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Matthew Henry |
J E R E M I A H.
CHAP. XLI.
It is a very tragical story that is related in this chapter, and shows
that evil pursues sinners. The black cloud that was gathering in the
foregoing chapter here bursts in a dreadful storm. Those few Jews that
escaped the captivity were proud to think that they were still in their
own land, when their brethren had gone they knew not whither, were fond
of the wine and summer-fruits they had gathered, and were very secure
under Gedaliah’s protectorship, when, on a sudden, even these remains
prove ruins too.
I. Gedaliah is barbarously slain by Ishmael,
II. All the Jews that were with him were slain likewise
(ver. 3)
and a pit filled with their dead bodies,
III. Some devout men, to the number of fourscore, that were going
towards Jerusalem, were drawn in by Ishmael, and murdered likewise,
Only ten of them escaped,
IV. Those that escaped the sword were taken prisoners by Ishmael, and
carried off towards the country of the Ammonites,
V. By the conduct and courage of Johanan, though the death of the slain
is not revenged, yet the prisoners are recovered, and he now becomes
their commander-in-chief,
VI. His project is to carry them into the land of Egypt
(ver. 17, 18),
which we shall hear more of in the next chapter.
| The Murder of Gedaliah. | B. C. 588. |
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1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the
princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah
the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread
together in Mizpah.
2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that
were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of
Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon
had made governor over the land.
3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even
with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found
there, and the men of war.
4 And it came to pass the second day after he had slain
Gedaliah, and no man knew it,
5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from
Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and
their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and
incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.
6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to
meet them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as
he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam.
7 And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city,
that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into
the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him.
8 But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael,
Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of
barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them
not among their brethren.
9 Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of
the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was it which
Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were
slain.
10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the
people that were in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and
all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the
captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam:
and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and
departed to go over to the Ammonites.
It is hard to say which is more astonishing, God’s permitting or men’s
perpetrating such villanies as here we find committed. Such base,
barbarous, bloody work is here done by men who by their birth should
have been men of honour, by their religion just men, and this done upon
those of their own nature, their own nation, their own religion, and
now their brethren in affliction, when they were all brought under the
power of the victorious Chaldeans, and smarting under the judgments of
God, upon no provocation, nor with any prospect of advantage–all done,
not only in cold blood, but with art and management. We have scarcely
such an instance of perfidious cruelty in all the scripture; so that
with John, when he saw the woman drunk with the blood of the
saints, we may well wonder with great admiration. But God
permitted it for the completing of the ruin of an unhumbled people, and
the filling up of the measure of their judgments, who had filled up the
measure of their iniquities. Let it inspire us with an indignation at
the wickedness of men and an awe of God’s righteousness.
I. Ishmael and his party treacherously killed Gedaliah himself in the
first place. Though the king of Babylon had made him a great man, had
given him a commission to be governor of the land which he had
conquered, though God had made him a good man and a great blessing to
his country, and his agency for its welfare was as life from the dead,
yet neither could secure him. Ishmael was of the seed royal
(v. 1)
and therefore jealous of Gedaliah’s growing greatness, and enraged that
he should merit and accept a commission under the king of Babylon. He
had ten men with him that were princes of the king too,
guided by the same peevish resentments that he was; these had been with
Gedaliah before, to put themselves under his protection
(ch. xl. 8),
and now came again to make him a visit; and they did eat bread
together in Mizpah. he entertained them generously, and entertained
no jealousy of them, notwithstanding the information given him by
Johanan. They pretended friendship to him, and gave him no warning to
stand on his guard; he was in sincerity friendly to them, and did all
he could to oblige them. But those that did eat bread with him
lifted up the heel against him. They did not pick a quarrel with
him, but watched an opportunity, when they had him alone, and
assassinated him,
v. 2.
II. They likewise put all to the sword that they found in arms there,
both Jews and Chaldeans, all that were employed under Gedaliah or were
in any capacity to revenge his death,
v. 3.
As if enough of the blood of Israelites had not been shed by the
Chaldeans, their own princes here mingle it with the blood of the
Chaldeans. The vine-dressers and the husbandmen were busy in the
fields, and knew nothing of this bloody massacre; so artfully was it
carried on and concealed.
III. Some good honest men, that were going all in tears to lament the
desolations of Jerusalem, were drawn in by Ishmael, and murdered with
the rest. Observe,
1. Whence they came
(v. 5)–
from Shechem, Samaria, and Shiloh, places that had been
famous, but wee now reduced; they belonged to the ten tribes, but there
were some in those countries that retained an affection for the worship
of the God of Israel.
