Focused Passage

Jeremiah 40:13-16

Jeremiah Released, Gedaliah Appointed, and the Fragile Remnant in the Land

The chapter moves from Jeremiah's release at Ramah, to Nebuzaradan's theological explanation of Judah's fall, to Jeremiah's choice to remain with Gedaliah, to the gathering and stabilization of the remnant, to the return of scattered Judeans, and finally to the warning of Ishmael's assassination plot.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

13 Meanwhile, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

14 and said to him, “Are you aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

15 Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,” he said. “No one will know it. Why should he take your life and scatter all the people of Judah who have gathered to you, so that the remnant of Judah would perish?”

16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is a lie.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 13

Cross-references

Jeremiah 42:1 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 16:9 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 41:11 Classic cross-references

Original words

Meanwhile, Johanan וְיֽוֹחָנָן֙ H3110 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Kareah קָרֵ֔חַ H7143 Noun - proper - masculine singular and all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct the commanders שָׂרֵ֥י H8269 Noun - masculine plural construct of the armies הַחֲיָלִ֖ים H2428 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative in the field בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה H7704 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular came בָּ֥אוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Gedaliah גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ H1436 Noun - proper - masculine singular at Mizpah הַמִּצְפָּֽתָה׃ H4709 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular

Verse 14

Cross-references

Jeremiah 41:10 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 10:1 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 25:21 Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 11:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

and said to him וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . אֵלָ֗יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular Are you aware הֲיָדֹ֤עַ H3045 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . תֵּדַע֙ H3045 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular that כִּ֞י H3588 Conjunction Baalis בַּעֲלִ֣יס׀ H1185 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶ֣לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of the Ammonites בְּנֵֽי־ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . עַמּ֗וֹן H5983 Noun - proper - masculine singular has sent שָׁלַח֙ H7971 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker Ishmael יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל H3458 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Nethaniah נְתַנְיָ֔ה H5418 Noun - proper - masculine singular to take לְהַכֹּתְךָ֖ H5221 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular your life נָ֑פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular But Gedaliah גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ H1436 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Ahikam אֲחִיקָֽם׃ H296 Noun - proper - masculine singular did not וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle believe הֶאֱמִ֣ין H539 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular them לָהֶ֔ם Preposition | third person masculine plural

Verse 15

Cross-references

1 Samuel 26:8 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 25:25 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 21:17 Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Johanan וְיוֹחָנָ֣ן H3110 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Kareah קָרֵ֡חַ H7143 Noun - proper - masculine singular spoke אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular privately בַסֵּ֨תֶר H5643 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Gedaliah גְּדַלְיָהוּ֩ H1436 Noun - proper - masculine singular at Mizpah בַּמִּצְפָּ֜ה H4709 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Let me go אֵ֤לְכָה H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular . . . נָּא֙ H4994 Interjection and kill וְאַכֶּה֙ H5221 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker Ishmael יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל H3458 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Nethaniah נְתַנְיָ֔ה H5418 Noun - proper - masculine singular he said לֵאמֹ֗ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct No לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle one וְאִ֖ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular will know it יֵדָ֑ע H3045 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Why לָ֧מָּה H4100 Interrogative should he take יַכֶּ֣כָּה H5221 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular your life נֶּ֗פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular and scatter וְנָפֹ֙צוּ֙ H6327 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the [people] of Judah יְהוּדָ֔ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular who have gathered הַנִּקְבָּצִ֣ים H6908 Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural to you אֵלֶ֔יךָ H413 Preposition | second person masculine singular so that the remnant שְׁאֵרִ֥ית H7611 Noun - feminine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָֽה׃ H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular would perish וְאָבְדָ֖ה H6 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular

Verse 16

Original words

But Gedaliah גְּדַלְיָ֤הוּ H1436 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Ahikam אֲחִיקָם֙ H296 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Johanan יוֹחָנָ֣ן H3110 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Kareah קָרֵ֔חַ H7143 Noun - proper - masculine singular Do not אַֽל־ H408 Adverb do תַּעַשׂ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker such a thing הַדָּבָ֣ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . הַזֶּ֑ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular . . . כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction What you are אַתָּ֥ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular saying דֹבֵ֖ר H1696 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular about אֶל־ H413 Preposition Ishmael יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל׃ס H3458 Noun - proper - masculine singular is a lie שֶׁ֛קֶר H8267 Noun - masculine singular

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