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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 40:7-16

We have in these verses, I. A bright sky opening upon the remnant of the Jews that were left in their own land, and a comfortable prospect given them of some peace and quietness after the many years of trouble and terror with which they had been afflicted. Jeremiah indeed had never in his prophecies spoken of any such good days reserved for the Jews immediately after the captivity; but Providence seemed to raise and encourage such an expectation, and it would be to that miserable people as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 40:14

And said unto him, dost thou certainly know ,.... Not that they thought he did know, or that the thing was so flagrant that he must know it; but that he might be assured of the truth of it, from the information they were now about to give him: or, "dost thou not in knowing know?" F24 הידע תדע "nonne cognoscendo cognosces", Pagninus, Montanus. it is most certainly true; and thou mayest depend upon it that it is real matter of fact: that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 40:14

But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed then not - The account given of this man proves him to have been a person of uncommon greatness of soul. Conscious of his own integrity and benevolence, he took the portrait of others from his own mind; and therefore believed evil of no man, because he felt none towards any in his own breast. He may be reproached for being too credulous and confident: but any thing of this kind that may be justly charged against him serves only to show the greatness of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 40:14

Verse 14 They therefore came and said, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah was suborned by the king of Ammon It may have been that the king of Ammon had hoped to be the king of Judea, or to have all that land as his own after the departure of the Chaldean army. But as his expectation was disappointed, he began to attempt another tiling, to render the land desolate by creating disturbances. Such then seems to have been the reason why he induced Ishmael to undertake the impious and abominable act... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 40:13-16

Gedaliah receives a warning of a plot against his life. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 40:14

Baalis the king of the Ammonites. Perhaps the same king referred to in Jeremiah 27:3 as seeking alliance with Zedekiah. He was naturally opposed to the Babylonian official, Gedaliah. Hath sent Ishmael. Ishmael was connected with the royal family ( Jeremiah 41:1 ), and was probably jealous of Gedaliah. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 40:14

It is difficult to say what object Baalis can have had in murdering Gedaliah. As an ally of Zedekiah Jeremiah 27:3, he may have had a spite against the family of Ahikam for opposing, as most probably they did at Jeremiah’s instigation, the league proposed Jeremiah 27:0. Ishmael’s motive was envy and spite at seeing a subject who had always opposed the war now invested with kingly power, in place of the royal family. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Jeremiah 40:13-16

Jeremiah 40:13-16. Johanan the son of Kareah came to Gedaliah, &c. They had been with him before, Jeremiah 40:8-9, but now they come to discover to him a conspiracy formed against his life. And said, Dost thou certainly know, &c. Or, rather, Dost thou not know, &c., (which is evidently the sense intended,) that the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael to slay thee? The king of the Ammonites had concerted this matter with Ishmael, with a design to make the Jews, who... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 40:13-16

Ishmael’s plot against Gedaliah (40:13-41:18)One of the former army commanders, Ishmael, was opposed to Gedaliah’s policy of submission to Babylon. With Ammonite support he plotted to kill Gedaliah. So sincere and trusting was Gedaliah, that when told of the plot, he refused to believe it (13-16). Gedaliah apparently took no precautions against the reported treachery, and when a suitable time arrived Ishmael carried out his brutal plot. He murdered Gedaliah, along with all the Judean officials... read more

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