king of Babylon had set Gedaliah… over the land… | Fulfillment/Continuation |
| Jeremiah 40:9 | Then Gedaliah… swore to them and to their companions… | Assurance and covenant |
| Jeremiah 40:11 | Likewise when all the Jews who were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and who were in other countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah… | Wider scope of return |
| Isaiah 1:9 | If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we would have been like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah. | The concept of a faithful remnant |
| Isaiah 11:12 | He will set up a banner for the nations… and will gather the dispersed of Israel, and assemble the outcasts of Judah from the four corners of the earth. | Messianic gathering |
| Isaiah 60:4 | Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you… | Prophecy of ingathering |
| Ezekiel 37:12 | Therefore, say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. | Prophecy of restoration and return |
| Matthew 24:31 | And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. | Gathering of the elect |
| Luke 21:24 | and they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. | Exile and eventual fulfillment |
| Acts 2:39 | For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. | Universal call and promise |
| Jeremiah 23:3 | I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them… | God's promise to gather |
| Jeremiah 31:7 | For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob; shout for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel!’ | Praise for the remnant |
| Jeremiah 31:8 | Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest corners of the earth… | Fulfillment of gathering |
| Zephaniah 3:13 | The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity or speak lies, nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue, for they shall feed and lie down with none to make them afraid. | Future purity of the remnant |
| Micah 5:7 | Then the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest… | Remnant with authority |
| John 11:52 | but that he might gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. | Christ's purpose for gathering |
| 1 Peter 1:1 | To the elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia… | Scattering and calling |
| Deuteronomy 30:3 | then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, and he will again gather you from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. | Condition for return |
| Psalm 147:2 | The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. | God's act of gathering |
| Haggai 1:14 | And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel… and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, and they came and began to work on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God… | Revival and rebuilding |
Jeremiah 40 verses
Jeremiah 40 12 Meaning
The people of Judah, upon hearing of Gedaliah's appointment as governor by the Babylonians, returned from their scattered places and gathered around him at Mizpah. They brought in their stores of wine and summer fruits. This verse signifies a moment of tentative hope and renewed gathering for the remnant of Judah after the destruction of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 40 12 Context
This verse is found within Jeremiah chapter 40, which immediately follows the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. After the initial shock and dispersal of the Judean population, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah as governor over the remaining people left in the land. These survivors, who had managed to evade capture or had hidden, are now being called back to a semblance of normalcy and community under Gedaliah's leadership. The verse marks the beginning of the "remnant" phase, where those who survived the initial catastrophe are now regrouping. This is set against the backdrop of profound national trauma and exile, where the future of Judah's identity and survival is uncertain.
Jeremiah 40 12 Word Analysis
- "And it came to pass": A common narrative connector in Hebrew literature, signifying the progression of events.
- "when": Introduces a temporal clause, indicating the timing of their actions.
- "all the captains of the forces": Refers to the military leaders and soldiers who were not among those captured and taken to Babylon. They had been in hiding. The Hebrew word is "sarim" (שרים), meaning princes or captains.
- "and their men": The soldiers or followers belonging to these captains.
- "when they heard": Their action is motivated by receiving news.
- "that": Introduces the content of what they heard.
- "the king of Babylon": Nebuchadnezzar.
- "had set": Indicates a decision and action taken by the Babylonian king.
- "Gedaliah": The appointed governor. His name means "Yahweh is great."
- "over the land": The territory of Judah.
- "and over the women, and over the children": Specifically mentions the groups left behind or returning. This highlights the scope of Gedaliah's authority over the surviving population.
- "and of the poor of the land": Refers to those who were not of high social or military standing, possibly those who remained in the country due to their poverty or inability to flee.
- "that he had left": Signifies a deliberate decision by Nebuchadnezzar to leave a portion of the population.
- "none to be carried away captive": A key detail – they were not deported to Babylon.
- "all the remnant of the Jews": "Gedalath," signifying the remaining ones. This term, "she'erith" (שארית), is crucial throughout prophecy, referring to those who survive God's judgment.
- "Which dwelt in the land of Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and in other countries": Broadens the scope of the return. This implies that Jews who had fled to neighboring territories during the turmoil were now being encouraged to return to Judah.
- "gathered themselves": An active response; they voluntarily came together.
- "to Mizpah": The designated gathering place, a significant city in Benjamin, north of Jerusalem. It had historical importance as a place of assembly and prayer.
- "unto Gedaliah": Their loyalty and obedience are directed towards the appointed governor.
- "to the land": Returning to their ancestral homeland.
Jeremiah 40 12 Bonus Section
The term "remnant" ("she'erith") carries immense theological weight in the Old Testament. It refers to those who survive God's judgment, often implying a future restoration and hope. Gedaliah's appointment and the subsequent gathering of this remnant can be seen as a preliminary fulfillment of prophetic promises of restoration, albeit under harsh circumstances. The inclusion of people from surrounding nations ("Moab, Ammonites, Edom") suggests a broader understanding of who was considered part of the dispersed Jewish community, reaching beyond those who remained in Judea. Mizpah's role as a gathering point emphasizes that even in defeat, the communal aspect of God's people is to be preserved and rebuilt. This moment serves as a foundation upon which the remaining narrative of the post-exilic community is built.
Jeremiah 40 12 Commentary
This verse depicts the initial response of the scattered Jewish military leaders and other survivors to the new leadership under Gedaliah. It’s a crucial turning point after a period of immense devastation and despair. The fact that they, who were armed and likely in positions to resist or continue to flee, chose to return and report to Gedaliah indicates a recognition of the Babylonian authority and perhaps a glimmer of hope for a stable future. The mention of various groups returning – the captains and their men, the women, children, and the poor – along with those from surrounding territories, paints a picture of a nascent rebuilding of the community. Mizpah becoming the center for this regrouping is significant, symbolizing a move towards organized settlement and governance. This return signifies a move from complete dispersion to tentative community formation under foreign rule.