Day 229, Jeremiah 39-41

The Fall of Jerusalem

In the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army went against Jerusalem and besieged it.

On the ninth day of the fourth month in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, a breach was made in the city. Then all the officials of the king of Babylon went and sat in the middle gate with all the rest of the officers.

When Zedekiah and all the soldiers saw them they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls, and they went toward Arabah.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. When they had taken him, they brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah, and he passed sentence on him.

The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes, and he slaughtered all of the nobles of Judah. He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon.

The Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the house of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city: those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained.

He left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at that same time.

The Lord Delivers Jeremiah

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave Nebuzaradan command concerning Jeremiah. He told him to take Jeremiah and look after him well, and do no harm to him. He was to deal with him as Jeremiah would tell him.

So Nebuzaradan and the chief officers of the king of Babylon sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard and entrusted him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, so that he would take him home. So Jeremiah lived among the people.

The word of the Lord went to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard, telling him to go to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, and say that the Lord would fulfill His words against the city for harm and not for good, and they would be accomplished before him on that day. But, he would be delivered that day and would not be given into the hand of the men whom he was afraid.

Jeremiah continued, saying that the Lord would surely save him, and he would not fall by the sword, but he would have his life as a prize of war because he had put his trust in the Lord.

Jeremiah Remains in Judah

The captain of the guard had taken Jeremiah and said to him that the Lord God pronounced disaster against that place, and the Lord had brought it about, and done as He said He would. Because they had sinned against the Lord and did not obey His voice.

He continued saying that he would release Jeremiah that day from the chains that bound his hands, and if he wanted to he could go with him to Babylon and he would look after him well. He told him that the whole land was before him and that he could go wherever he thought it would be good and right to go.

If Jeremiah would choose to remain, he was to return to Gedaliah whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Then the captain of the guard gave Jeremiah an allowance of food and a present and let him go.

Jeremiah went to Gedaliah and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.

When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men had heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor in the land and had committed to him men, women, and children, those who were the poorest in the land who had not been taken to exile in Babylon, they went to him at Mizpah.

Gedaliah swore to them and their men saying not to be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. They should dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it would be well with them.

As for him, he would dwell at Mizpah, and would represent for them before the Chaldeans who would come to them. He told them to gather wine, summer fruits, and oil and store them in their vessels, and dwell in the cities that they had taken.

Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah governor over them; all the Judeans returned from their places for which they had been driven out. They went to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country went to Gedaliah at Mizpah and told him that Baalis the king of the Ammonites had sent Ishmael to take his life. But Gedaliah would not believe them.

Then Johanan spoke secretly to Gedaliah and asked him if he could please go and strike down Ishmael and no one would have to know about it. He saw no reason why Ishmael should take Gedaliah’s life and all the Judeans who were gathered there would be scattered and the remnant of Judah would perish.

But Gedaliah told him he would do not such thing and said he was speaking falsely of Ishmael.

Gedaliah Murdered

In the seventh month, Ishmael and ten men went to Gedaliah at Mizpah. As they ate bread together, Ishmael and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah with the sword, and killed him.

Ishmael also struck down all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean soldiers who happened to be there.

On the day after the murder of Gedaliah, before anyone knew of it, eighty men arrived from Shechem, and Shiloh and Samaria. Their beards were shaved, their clothes were torn, and their bodies were gashed. They took grain offerings and incense to present at the temple of the Lord.

Ishmael went out from Mizpah to meet them, and was weeping as he went. As he met them he said to go in to Gedaliah. When they got into the city, Ishmael and the men with him slaughtered them and cast them into a cistern.

There were ten men among them who said to Ishmael not to put them to death for they had stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the fields. So he refrained and did not put them to death with their companions.

Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men whom he had struck down along with Gedaliah was the large cistern that King Asa had made for defense against Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael filled it with the slain.

Then Ishmael took captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who were left there, and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

But when Johanan and all the leaders of the forces with him had heard of all the evil that Ishmael had done, they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael.

They went upon him at the great pool that was in Gibeon. When all the people that were with Ishmael saw Johanan and all the leaders of the forces with him, they rejoiced.

So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and went back, and went to Johanan. But Ishmael escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.