2. Whither they were going–to the house of the Lord, the temple
at Jerusalem, which, no doubt, they had heard of the destruction of,
and were going to pay their respects to its ashes, to see its ruins,
that their eye might affect their heart with sorrow for them. They
favour the dust thereof,
Ps. cii. 14.
They took offerings and incense in their hand, that if they
should find any altar there, though it were but an altar of earth, and
any priest ready to officiate, they might not be without something to
offer; if not, yet they showed their good-will, as Abraham, when he
came to the place of the altar, though the altar was gone. The
people of God used to go rejoicing to the house of the Lord, but
these went in the habit of mourners, with their clothes rent and
their heads shaven; for the providence of God loudly called to
weeping and mourning, because it was not with the faithful worshippers
of God as in months past.
3. How they were decoyed into a fatal snare by Ishmael’s malice.
Hearing of their approach, he resolved to be the death of them too, so
bloodthirsty was he. He seemed as if he hated every one that had the
name of an Israelite or the face of an honest man. These pilgrims
towards Jerusalem he had a spite to, for the sake of their errand.
Ishmael went out to meet them with crocodiles’ tears, pretending to
bewail the desolations of Jerusalem as much as they; and, to try how
they stood affected to Gedaliah and his government, he courted them
into the town and found them to have a respect for him, which confirmed
him in his resolution to murder them. He said, Come to Gedaliah,
pretending he would have them come and live with him, when really he
intended that they should come and die with him,
v. 6.
They had heard such a character of Gedaliah that they were willing
enough to be acquainted with him; but Ishmael, when he had them in
the midst of the town, fell upon them and slew them
(v. 7),
and no doubt took the offerings they had and converted them to his own
use; for he that would not stick at such a murder would not stick at
sacrilege. Notice is taken of his disposing of the dead bodies of these
and the rest that he had slain; he tumbled them all into a great
pit
(v. 7),
the same pit that Asa king of Judah had digged long before, either in
the city or adjoining to it, when he built or fortified Mizpah
to be a frontier-garrison against Baasha king of Israel and
for fear of him,
v. 9.
Note, Those that dig pits with a good intention know not what bad use
they may be put to, one time or other. He slew so many that he could
not afford them each a grave, or would not do them so much honour, but
threw them all promiscuously into one pit. Among these last that were
doomed to the slaughter there were ten that obtained a pardon, by
working, not on the compassion, but the covetousness, of those that had
them at their mercy,
v. 8.
They said to Ishmael, when he was about to suck their blood,
like an insatiable horseleech, after that of the companions, Slay us
not, for we have treasurers in the field, country treasures, large
stocks upon the ground, abundance of such commodities as the country
affords, wheat and barley, and oil and honey, intimating that
they would discover it to him and put him in possession of it all, if
he would spare them. Skin for skin, and all that a man has, will he
give for his life. This bait prevailed. Ishmael saved them, not for
the love of mercy, but for the love of money. Here were riches kept for
the owners thereof, not to their hurt
and to cause them to lose their lives
(Job xxxi. 39),
but to their good and the preserving of their lives. Solomon observes
that sometimes the ransom of a man’s life is his riches. But
those who think thus to bribe death, when it comes with commission, and
plead with it, saying, Slay us not, for we have treasures in the
field, will find death inexorable and themselves wretchedly
deceived.
IV. He carried off the people prisoners. The king’s daughters
(whom the Chaldeans cared not for troubling themselves with when they
had the king’s sons) and the poor of the land, the vine-dressers and
husband-men, that were committed to Gedaliah’s charge, were all led
away prisoners towards the country of the Ammonites
(v. 10),
Ishmael probably intending to make a present of them, as the trophies
of his barbarous victory, to the king of that country, that set him on.
This melancholy story is a warning to us never to be secure in this
world. Worse may be yet to come when we think the worst is over; and
that end of one trouble, which we fancy to be the end of all trouble,
may prove to be the beginning of another, of a greater. These prisoners
thought, Surely the bitterness of death, and of captivity, is
past; and yet some died by the sword and others went into
captivity. When we think ourselves safe, and begin to be easy,
destruction may come that way that we little expect it. There is many
a ship wrecked in the harbour. We can never be sure of peace on this
side heaven.
| Johanan Pursues Ishmael; Ishmael’s Retreat. | B. C. 588. |
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11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of
the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,
12 Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael
the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that
are in Gibeon.
