Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah's Release

¹The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were carried away captive to Babylon.

²The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God pronounced this evil on this place;

³and the LORD has brought it, and done according as he spoke. Because you have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing has come on you.

⁴Now, behold, I release you today from the chains which are on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will take care of you; but if it seems bad to you to come with me into Babylon, don’t. Behold, all the land is before you. Where it seems good and right to you to go, go there.”

⁵Now while he had not yet gone back, “Go back then,” he said, “to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people; or go wherever it seems right to you to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him food and a present, and let him go.

⁶Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.

Gedaliah as Governor

⁷Now when all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, women, children, and of the poorest of the land, of those who were not carried away captive to Babylon,

⁸then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men came to Gedaliah to Mizpah.

⁹Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.

¹⁰As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who will come to us; but you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.”

¹¹Likewise when all the Jews who were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan,

¹²then all the Jews returned out of all places where they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and gathered very much wine and summer fruits.

¹³Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

¹⁴and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam didn’t believe them.

¹⁵Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, “Please let me go, and I will kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man will know it. Why should he take your life, that all the Jews who are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish?”

¹⁶But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you speak falsely of Ishmael.”

Previous Jeremiah 39

Next Jeremiah 41

Following Jerusalem's fall, Jeremiah is released from captivity by the Babylonian captain Nebuzaradan, who acknowledges that God's judgment has come to pass as the prophet foretold. Jeremiah chooses to remain in Judah under the governorship of Gedaliah, whom Babylon appointed to oversee the remnant population. Gedaliah establishes his administration at Mizpah, encouraging the remaining Jews and scattered refugees to return, settle peacefully under Babylonian rule, and rebuild their agricultural life, though ominous warnings about assassination plots begin to emerge.

Context

This chapter begins the aftermath narrative following Jerusalem's destruction in chapter 39, setting up the tragic events of Gedaliah's assassination that will unfold in chapter 41.

Key Themes

Outline

1-6
Jeremiah's Release and Choice The Babylonian captain frees Jeremiah, offering him exile or freedom to remain in Judah, which he chooses.
7-10
Gedaliah's Leadership Established Military leaders and remnant populations gather to Gedaliah at Mizpah, where he encourages peaceful submission to Babylon.
11-12
Jewish Refugees Return Jews scattered in neighboring countries hear of Gedaliah's appointment and return to Judah, successfully harvesting crops.
13-16
Warning of Assassination Plot Johanan warns Gedaliah that Baalis of Ammon has sent Ishmael to kill him, but Gedaliah refuses to believe it.

Jeremiah's Release

40:1–40:6

narrative dialogue contemplative

Nebuzaradan releases Jeremiah from chains and offers him a choice to go to Babylon or stay in Judah, acknowledging God's judgment. Jeremiah chooses to remain with Gedaliah among the remnant people.

person_contrast

Nebuzaradan's acknowledgment that "the LORD your God pronounced this disaster" makes him the only foreign military commander in Scripture to correctly attribute Israel's defeat to divine judgment rather than military superiority.

Gedaliah as Governor

40:7–40:16

narrative narration hopeful

Gedaliah becomes governor over the remnant in Judah, encouraging cooperation with Babylon and successful agricultural restoration. However, Johanan warns of a plot against Gedaliah's life, which the governor refuses to believe.

person_contrast

Gedaliah's promise that gathering wine, summer fruits, and oil will bring prosperity (40:10) ironically echoes Eden's abundance just before his assassination destroys this brief restoration.

Insight Character Study

Gedaliah's promise that gathering wine, summer fruits, and oil will bring prosperity (40:10) ironically echoes Eden's abundance just before his assassination destroys this brief restoration.

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Jeremiah 40:1 5 references

Lexicals 5

Jeremiah 39:11 Lexical

Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard concerning Jeremiah, saying,

Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah's Release

Gedaliah as Governor

Jeremiah's Release

Gedaliah as Governor

Insights

Cross-References

Jeremiah 40:1 5 references

Jeremiah 40:5 5 references

Jeremiah 40:6 5 references

Jeremiah 40:7 5 references

Jeremiah 40:8 5 references

Jeremiah 40:9 5 references

Jeremiah 40:10 3 references

Jeremiah 40:11 5 references

Jeremiah 40:12 2 references

Jeremiah 40:13 5 references

Jeremiah 40:14 5 references

Jeremiah 40:15 5 references

Jeremiah 40:16 5 references

Interlinear

Historical Context