Berean Standard Bible
Jeremiah 40:15
15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,” he said. “No one will know it. Why should he take your life and scatter all the people of Judah who have gathered to you, so that the remnant of Judah would perish?”
Jeremiah 40:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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?
- New International Version (NIV)Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, "Please let me go and strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered about you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “Let me go, please, and I will kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he murder you, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?”
Context of Jeremiah 40:15
13Meanwhile, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14and said to him, “Are you aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them. Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,” he said. “No one will know it. Why should he take your life and scatter all the people of Judah who have gathered to you, so that the remnant of Judah would perish?” 16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is a lie.”
Read all of Jeremiah 40Jeremiah 40:15 word by word
וְיוֹחָנָ֣ן בֶּן־קָרֵ֡חַ אָמַ֣ר אֶל־גְּדַלְיָהוּ֩ בַסֵּ֨תֶר בַּמִּצְפָּ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר אֵ֤לְכָה נָּא֙ וְאַכֶּה֙ אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֔ה וְאִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע לָ֧מָּה יַכֶּ֣כָּה נֶּ֗פֶשׁ וְנָפֹ֙צוּ֙ כָּל־יְהוּדָ֔ה הַנִּקְבָּצִ֣ים אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְאָבְדָ֖ה שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- Then Johananיוֹחָנָןyôchânân · JohananH3110
- sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Kareahקָרֵחַqârêach · KareahH7143
- spokeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- privatelyסֵ֫תֶרsêther sithrâh · secrecyH5643
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- Gedaliahגְּדַלְיָ֫הוּgedalyâh gedalyâhû · GedaliahH1436
- at Mizpahמִצְפָּהmitspâh · MizpahH4709
- Let me goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- Let me goנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
- and killנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- Ishmaelיִשְׁמָעֵאלyishmâ‛ê'l · IshmaelH3458
- of Nethaniahנְתַנְיָ֫הוּnethanyâh nethanyâhû · NethaniahH5418
- Noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- will know itיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- your lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- and scatterפּוּץpûts · to scatterH6327
- allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- the people of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudeaH3063
- who have gatheredקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
- so that the remnantשְׁאֵרִיתshe'êrîyth · remnantH7611
- would perishאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
Cross-references for Jeremiah 40:15
- 1 Samuel 24:4So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
- 1 Samuel 26:8Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”
- Job 31:31if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—
- Jeremiah 12:3But You know me, O LORD; You see me and test my heart toward You. Drag away the wicked like sheep to the slaughter and set them apart for the day of carnage.
- 2 Samuel 18:3But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will not care about us. Even if half of us die, they will not care. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better now if you support us from the city.”
- 2 Samuel 21:17But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”
- Ezekiel 33:24“Son of man, those living in the ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.’
- John 11:50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
Commentaries on Jeremiah 40:15
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-16Verses 7-16 Jeremiah had never in his prophecies spoken of any good days for the Jews, to come immediately after the captivity; yet Providence seemed to encourage such an expectation. But how soon is this hopeful prospect blighted! When God begins a judgment, he will complete it. While pride, ambition, or revenge, bears rule in the heart, men will form new projects, and be restless in mischief, which commonly ends in their own ruin. Who would have…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-161. word that came--the heading of a new part of the book (the forty-first through forty-fourth chapters), namely, the prophecies to the Jews in Judea and Egypt after the taking of the city, blended with history. The prophecy does not begin till Jr 42:7, and the previous history is introductory to it. bound in chains--Though released from the court of the prison (see on Jr 39:14), in the confusion at the burning of the city he seems to have been led away…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 40:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 40
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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