Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah 40 is the first chapter of the section spanning chapters 40–44, which deals with the period after the fall of Jerusalem. Following Jeremiah 39, in which Babylon destroys the city and treats Jeremiah kindly, the narrative turns to those who were not carried off into captivity but remained in the land.

Outline

• Verses 1–6: Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, releases Jeremiah at Ramah, where he had been brought in chains. Nebuzaradan says that the calamity came because of the people's sin, then tells Jeremiah he may do as he wishes: go with him to Babylon or stay. Jeremiah receives provisions and a gift, goes to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and dwells among the people left in the land.
• Verses 7–12: The captains of the forces who were in the fields come to Mizpah. Gedaliah swears to them and urges them not to fear the Chaldeans (the Babylonians) but to serve the king of Babylon. Jews who had been scattered in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and elsewhere also return and gather wine and summer fruits in abundance.
• Verses 13–16: Johanan reports that Baalis, king of the Ammonites, has sent Ishmael to kill Gedaliah, and he asks permission to kill Ishmael secretly. Gedaliah does not believe the report and forbids him.

Key Verses

• Jeremiah 40:3 "because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice" — The reason for judgment that Jeremiah had proclaimed is repeated on the lips of a foreign commander.
• Jeremiah 40:4 "behold, all the land is before thee" — Given freedom to choose, Jeremiah chooses to remain with the people left in the land.
• Jeremiah 40:9 "serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you" — This echoes the counsel Jeremiah had given earlier (Jeremiah 27:11–12).

People and Places

• Jeremiah: The prophet of this book.
• Nebuzaradan: Captain of the guard under King Nebuchadnezzar; he oversaw affairs after the fall of Jerusalem.
• Gedaliah: Grandson of Shaphan and son of Ahikam; the governor of Judah appointed by Babylon. His father Ahikam had once protected Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:24).
• Johanan: Son of Kareah; a captain of the forces.
• Ishmael: Son of Nethaniah; he kills Gedaliah in Jeremiah 41.
• Baalis: King of the Ammonites.
• Ramah: The place where Jeremiah was released from his chains.
• Mizpah: Gedaliah's residence, which becomes the center of the community left in the land.
• Moab, Ammon, Edom: Neighboring regions where Jews had been scattered and from which they returned.

Points for Reflection

• Jeremiah 39:14 says that Jeremiah was taken out of the court of the prison and committed to Gedaliah, while 40:1 says he had been bound in chains at Ramah and was then released. Some view the two accounts as distinct traditions; others hold that after his release he ended up among the captives again.
• Some interpret Gedaliah's refusal to believe the warning as naïveté; others see it as goodwill that would not suspect a fellow countryman. The text itself offers no evaluation. The same events are recorded briefly in 2 Kings 25:22–26.
• Some commentators connect Ramah with "Rachel weeping" in Ramah in Jeremiah 31:15, a verse quoted in Matthew 2:18.
• The chapter centers on those who remained in the land when others were carried into Babylonian exile, that is, the remnant. The Fast of Gedaliah in Jewish tradition is known as a day commemorating the assassination of Gedaliah recounted in the following chapter.