40:2,3The Babylonian captain of the guard, who did not know God, acknowledged that God had given the Babylonians victory. It is strange for people to recognize that God exists and does miracles and yet not personally accept him. Knowing God is more than knowing about him. Be sure you know him personally.
Life Application Study BibleJeremiahChapter 40
Jeremiah 40
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1266, 1267
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40Jeremiah 40
1The LORD gave a message to Jeremiah after Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, 40:1 had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the °"°?° other captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being sent to exile in Babylon. 2The captain of the guard called for Jeremiah and said, “The LORD your God has brought 102 09-24-28 this disaster on this and, 3just as he said he would. For these people have sinned against the Jer 22:8-9; 50:7 LORD and disobeyed him. That is why it happened. But I am going to take off your chains 10:3 and let you go. If you want to come with me to Babylon, you are welcome. I will see that you dow, are well cared for. But if you don't want to come, you may stay here. The whole land is before Gen 20:15 you—go wherever you like. 5If you decide to stay, then return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam der 39:11, 12 and grandson of Shaphan. He has been appointed governor of Judah by the king of Babylon. 3 Kgs 25:23 Stay there with the people he rules. But it’s up to you; go wherever you like.” Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, gave Jeremiah some food and money and let him go. So Jeremiah returned to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and he lived in Judah $e;"9.14 with the few who were still left in the land. Gedaliah Governs in Judah. 7The leaders of the Judean guerrilla bands in the countryside heard that the king of Babylon 3 Kas 25-23-24 had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the poor people who were left be- /*" 88:10; S2:16 hind in Judah—the men, women, and children who hadn't been exiled to Babylon. 8So they 42'%,,., went to see Gedaliah at Mizpah. These included: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, and all their men. 9Gedaliah vowed to them that the Babylonians* meant them no harm. “Don't be afraid to 40:9 serve them. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and all will go well for you,” he 42,3547" promised. 10“As for me, I will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who 49:10 come to meet with us, Settle in the towns you have taken, and live off the land. Harvest the er 95:19: 99:10 grapes and summer fruits and olives, and store them away.” 11When the Judeans in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and the other nearby countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a few people in Judah and that Gedaliah was the governor, 12they began to return to Judah from the places to which they had fled. They stopped at Mizpah to meet with Gedaliah and then went into the Judean countryside to gather a great harvest of grapes and other crops.
A Plot against Gedaliah
1313Sooon after this, Johanan son of Kareah and the other guerrilla leaders came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. 14They said to him, “Did you know that Baalis, king of Ammon, has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to assassinate you?” But Gedaliah refused to believe them. 15Later Johanan had a private conference with Gedaliah and volunteered to kill Ishmael secretly. “Why should we let him come and murder you?” Johanan asked. “What will happen then to the Judeans who have returned? Why should the few of us who are still left be scattered and lost?” 16But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “I forbid you to do any such thing, for you are lying about Ishmael.”
Textual footnotes
- 40:9 Or Cha/deans; also in 40:10.
Life Application Notes 4 notes
40:4Jeremiah was free to go anywhere. In Babylon he would have great comfort and power. In Judah he would continue to face hardship. In Babylon Jeremiah would have been favored by the Babylonians but hated by the Judean exiles. In Judah he would remain poor and unwanted, but the Judean remnant would know he was not a traitor. Jeremiah returned to Judah.
40:6Mizpah was a few miles north of Jerusalem. Not thoroughly destroyed by the Babylonians, Mizpah served as a refuge after the destruction of Jerusalem.
40:13-41:3Gedaliah, appointed governor of Judah, foolishly ignored the warnings of assassination. Ishmael, in the line of David, may have been angry that he had been passed over for leadership. This is similar to the chaotic political situation that Ezra and Nehemiah faced when they returned to rebuild theTemple and the city. Ce eran
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Personality profile · page 1267
During one of the bleakest moments in Jeremiah’s life, God demonstrated his power by providing help from an unexpected source. Ebed-melech, a high-ranking African official in Zedekiah’s court, risked his career and perhaps his life to rescue Jeremiah from a muddy cistern. This unsung Ethiopian represents a crowd of quiet heroes throughout Bible history who showed real courage and character. He made the most of his position in life by using it to serve God. Spineless King Zedekiah had agreed to let Jeremiah’s enemies arrange for the prophet’s death, Though he had previously consulted with Jeremiah and even arranged for less harsh imprisonment, Zedekiah wavered under pressure. When certain influential voices demanded Jeremiah’s life, Zedekiah offered no resistance. The plan involved lowering Jeremiah into an empty cistern and leaving him to die of starvation. Ebed-melech’s response shows us a radical and almost reckless pursuit of justice. He appealed directly to the king who was holding court in a public place. His boldness prodded Zedekiah to reverse his previous decision. Ebed-melech took the king’s men, gathered the padding and ropes he would need, and hauled the shivering and slimy prophet out of the pit. The picture wasn’t pretty, but the mission succeeded. Jeremiah later had the privilege of informing his Ethiopian rescuer that God would keep him safe during the fall and destruction of Jerusalem. In whatever place you find yourself in life, continually ask God to help you see and respond to needs that you are uniquely placed to meet. Like Ebed-melech, you may experience fear along the way. But better to fear and act anyway than to live with the disappointment that fear prevented you from serving God and his people.
• Took Jeremiah’s case before the king and secured his rescue © Organized the extraction of the prophet from the quagmire-filled cistern
• Received God's guarantee of safety during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem
Strengths and accomplishments
The places we serve in life can often provide us with unique opportunities to serve God and his people
• We can trust God and act in spite of our fear
• God does not forget those who take a stand for him
• One bold person’s actions may stem a tide of evil
Lessons from his life
• Where: From Ethiopia, lived in Judah
• Occupation: Palace official in Judah
• Contemporaries: Jeremiah, Baruch, Zedekiah
Vital statistics
“Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. |, the LORD, have spoken!” (Jeremiah 39:18).
Key verse
Ebed-melech’s story is told in Jeremiah 38-39.
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