Jeremiah 40:14-16 KJV

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 40:16

Trusting a traitor. I. IN SPITE OF CAUTIONS . Gedaliah was told that Ishmael meditated his death. Told, not by one man, but by all who had opportunity of knowing the traitor's designs. Was it, then, blameworthy in him to neglect the information? We cannot tell. It may have been that he knew of jealousies which made him think that the rest of the captains were slandering Ishmael. Slanderers, be it remembered, are quite as numerous as traitors. The fault of Gedaliah, if fault it was,... 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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Jeremiah 40:14

slay thee = strike thy soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Jeremiah 40:15

man. Hebrew ' Ish . App-14 . gathered = gathered out. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Jeremiah 40:14

Jeremiah 40:14. Baalis, the king of the Ammonites— The king of the Ammonites had concerted this matter with Ishmael, with a design to make the Jews, who still remained in their own country, his vassals. See chap. Jeremiah 41:10. It appears, that Gedaliah, though a man of great honesty and goodness, was too credulous. Grotius compares him to Eumenes. He received Ishmael to his house and table with far too little circumspection. See Calmet. REFLECTIONS.—1st, The chapter begins with, The word... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 40:14

14. Baalis—named from the idol Baal, as was often the case in heathen names. Ammonites—So it was to them that Ishmael went after murdering Gedaliah ( :-). slay—literally, "strike thee in the soul," that is, a deadly stroke. Ishmael—Being of the royal seed of David (Jeremiah 41:1), he envied Gedaliah the presidency to which he thought himself entitled; therefore he leagued himself with the ancient heathen enemy of Judah. believed . . . not—generous, but unwise unsuspiciousness (Jeremiah 41:1- :). read more