13 Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were
with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains
of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.
14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from
Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of
Kareah.
15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with
eight men, and went to the Ammonites.
16 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:
17 And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham,
which is by Beth-lehem, to go to enter into Egypt,
18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them,
because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son
of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.
It would have been well if Johanan, when he gave information to
Gedaliah of Ishmael’s treasonable design, though he could not obtain
leave to kill Ishmael and to prevent it that way, yet had staid with
Gedaliah; for he, and his captains, and their forces, might have been a
life-guard to Gedaliah and a terror to Ishmael, and so have prevented
the mischief without the effusion of blood: but, it seems they were out
upon some expedition, perhaps no good one, and so were out of the way
when they should have been upon the best service. Those that affect to
ramble are many times out of their place when they are most needed.
However, at length they hear of all the evil that Ishmael had
done
(v. 11),
and are resolved to try an after-game, which we have an account of in
these verses.
1. We heartily wish Johanan could have taken revenge upon the
murderers, but he prevailed only to rescue the captives. Those that had
shed so much blood, it was a pity but their blood should have been
shed; and it is strange that vengeance suffered them to live; yet it
did. Johanan gathered what forces he could and went to fight with
Ishmael
(v. 12),
upon notice of the murders he had committed (for though he concealed it
for a time,
v. 4,
yet murder will out) and which way he was gone; he pursued him, and
overtook him by the great pool of Gibeon, which we read of,
And, upon his appearing with such a force, Ishmael’s heart failed him,
his guilty conscience flew in his face, and he durst not stand his
ground against an enemy that was something like a match for him. The
most cruel are often the most cowardly. The poor captives were glad
when they saw Johanan and the captains that were with him,
looking upon them as their deliverers
(v. 13),
and they immediately found a way to wheel about and come over to them
(v. 14),
Ishmael not offering to detain them when he saw Johanan. Note, Those
that would be helped must help themselves. These captives staid not
till their conquerors were beaten, but took the first opportunity to
make their escape, as soon as they saw their friends appear and their
enemies thereby disheartened. Ishmael quitted his pray to save his
life, and escaped with eight men,
v. 15.
It seems, two of his ten men, that were his banditti or assassins
(spoken of
v. 1),
either deserted him or were killed in the engagement; but he made the
best of his way to the Ammonites, as a perfect renegado, that had quite
abandoned all relation to the commonwealth of Israel, though he was of
the seed royal, and we hear no more of him.
2. We heartily wish that Johanan, when he had rescued the captives,
would have sat down quietly with them, and governed them peaceably, as
Gedaliah did; but, instead of that, he is for leading them into the
land of Egypt, as Ishmael would have led them into the land of the
Ammonites; so that though he got the command over them in a better way
than Ishmael did, and honestly enough, yet he did not use it much
better. Gedaliah, who was of a meek and quiet spirit, was a great
blessing to them; but Johanan, who was of a fierce and restless spirit,
was set over them for their hurt, and to complete their ruin, even
after they were, as they thought, redeemed. Thus did God still walk
contrary to them.
(1.) The resolution of Johanan and the captains was very rash; nothing
would serve them but they would go to enter into Egypt
(v. 17),
and, in order to that, they encamped for a time in the habitation of
Chimham, by Bethlehem, David’s city. Probably it was some land
which David gave to Chimham, the son of Barzillai, which, though it
returned to David’s family at the year of the Jubilee, yet still bore
the name of Chimham. Here Johanan made his headquarters,
steering his course towards Egypt, either from a personal affection to
that country or an ancient national confidence in the Egyptians for
help in distress. Some of the mighty men of war, it seems had
escaped; those he took with him, and the women and children, whom he
had recovered from Ishmael, who were thus emptied from vessel to
vessel, because they were yet unchanged.
(2.) The reason for this resolution was very frivolous. They pretended
that they were afraid of the Chaldeans, that they would come and
do I know not what with them, because Ishmael had killed
Gedaliah,
v. 18.
I cannot think they really had any apprehensions of danger upon this
account; for, though it is true that the Chaldeans had cause enough to
resent the murder of their viceroy, yet they were not so unreasonable,
or unjust, as to revenge it upon those who appeared so vigorously
against the murderers. But they only make use of this as a sham to
cover that corrupt inclination of their unbelieving ancestors, which
was so strong in them, to return into Egypt. Those will justly
lose their comfort in real fears that excuse themselves in sin with
pretended fears.
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