1 CHAP. XLI. Now it came to pass in the seventh month, [that] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, where he made a splendid entertainment for them; and there they did eat 2 bread together in Mizpah. Then, valuing himself on his royal extraction, and envying Gedaliah, arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over 3 the land. Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, [even] with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, that is, Gedaliah's guards, and the Chaldeans that were found there, [and] the men of war, all 4 that opposed him. And it came to pass the second day after he 5. had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew [it,] That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, [even] fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring [them] to the house of the LORD; that is, some pious men of the ten tribes came in mourning habits to weep over the ruins of Jerusalem, and to offer incense, if they could find an 6 altar and a priest. And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went, as if he sympathised with them: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam; 7 wanting to see how they stood affected to him. And it was [so] when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, [and cast them] into the midst of the 8 pit, he, and the men that [were] with him. But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey, which we will give thee; thinking to influence his covetousness, if not his compassion. So he forbare, and slew them ⚫ not among their brethren. Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, [was] it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: [and] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah 10 filled it with [them that were] slain. Then Ishmael carried ' away captive all the residue of the people that [were] in Mizpah, [even] the king's daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites; as had been concerted between him and the king of the Ammonites.

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But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that [were] with him, heard of all the evil that Ish12 mael the son of Nethaniah had done, Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and

13 found him by the great waters that [are] in Gibeon. Now it came to pass, [that] when all the people which [were] with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that [were] with him, then they were glad; hoping to be 14 recovered and taken back. So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and 15 went unto Johanan the son of Kareah. But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, only two of the assassins being probably slain, and went to the Ammonites. 16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that [were] with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after [that] he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahi kam, [even] mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs whom he had brought again from Gibe17 on: And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, an estate which David had given to Chimham the son of Barzillai, and which was called by his name, to go 18 to enter into Egypt, Because of the Chaldeans; that is, in order to proceed to Egypt out of the reach of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land; they were fearful it would be imputed to them all as a revolt; á groundless fear; for though the king of Babylon might have resented the murder of his viceroy, he would rather have applauded and rewarded Johanan, for slaying the murderers and recovering the captives.

REFLECTIONS.

1. HOSE who are most honest and friendly, and mean the

Test, where prudence and discretion. It was wise in Gedaliah not to entertain jealousy of his subjects; but very unwise not to be more upon his guard, after he had been warned of Ishmael's design. A proper medium is to be observed between hastily crediting and hastily rejecting or despising reports of inju ries intended us. We should be cautious whom we trust; and while we show the courage of an honest heart, we should be upon our guard that we be not deceived by pretended friendship.

2. Observe here the dismal consequences of pride and ambition, and what dreadful evils they occasion in society. Ishmael treacherously slew Gedaliah, because he thought, that being of the seed royal, he had a better claim to the government; and when once he was engaged in this bloody work, he slew those honest Israelites, because they were the friends of Gedaliah, though he had nothing to fear from them: and this cruelty he exercised upon his brethren and countrymen, who were all companions in the general affliction of the nation. Such monsters, such demons, do ambition and malice turn men into: and we have need to pray earnestly, that God VOL. V.

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would restrain this ambitious spirit in our land, which seems otherwise likely to blast our hopeful prospects, and hurry us into ruin.

3. See the uncertainty of human affairs, and how little the continuance of earthly blessings is to be depended upon. The poor Jews that were left in the land, began to think themselves happy in such a governor as Gedaliah, and probably would have been so : but he was treacherously slain; and then all their expectations were disappointed, and there was nothing but confusion again. Thus may God soon disappoint our most pleasing expectations; and bring upon us fresh troubles, while we are rejoicing in the restoration of peace. Let us therefore maintain a constant sense of the uncertainty of earthly comforts; and be solicitous to secure a kingdom that cannot be moved; an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.

CHAP. XLII, XLIII.

Johanan and the remnant of the people desire Jeremiah to ask counsel of God what they should do; the prophet assures them of safety in Judea, but of destruction in Egypt: Nevertheless the leading men carry the people there; and the prophet foretells the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadrezzar.

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HEN all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the 2 people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our sup plication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, [even] for all this remnant; (for we are left [but] a 3 few of many, as thine eyes do behold us :) That the LORD thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do nothing could be more proper, humble, and re4 spectful, than this address, had it been honest. Then Jeremiah

the prophet said unto them, I have heard [you ;] behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, [that] whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare [it] unto you; I will keep nothing 5 back from you. Then they said to Jeremiah; The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send 6 thee to us. Whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.

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And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah; they were kept so long in suspense, to give

8 them time to think. Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which [were] with him, and all 9 the people from the least even to the greatest, And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye 10 sent me to present your supplication before him; If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull [you] down, and I will plant you, and not pluck [you] up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you; I will change my way of dealing with you, and will no longer punish you, without fresh 11 provocations. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I [am] 12 with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. And I will show mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, I will incline him to show you favour, and cause you to return to your own land; to your own cities and possessions, from whence 13 ye were driven by the late distractions. But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your 14 God, saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where

we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have 15 hunger of bread; and there will we dwell: And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, if you are fully and obstinately resolved 16 to leave your own country, and go to sojourn there; Then it shall come to pass, [that] the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye 17 shall die. So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon then. 18 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach: and ye shall see this place no more.

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The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah ; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day; I have testified against your leaving your land, especially against your going to Egypt, because it is an idolatrous 20 country, and at enmity with the king of Babylon. For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, 21 and we will do [it.] And [now] I have this day declared [it] to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, 22 nor any [thing] for the which he hath sent me unto you. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the

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famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go [and] to sojourn.

CHAP. XLIII. And it came to pass, [that] when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, [even] all these words, (a strong expression, denoting the authority of God's word, and their great wickedness and 2 obstinacy in acting contrary to it ;) Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn 3 there: But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might 4 put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.* So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in 5 the land of Judah.. But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to 6 dwell in the land of Judah; [Even] men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and BaSo they came into the land of Egypt: 7 ruch the son of Neriah. for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they [even] to Tahpanhes.

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Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpan9 hes, saying, Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brick kiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, or, in the way that leads to it, in the sight 10 of the men of Judah; And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall 11 spread his royal pavilion over them. And when he cometh he shall smite the land of Egypt with pestilence, [and deliver] such [as are] for death to death; shutting them up in infected places j and such [as are] for captivity to captivity and such [as are] 12 for the sword to the sword. And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd putteth on his garment; beautifully alluding to the ease with which he should make the conquest ; just as a shepherd slips on his garment; soon, and without care without or nicety; and he shall go forth from thence in

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What strange, inconsistent conduct was this! They knew him to be a prophet, and that his words had been fulfilled; yea, they set him on to inquire of the Lord, and promised obedience. Had he and Baruch chosen to go to Babylon, they might have gone when the captain solicited them. It was therefore an idle and absurd suggestion.