BOOK 24 OF 66 · MAJOR PROPHETS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah book home•Chapter 40 of 52•16 verses

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Jeremiah 40 Overview

After Jerusalem’s fall Jeremiah is released and chooses to remain with Gedaliah, Babylon’s appointed governor; scattered Judeans return, but Johanan warns Gedaliah that Ishmael has been sent to assassinate him.

JeremiahBook

40Chapter

16Verses

Major ProphetsDivision

Before you read Jeremiah 40

Coming from

Jerusalem falls to Babylon, Zedekiah is captured and blinded after seeing his sons killed, the city is burned and leaders executed, but Jeremiah is protected and Ebed-melech receives the promised deliverance.

In this chapter

Leads into

Ishmael murders Gedaliah and others at Mizpah, takes captives, and flees when Johanan intervenes; the survivors are rescued, but fear of Babylon now drives the remnant toward the border of Egypt.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The focus shifts from siege to the fragile remnant left in the land. A limited opportunity for stability appears under Gedaliah.

The interpretive center of Jeremiah 40 is the chapter’s own movement: life continues after catastrophic judgment. Read its poetry, signs, historical references, and later biblical connections from that center rather than treating isolated phrases as detached slogans.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Life continues after catastrophic judgment

Fields are harvested and scattered people return under a new administration.

God gives Jeremiah freedom to choose his place of service

Nebuzaradan treats him with unusual favor.

Ignoring credible danger can carry serious consequences

Gedaliah refuses to believe the warning about Ishmael.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

2 Kings 25:22-24

Kings briefly records Gedaliah’s governorship over the remnant.

Jeremiah 41

The assassination warning is fulfilled immediately in the next chapter.

Jeremiah 42

The remnant later seeks guidance about whether to remain in the land or flee to Egypt.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not assume Babylon’s favor toward Jeremiah means Babylon is righteous.

God can use pagan officials for protection while still judging the empire later.

Do not call Gedaliah’s refusal to believe the plot virtuous trust without qualification.

The narrative immediately shows that the warning was true.

Read Jeremiah 40 watching for…

Jeremiah’s release

Gedaliah appointed governor

returning Judeans

harvest and fragile normalcy

the assassination warning

Chapter outline2 sections

1-6Nebuzar-adan releases Jeremiah, who chooses to stay with Gedaliah 7-16Jewish captains gather to Gedaliah, and Johanan warns of Ishmael’s plot

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.

And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.

Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.

Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.

Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.

Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;

Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.

Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;

Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.

Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.

Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?

But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.

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Jeremiah 40:5

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