Chapter 41
Ishmael’s treachery
Lecture 1
Ishmael murders Gedaliah
41:1 And it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah, the son of Elishamah, of royal blood, came and ten men with him, to Gedaliah, the son of Ahicam, in Mizpah, and they ate bread there together in Mizpah.
41:2 But Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah, arose, and the ten men who were with him, and struck Gedaliah, the son of Ahicam, with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had set over the land.
41:3 And Ishmael struck also all the Jews who were with Gedaliah in Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, and the men of war.
209 . Here, the disturbance of the assembled people by the wickedness of Ishmael is spoken of:
first, the deceitful slaughter of certain men is mentioned;
second, the burial of their bodies, at now the pit into which Ishmael had cast all the bodies of the men . . . is that which king Asa had made (Jer 41:9);
third, the violent capture of the others, at and Ishmael led captive (Jer 41:10).
Concerning the first, there are two points.
First, the slaughter of the leader and his household is mentioned;
second, the slaughter of all his followers, at and on the second day (Jer 41:4).
Concerning the first, there are three points.
First, he speaks of the ruse of feigned peace: of royal blood , because of which Ishmael was moved by envy against him whom he saw set over the Jews, when he himself had been passed over by the king. There is a friend who is a companion at table, but he shall not remain in the day of trouble (Sir 6:10).
Second, he speaks of the murder of the leader: they arose from the table, the ten men, and struck , while the others suspected nothing of the kind. Not as cowards are wont to die, has Abner died (2 Sam 3:33).
Third, he speaks of the slaughter of his household: Ishmael struck also all the Jews who were with Gedaliah . Of one spark comes a great fire, and of one deceitful man much blood (Sir 11:34).
Lecture 2
Ishmael murders the pilgrims
41:4 And on the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, while as yet no one knew of it,
41:5 men came from Shechem, and Shiloh, and from Samaria, eighty men with shaven beards, and torn and soiled garments. And they brought gifts and incense to offer in the house of the Lord .
41:6 And Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah, went out to meet them from Mizpah, weeping as he went. And when he had met them, he said to them, ‘Come to Gedaliah, the son of Ahicam.’
41:7 Then, when they had come into the midst of the city, Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah, slew them and cast them into the midst of a pit, he and the men who were with him.
41:8 But ten men were found among them, who said to Ishmael, ‘Do not kill us, for we have stores in the field of grain and barley, and oil, and honey.’ So he stopped and did not kill them with their brothers.
210 . Here, he speaks of the slaughter of the pilgrims.
First, he describes their appearance with regard to being in mourning: with shaven beards . Her priests sigh (Lam 1:4). The Lord has brought great mourning upon me (Bar 4:9). And with regard to the votive offering: gifts , they had; incense , which was offered with every offering (Lev 2). In the house of the Lord , that is, in the place of the temple. They shall worship him with sacrifices and gifts, and they shall swear vows to the Lord, and perform them (Isa 19:21).
Second, he speaks of the slaughter, first noting the deceit in his feigned grief: Ishmael went out weeping . Though he humble himself, and go bowed down, take good heed, and beware of him (Sir 12:11). And in his deceitful counsel: and when he had met them . A false tongue loves not the truth, and a slippery mouth works destruction (Prov 26:28).
And he subjoins the murder: then, when they had come into the midst of the city, Ishmael slew them . My life has fallen into the pit, and they have laid a stone over me (Lam 3:53). Blood has touched blood (Hos 4:2).
Third, he speaks of the liberation of certain men because of the promise of riches which they said they had: but ten men . The ransom of a man’s life are many riches, but he that is poor bears no reproach (Prov 13:8).
Lecture 3
Ishmael fills the pit with bodies
41:9 Now the pit into which Ishmael had cast all the bodies of the men whom he had slain by the side of Gedaliah is that which king Asa had made because of Baasa king of Israel; the same Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah, filled with the slain.
211 . Here, he speaks of the burial of their bodies: king Asa . In 1 Kings 15:22, it is said that Asa caused Geba of Benjamin in Mizpah to be built from the materials which Baasha had prepared for the fortification of Ramah against him, and as it happens, he had made a cistern for the defense of the city. I am reckoned with those that go down into the pit, I am become as a man without helper, free among the dead (Ps 87:4–5).
Lecture 4
Johanan recovers Ishmael’s men
41:10 And Ishmael led all the remnant of the people who were in Mizpah captive, the daughters of the king, and all those who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan had entrusted to Gedaliah, the son of Ahicam. And Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah, took them and went to cross over to the children of Ammon.
41:11 Moreover, Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the men of war who were with him, heard of all the evil which Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah, had done.
41:12 And having taken all their men, they set out to wage war against Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah. And they found him by the many waters that are in Gibeon.
41:13 And when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the men of war, who were with him, they rejoiced.
41:14 And all the people whom Ishmael had taken turned back to Mizpah, and having returned, they went to Johanan, the son of Kareah.
41:15 But Ishmael fled with eight men from the face of Johanan, and went to the children of Ammon.
41:16 Therefore, Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the men of war who were with him, took the whole remnant of the people which he had recovered from Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah, from Mizpah after he struck Gedaliah, the son of Ahicam: mighty men of war, and women, and children, and eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon.
41:17 And they went and dwelt as sojourners in Chimham near Bethlehem, that they might continue on, and enter into Egypt,
41:18 from the face of the Chaldeans, for they feared them, because Ishmael, the son of Nathaniah, had struck down Gedaliah, the son of Ahicam, whom the king of Babylon had set over the land of Judah.
212 . Here, he speaks of the taking of captives.
First, the taking of those who remained is described: the remnant , because he had slain certain men who were of the household of Gedaliah. Hell has enlarged its soul, and opened its mouth without any end (Isa 5:14).
Second, he speaks of the liberation, noting the preparation of the liberators: Johanan heard . Rescue those who are being led to death, and do not cease to free those who are handed over to destruction (Prov 24:11).
To this he adds the liberation of the captives: and when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan . . . they rejoiced . By the good of the just a city shall be exalted, and in the destruction of the wicked shall be its praise (Prov 11:10).
And he notes the escape of their captor: but Ishmael fled with eight men , two having been killed. Woe to you who plunder, shall you not also be plundered? (Isa 33:1).
Third, he speaks of their fear; concerning this, there are two points.
First, he notes the sign of their fear—namely, their resolve to flee: therefore, Johanan took . The wicked man flees, though no one pursues him (Prov 28:1).
Second, he speaks of the instigation of their fear: for they feared them . For a troubled conscience always foretells grievous things (Wis 17:10). Though there be peace, he always suspects treachery (Job 15:21).