Jeremiah 41

Assassination of Gedaliah

¹Now in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal offspring and one of the chief officers of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they ate bread together in Mizpah.

²Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah arose, and the ten men who were with him, and struck Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

³Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean men of war who were found there.

⁴The second day after he had killed Gedaliah, and no man knew it,

⁵men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even eighty men, having their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and having cut themselves, with meal offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring them to the LORD’s house.

⁶Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went, and as he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.”

⁷It was so, when they came into the middle of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah killed them, and cast them into the middle of the pit, he, and the men who were with him.

⁸But ten men were found among those who said to Ishmael, “Don’t kill us; for we have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey.” So he stopped, and didn’t kill them among their brothers.

⁹Now the pit in which Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had killed, by the side of Gedaliah (this was that which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel), Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with those who were killed.

¹⁰Then Ishmael carried away captive all of the people who were left in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the children of Ammon.

Johanan's Rescue

¹¹But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,

¹²then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.

¹³Now when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, then they were glad.

¹⁴So all the people who Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned about and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.

¹⁵But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the children of Ammon.

¹⁶Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him took all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after he had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—the men of war, with the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon.

¹⁷They departed and lived in Geruth Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt

¹⁸because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.

Previous Jeremiah 40

Next Jeremiah 42

Ishmael, a member of the royal family, assassinates Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor, along with his Jewish and Chaldean supporters at Mizpah. In a calculated act of deception, Ishmael murders eighty pilgrims coming to worship, sparing only ten who offer him hidden provisions. Johanan and other military leaders pursue Ishmael, successfully rescuing the captives, though Ishmael himself escapes to Ammon, leaving the remaining Jewish community in further chaos.

Context

This chapter fulfills Johanan's earlier warning to Gedaliah about Ishmael's plot (chapter 40) and sets up the people's desire to flee to Egypt despite God's counsel (chapter 42).

Key Themes

Outline

1-3
Assassination of Gedaliah Ishmael kills the governor and his supporters during a meal at Mizpah
4-9
Murder of the Pilgrims Ishmael deceives and kills eighty worshipers, sparing ten for their hidden supplies
10
Captivity of the Remnant Ishmael takes the remaining people captive, including the king's daughters
11-15
Johanan's Pursuit and Rescue Military leaders track down Ishmael and liberate the captives at Gibeon
16-18
Aftermath and Fear The rescued remnant gathers under Johanan's protection, fearing Babylonian retaliation

Assassination of Gedaliah

41:1–41:10

narrative narration solemn

Ishmael assassinates Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor, along with Jews and Chaldeans at Mizpah, then deceives and murders pilgrims before taking captives. This act of treachery destroys the fragile post-exile leadership structure in Judah.

person_contrast

Gedaliah's assassination occurs precisely during a shared meal, transforming the ancient Near Eastern covenant of hospitality into an act of ultimate betrayal and political destruction.

Johanan's Rescue

41:11–41:18

narrative narration hopeful

Johanan and his forces rescue the captives from Ishmael, who escapes to Ammon with eight men. The rescued people prepare to flee to Egypt, fearing Babylonian retaliation for Gedaliah's assassination.

person_contrast

Johanan transforms from Jeremiah's future antagonist into an unlikely deliverer, rescuing Gedaliah's people while ironically setting the stage for his own disobedience in chapter 42.

Insight Character Study

Gedaliah's assassination occurs precisely during a shared meal, transforming the ancient Near Eastern covenant of hospitality into an act of ultimate betrayal and political destruction.

Insight Character Study

Johanan transforms from Jeremiah's future antagonist into an unlikely deliverer, rescuing Gedaliah's people while ironically setting the stage for his own disobedience in chapter 42.

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Jeremiah 41:1 5 references

Lexicals 5

2 Kings 25:25 Lexical

But in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal offspring came, and ten men wi…

10 shared words

Jeremiah 40:14 Lexical

and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to tak…

Jeremiah 41

Assassination of Gedaliah

Johanan's Rescue

Assassination of Gedaliah

Johanan's Rescue

Insights

Cross-References

Jeremiah 41:1 5 references

Jeremiah 41:2 5 references

Jeremiah 41:3 5 references

Jeremiah 41:5 3 references

Jeremiah 41:6 5 references

Jeremiah 41:8 5 references

Jeremiah 41:9 5 references

Jeremiah 41:10 5 references

Jeremiah 41:11 5 references

Jeremiah 41:13 5 references

Jeremiah 41:14 5 references

Jeremiah 41:15 4 references

Jeremiah 41:16 5 references

Jeremiah 41:18 5 references

Interlinear

Historical Context