Jeremiah 41 16

Jeremiah 41:16 kjv

Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:

Jeremiah 41:16 nkjv

Then Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah after he had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam?the mighty men of war and the women and the children and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon.

Jeremiah 41:16 niv

Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him led away all the people of Mizpah who had survived, whom Johanan had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah son of Ahikam?the soldiers, women, children and court officials he had recovered from Gibeon.

Jeremiah 41:16 esv

Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam ? soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, whom Johanan brought back from Gibeon.

Jeremiah 41:16 nlt

Then Johanan son of Kareah and the other military leaders took all the people they had rescued in Gibeon ? the soldiers, women, children, and court officials whom Ishmael had captured after he killed Gedaliah.

Jeremiah 41 verses

Jeremiah 41 16 Meaning

The verse describes Johanan's action to reclaim those captured by Ishmael, whom Johanan feared, showing a restoration and retrieval of the people of Judah. It highlights Johanan's resolve and protective instinct towards the remaining populace.

Jeremiah 41 16 Context

This verse occurs within the narrative of the aftermath of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Gedaliah, appointed governor by the Babylonians, had been assassinated by Ishmael. Ishmael then captured the remaining populace in Mizpah, including Jeremiah and other prominent individuals, intending to carry them away to Ammon. Johanan and his fellow captains, hearing of Ishmael's deed and fearing for their lives and the safety of the remnant, mounted a swift pursuit and rescue operation. This event underscores the precarious state of the Judean remnant after the exile and the internal strife that plagued them, as well as Johanan's subsequent disobedience in taking Jeremiah to Egypt.

Jeremiah 41 16 Word Analysis

• And (וְ - ve): A common conjunction indicating sequence or addition.

• Johanan (יוֹחָנָן - Yochanan): A masculine proper name, meaning "Yahweh is gracious." This is the same Johanan who later disobeyed God's command through Jeremiah by fleeing to Egypt.

• the son (בֶּן - ben): Indicates lineage and fatherhood.

• of Kareah (קָרַַ֫ח - Qareyach): A patronymic, identifying Johanan's father. The meaning of "Qareyach" is uncertain, possibly related to "baldness."

• and (וְ - ve): Conjunction.

• all (כָּל - kol): Emphasizes totality, meaning "all" or "every."

• the captains (שָׂרֵי - sarey): Plural of "sar," meaning "captain," "prince," or "chief." It signifies leadership roles within the military forces.

• of the forces (הַחַיִל - ha chayil): "Ha" is the definite article "the." "Chayil" can mean army, strength, wealth, or valor. Here it refers to the military contingent.

• that were with him (אֲשֶׁר־עִמֹּו - asher imo): Indicates association and companionship.

• took (לָקַח - laqach): A verb signifying to seize, to grasp, to take possession of. It denotes the act of recovering the captives.

• all (אֶת־כָּל־ - et kol): Again, emphasizes totality. The "et" is a direct object marker.

• the remnant (שְׁאֵרִית - she'erit): Means "remnant," "remainder," or "what is left." It refers to the surviving population.

• of the people (הָעָם - ha'am): "Ha" is "the." "Am" means "people" or "nation."

• whom (אֲשֶׁר - asher): Relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause.

• Ishmael (יִשְׁמָעֵאל - Yishmael): A masculine proper name, meaning "God hears." This refers to Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the perpetrator of the massacre and kidnapping.

• the son (בֶּן - ben): Indicates lineage.

• of Nethaniah (נְתַנְיָה - Nethanyah): A patronymic, identifying Ishmael's father. The name means "Yahweh has given."

• had taken captive (שָׁבָה - shavah): A verb meaning to take captive, to lead away prisoner. It implies the act of making them prisoners of war.

• at Mizpah (בְּמִצְפָּה - bəMitzpah): "Bə" is the preposition "in" or "at." Mizpah was a significant city in Benjamin, serving as a gathering place and administrative center.

• after that he had slain (אַחֲרֵי הֲמִיתֹו — acharei hamitoh): "Acharei" means "after." "Hamitoh" is derived from "muth," meaning "to die," or here "to cause to die," meaning "his killing" or "after he killed."

• Gedaliah (גְּדַלְיָה - Gedalyah): A masculine proper name, meaning "Yahweh is great." This refers to Gedaliah, the governor appointed by the Babylonians.

• the son (בֶּן - ben): Indicates lineage.

• of Ahikam (אֲחִיקָם - Achikam): A patronymic, identifying Gedaliah's father. The name means "my brother has arisen."

• the governor (הַפָּקִיד — hapaqid): "Ha" is "the." "Paqid" means an official appointed to oversee or inspect, hence "governor" or "overseer."

• and turned back (וַיָּשֻׁבוּ — wayyashuvu): "Wa" is the consecutive "and." "Yashuvu" is from "shuv," meaning "to turn back," "return." This signifies their return with the rescued people.

• to (אֶל־ — el): Preposition indicating direction.

• the people (הָעָם — ha'am): "The people."

• of Judah (יְהוּדָה — Yehudah): Refers to the people belonging to the tribe or kingdom of Judah.

• Words-Group by Words-Group Analysis:

  • "Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces that were with him": This phrase establishes the leadership and the cohesive action taken by a significant military contingent under Johanan's command.
  • "took all the remnant of the people whom Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had taken captive at Mizpah": This segment clearly states the action (taking), the object of the action (all the remnant), and identifies the perpetrator and the location of the initial act of captivity.
  • "after he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the governor": This temporal clause provides the critical context for Ishmael's actions—the assassination of Gedaliah, the legitimate (though appointed) leader.
  • "and turned back to the people of Judah": This concluding phrase signifies the success of Johanan's mission to retrieve the captives and their return to the broader community of Judeans.

Jeremiah 41 16 Bonus Section

The actions of Johanan and his captains in rescuing the captives can be seen as a foreshadowing of Christ's mission to rescue His people from the bondage of sin. While Johanan's rescue was physical, Christ's rescue is spiritual and eternal. The fear that Johanan had towards Ishmael, driving his actions, highlights how human motivations can be complex, intertwined with both self-preservation and a desire to protect others. This passage also sets the stage for a subsequent problematic decision by Johanan, showing that even those who perform good deeds are subject to error and spiritual disobedience.

Jeremiah 41 16 Commentary

Johanan, motivated by a mix of apprehension towards Ishmael and loyalty to the Judean remnant, acted decisively to reclaim the captives taken by Ishmael after the latter's treachery against Gedaliah. This act of rescue demonstrates courage and leadership among the remaining Judean military leaders. However, Johanan's subsequent actions (leading people and Jeremiah to Egypt in chapter 43) reveal a significant deviation from God's will, illustrating the human tendency to mix good deeds with flawed decision-making. The verse emphasizes the precarious state of post-exilic Judah, marked by internal conflict and vulnerability, while also portraying the desire of some leaders to protect the remaining population. The act of retrieving the captured is a positive, restorative action amidst a chaotic and violent period.