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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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 40:15

Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly ,.... Partly that he might, as he thought, more easily prevail upon him, and persuade him to believe the information given; and partly for the sake of the proposal he had to make to him, which it was not proper should be publicly made: saying, let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it ; that he had slain him, or that Gedaliah had given him leave to do it: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 40:16

But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah ,.... In answer to his request, and the motion made by him: thou shalt not do this thing ; or, "do not do this thing" F26 אל תעש את הדבר "noli facere hoc verbum", V. L. "ne facias verbum hoc", Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt. ; dissuading him from it, as being unlawful to take away a man's life in such a secret manner, without any legal process against him; though it seems to carry more in it, that he laid his... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 40:16

Thou shalt not do this thing - He cannot be so base. Thou speakest falsely of Ishmael - He thought it quite possible that the man who was capable of becoming an assassin was capable of telling a lie; and therefore he would not credit what he said. Had he been a little more distrustful, he would have saved his own life. The next chapter shows that Johanan's information was too true. So noble Gedaliah lost his life by not believing that evil of others of which he himself was incapable. 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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 40:16

Verse 16 We here see that the holy man was blinded, so that he not only disregarded the counsel given to him, but also rejected the help offered to him. It is again a thing worthy of praise, that he was unwilling that Ishmael should be rashly killed, the cause being not known; but he ought to have carefully inquired, and the thing being found out, he might have defended himself, and put to death a wicked man and a public pest. He was armed with the sword; and he might have justly punished... 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

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