Ishmael and the Ammonites murder Gedaliah--Jeremiah 40-41

Throughout Jeremiah's prophetic career, he declared that the Judeans must surrender to Babylon, and after 70 years Yahweh will overthrow the Babylonians and bring penitent, faithful Judeans back to Judah and Jerusalem. Some Judeans accepted Jeremiah's message, but many opposed his view and insisted that the Judeans must continue to fight against the Babylonians, even after the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem including the temple and the walls. Accordingly, the Judeans are divided into two camps or groups: one leader is Ishmael, who champions the idea of opposing the Babylonians and has many followers; another leader is Johanan, who accepts Jeremiah's message to surrender to Babylon and trust in Yahweh for the future. Jeremiah 40-41 relate significant events concerning the division between Ishmael and his group and Johanan and his group. Jeremiah 40-41 naturally fall into five paragraphs.

I. Nebuzaradan sets Jeremiah free. Jeremiah 40:1-6.
a. When Nebuzaradan captures Jerusalem, he kills many opposing Judean soldiers, and puts the rest of the people in fetters. 40:1.
b. Nebuzaradan visits with Jeremiah, and tells Jeremiah that he knows that Jeremiah had told the Judeans to surrender to Babylon. Yahweh, the God of Israel, has done this. 40:2-3.
c. Nebuzaradan release Jeremiah and tells Jeremiah that he can go to live with Gedaliah the governor whom Nebuchadrezzar II had appointed or go wherever he wishes. 40:4-5.
d. Jeremiah goes to Mizpah and stays with Gedaliah and the Judeans left in the land. 40:6.

II. The Judean leaders meet with Gedaliah at Mizpah. Jeremiah 40:7-12.
a. When the Judean leaders learn that Nebuchadrezzar II made Gedaliah governor over the land, they go to Mizpah to meet with Gedaliah. 40:7-8.
b. Gedaliah tells the Judeans to serve the Babylonians and they will be well. Gedaliah will stay at Mizpah to coordinate the people, and the people are to gather wine, summer fruits, and oil to store in their vessels. 40:9-10.
c. The Judeans who had escaped to Moab, Ammon, and Edom return to Mizpah to be with Gedaliah. 40:11-12.

III. Johanan warns that Ishmael and the Ammonites are planning to murder Gedaliah. Jeremiah 40:13-16.
a. Johanan son of Kareah comes to Gedaliah at Mizpah and tells him that Baalis king of the Ammonites and Ishmael have planned to kill Gedaliah, but Gedaliah does not believe this report. 40:13-14.
b. Johanan goes to Gedaliah secretly and begs Gedaliah to allow Johanan to kill Ishmael so that Ishmael will not kill Gedaliah. But Gedaliah emphatically forbids Johanan to kill Ishmael. 40:15-16.

IV. Ishmael and his men kill Gedaliah and kill and capture many other Judeans at Mizpah. Jeremiah 41:1-10.
a. "In the seventh month" [apparently this would be 586 BCE], Ishmael and ten of his men go to Mizpah and murder Gedaliah by the sword as well as all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah and the Babylonians there. 41:1-3.
b. That very day, 80 men arrive from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria at Mizpah, and Ishmael and his men kill 70 of these people. 41:4-8.
c. Ishmael and his men throw the dead bodies into the large cistern of King Asa had made for defense against King Baasha of Israel. 41:9.
d. Ishmael captures the rest of the Judeans at Mizpah, and they cross over to the Ammonites. 41:10.

V. Johanan and his men confront Ishmael and his men at the great pool in Gibeon, but Ishmael escapes. Jeremiah 41:11-17.
a. Johanan learns that Ishmael had murdered Gedaliah, and Johanan and his men intercept Ishmael and his men at the pool of Gibeon. 41:11-12.
b. Ishmael's captives flee from Ishmael and go over to Johanan at the pool of Gibeon. 41:13-14.
c. Ishmael and 8 of his men escape from Johanan and flee to the Ammonites. 41:15.
d. Johanan takes the rest of the Judeans who had escaped from Ishmael, and stop at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt because they are afraid that the Babylonians will kill them because Ishmael and his men had killed Gedaliah and his associates and some Babylonians at Mizpah. 41:16-17.

Many people are determined to do what they plan to do whether Yahweh commands them to do or not. Yahweh through Jeremiah strictly told them to surrender to Babylon and honor Gedaliah as the new governor of Judah under Nebuchadrezzar II. But Ishmael and his followers disobeyed Yahweh and this caused much trouble among God's people.

Share YOUR insights and experiences with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis

Water in Psalms--Part I

The Book of Psalms often uses "water" as a metaphor in various ways.

1. In several texts, waters are like an overwhelming flood which overpower an individual. The psalmist asks Yahweh to deliver him or her from the floods of life, meaning enemies, problems, failures, sins, and the like.
Psalm 18:13-17:
"The Lord thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice.
And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them.
Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
He reached down from on high, and took me,
HE DREW ME OUT OF MANY WATERS.
HE DELIVERED ME FROM MY STRONG ENEMY,
and from those who hated me;
for they were too mighty for me."

Psalm 69:1-3, 14-15:
"Save me, O God,
FOR THE WATERS HAVE COME UP TO MY NECK.
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I HAVE COME INTO DEEP WATERS,
AND THE FLOODS SWEEP OVER ME.
I am weary with my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God. . . .
Rescue me from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
AND FROM THE DEEP WATERS.
DO NOT LET THE FLOOD SWEEP OVER ME,
OR THE DEEP SWALLOW ME UP,
OR THE PIT CLOSE ITS MOUTH OVER ME."

Psalm 124:1-5:
"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side
--let Israel now say--
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
when our enemies attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger was kindlged against us;
THEN THE FLOOD WOULD HAVE SWEPT US AWAY,
THE TORRENT WOULD HAVE GONE OVER US;
THEN OVER US WOULD HAVE GONE THE RAGING WATERS."

When we are faced with problems, failures, losses, enemies, obstacles, divisions, and the like, we feel like a powerful flood overwhelming us. God assures us that He is more powerful than any water. Let us trust in HIM in all circumstances.

2. Several passages in the Psalms describe water as a source of strength and assurance.
Psalm 1:1-3:
"Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
planted by STREAMS OF WATER,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all they do, they prosper."
God's law is the source of spiritual life just as streams of water are the source of living, healthy, fruitful trees.

Psalm 23:1-3:
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
HE LEADS ME BESIDE STILL WATERS;
He restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name's sake."
Still waters symbolize peace in the spirit, in the church, among friends, in the family, in the community, in the state, in the nation, in the world.

Psalm 42:1-2:
"AS A DEER LONGS FOR FLOWING STREAMS,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul THIRSTS for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold the face of God?"
A thirsty deer yearns for flowing streams. In the same way, the inner heart of a human being yearns for the living God.

[To be continued]

Share YOUR experiences and thoughts with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis