Jeremiah 41:15 kjv
But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.
Jeremiah 41:15 nkjv
But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the Ammonites.
Jeremiah 41:15 niv
But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites.
Jeremiah 41:15 esv
But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.
Jeremiah 41:15 nlt
Meanwhile, Ishmael and eight of his men escaped from Johanan into the land of Ammon.
Jeremiah 41 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 41:2 | Ishmael... struck down Gedaliah... the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him in Mizpah. | 2 Kings 25:25 (parallel account) |
| Jer 40:9 | Gedaliah the son of Ahikam son of Shaphan had sworn to them and their men, "Do not fear serving the Chaldeans. Remain in the land, serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you." | Encouragement to stay and submit to Babylon |
| Jer 40:11 | Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam son of Shaphan over them... | Return of exiles encouraged by Gedaliah's appointment |
| Jer 40:12 | ...all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had fled and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance. | Brief period of prosperity under Gedaliah |
| Jer 40:7 | When all the captains of the forces and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam governor in the land and had committed to him men, women, children, and the suckling babes of Jerusalem, and the lame and the blind who had escaped Jerusalem... | Gedaliah's appointed role and composition of the remnant |
| Jer 39:10 | The Chaldean army left behind some of the poorest of the people of the land to be vine-dressers and farmers. | Babylonian policy of leaving a lower class behind |
| Jer 40:5 | ...before he went back to Babylon, he gave command concerning Jeremiah. | Jeremiah's protection under Babylonian decree |
| Jer 40:6 | So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam at Mizpah and lived with him among the people who remained in the land of Judah. | Jeremiah’s presence with Gedaliah |
| 2 Sam 2:8 | But Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, took Ishmael the son of Saul. | Ishmael’s lineage – potentially linked to royal aspirations |
| Ps 55:12-14 | For it is not an enemy that taunts me; it is you, a man my equal, my companion, my familiar friend! We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. | Parallel sentiment of betrayal by a close associate |
| Acts 2:1 | Now when the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. | Unity shattered by sudden violence |
| John 13:21 | Jesus, troubled in spirit, testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." | Betrayal within a trusted circle |
| Gal 5:17 | For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things that you want to do. | Ishmael's actions driven by fleshly desires |
| Jer 38:1-6 | Ebed-melech saving Jeremiah from the cistern, illustrating faithful acts amid treachery. | Contrast to Ishmael's treachery |
| Prov 12:20 | The aim of the fraudulent is fraud, but the advice of the wise is honest. | Ishmael’s actions against wise counsel (Gedaliah’s peace) |
| Prov 28:18 | Whoever is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall, but he who hates all sin will surely be secure. | Consequences of crooked ways |
| Zech 7:9-10 | Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and compassion to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you scheme evil against his brother in your heart. | Direct commands against actions like Ishmael's |
| Jer 21:13 | Who will come down to us against whom? who will go into our dwellings? | Description of the devastation of Jerusalem |
| Jer 29:6 | – increase there and do not decrease; marry and have children; seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. | The opposite of Ishmael's destructive actions – seeking welfare |
| Rom 12:18 | If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. | Call for peaceful coexistence |
| 1 John 3:15 | Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. | Ethical parallel regarding hatred and violence |
Jeremiah 41 verses
Jeremiah 41 15 Meaning
The verse describes Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, killing Gedaliah, the governor appointed by the Babylonians, and also all the Jews and Chaldeans with him in Mizpah. This act is a violent betrayal and the cessation of the fragile stability established in Judah after the fall of Jerusalem. It marks a turning point towards further hardship and dispersion for the remnant.
Jeremiah 41 15 Context
Chapter 41 immediately follows the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem and the exile of most of its population. Gedaliah, a Jew but one who had cooperated with the Babylonians, was appointed governor of the remnant left in Judah. He established his residence at Mizpah and worked to restore some semblance of order and agricultural activity. Jeremiah and the prophet Baruch were with Gedaliah. The inhabitants who had fled to surrounding nations were encouraged to return and join Gedaliah's administration, creating a fragile hope for the future of Judah. Ishmael, however, hailed from a Davidic lineage and was possibly motivated by resentment of Babylonian rule and disdain for Gedaliah's cooperative policy. He also harbored personal animosity or was incited by the Ammonites. The verse depicts the brutal disruption of this nascent stability and the devastating consequences that followed.
Jeremiah 41 15 Word Analysis
- Ishmael (Hebrew: Yishma’el): Means "God hears." The name ironically contrasts with the violent and destructive nature of his actions in this passage. It refers to Ishmael son of Nethaniah, from the line of David (though not the royal line).
- son of: Indicates lineage, establishing his identity.
- Nethaniah (Hebrew: Nethanyahu): Means "God has given."
- smote (Hebrew: lakah): A strong verb indicating striking, slaying, or killing. It's a violent act.
- Gedaliah (Hebrew: Gedalyahu): Means "Yahweh has made great." The appointed governor.
- the son of: Again, establishes lineage for clarity.
- Ahikam: Means "brother of rising." Father of Gedaliah.
- with him: Refers to Gedaliah.
- the Jews: The Judeans, the people of Judah.
- which were at Mizpah: Indicates their presence and location with Gedaliah in Mizpah.
- and the Chaldeans (Hebrew: Kasdim): The Babylonian overlords or their soldiers present. Their inclusion highlights the dual betrayal of both the Jewish leadership and the Babylonian authority.
- that were with him: Pertains to both the Jews and the Chaldeans, signifying they were present with Gedaliah at the time of the attack.
Group of Words Analysis:
- "Ishmael the son of Nethaniah came": Sets the stage for the agent of destruction and establishes his identity.
- "and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam": The primary act of violence and betrayal.
- "with all the Jews and Chaldeans that were with him there": Details the scope of the massacre, showing a broader attack beyond just Gedaliah, impacting both his Jewish supporters and the Babylonian presence, thus eradicating the hope of peace.
Jeremiah 41 15 Bonus Section
Ishmael's lineage, being from the house of David (though not the main royal line of Jehoiachin), might have contributed to his sense of entitlement and resentment towards Gedaliah, who was perhaps from a less prominent lineage or viewed as a collaborator. The text implicitly points to the Ammonite king Baalis as a likely instigator of this plot, as verse 10 states Ishmael carried captives away towards the Ammonites. This reveals the political landscape, where Ishmael acted as a destabilizing agent, serving external interests by destroying internal leadership and peace. The vulnerability of the remnant, the reliance on Gedaliah's protection, and the dashed hopes of recovery are starkly illustrated here.
Jeremiah 41 15 Commentary
This verse is a pivotal moment of tragic betrayal and the shattering of hope. Ishmael’s violent act at Mizpah wasn't just the assassination of Gedaliah; it was an attack on the fragile peace and a brutal act of defiance against the Babylonian authority and the remnant’s attempt at rebuilding. His motivation likely stemmed from political ambition, possibly fueled by opposition to Gedaliah's submission to Babylon, and potentially instigated by external enemies of Judah like the Ammonites (as revealed in subsequent verses). The inclusion of Chaldeans in the slaughter underscores the indiscriminate violence and the deliberate destruction of any established order. This act plunges the remnant back into deep insecurity, leading to further dispersion and hardship, directly contradicting the hope for stability represented by Gedaliah's governorship. The violence here underscores the internal divisions and external pressures that plagued Judah even after the initial judgment.