Jeremiah 40:9

Jeremiah 40:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, "Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath before them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

Context of Jeremiah 40:9

7Some officers of Judah's army were living in fields in the country, with their soldiers. They heard news that the king of Babylon had chosen Ahikam's son Gedaliah to have authority over Judah. He ruled over the very poor people of Judah who continued to live there. They were the men, women and children that Babylon's soldiers had not taken away as prisoners. 8These army officers and their soldiers came to meet with Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers were: Nethaniah's son Ishmael, Kareah's sons, Johanan and Jonathan, Tanhumeth's son, Seraiah, the sons of Ephai, who came from Netophah, and Jaazaniah, whose father came from Maakah. Gedaliah made a serious promise to them that he would not hurt them. He said, ‘Do not be afraid to serve the soldiers from Babylon. Make your homes here in our land, but agree to serve the king of Babylon. If you do that, you will be successful. 10I myself will stay here in Mizpah. If Babylon's officers come to visit me, I will speak on your behalf. But you should go and live in the towns that you have taken for yourselves. Then you can eat the things that you grow in your fields. You can pick grapes to make wine and olives to make oil. You can pick dates and figs. You can store these things in jars.’ 11There were people of Judah who had run away to live in Moab, Ammon, Edom and other countries. They heard the news that the king of Babylon had let some people continue to live in Judah. They also heard that he had chosen Ahikam's son Gedaliah to be their ruler.

Jeremiah 40:9 word by word

וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע לָהֶ֜ם גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָ֤ם בֶּן־שָׁפָן֙ וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר אַל־תִּֽירְא֖וּ מֵעֲב֣וֹד הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑ים שְׁב֣וּ בָאָ֗רֶץ וְעִבְד֛וּ אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל וְיִיטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Gedaliahגְּדַלְיָ֫הוּgedalyâh gedalyâhû · GedaliahH1436
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Ahikamאֲחִיקָם'ăchîyqâm · AhikamH296
• of Shaphanשָׁפָןshâphân · ShaphanH8227
• swareשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• unto them and to their menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• not to serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
• the Chaldeansכַּשְׂדִּיםkaώdîy kaώdîymâh · ChaldeaH3778
• dwell inיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
• and it shall be wellיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190

Cross-references for Jeremiah 40:9

• 1 Samuel 20:16So Jonathan made an agreement with David's family. He said, ‘I am asking the Lord to destroy all David's enemies.’
• 2 Kings 25:24Gedaliah promised that he would not hurt these officers or the men who were with them. He said to them, ‘Do not be afraid to serve the soldiers from Babylon. Make your homes here in our land, but agree to serve the king of Babylon. If you do that, you will be successful.’
• Jeremiah 27:11But if the people of any nation agree to serve the king of Babylon, I will let them stay in their own land. If they work for him, with his yoke around their necks, they can continue to grow crops and live in their own land.’ That is what the Lord says.” ’
• Jeremiah 38:17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, ‘The Lord Almighty, Israel's God, says, “You must put yourself under the power of the king of Babylon's officers. If you do that, you will not die. Your enemies will not burn down this city. You and your family will continue to live.
• Genesis 49:15He will see that he has a good place to live, with good land. Then he will agree to work hard. He will work like a slave for other people.
• Psalms 37:3Trust in the Lord and do good things. Then you will live safely in the land.
• Psalms 128:2You will eat the food that you have worked hard to grow. You will have everything that you need. You will be happy!

Commentaries on Jeremiah 40:9

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9To serve the Chaldeans - literally, as margin; to be their minister and lieutenant. Gedaliah supposed that officers of high rank would come from time to time from Babylon to look after the king‘s interests. But whatever was ordered would be done through him, as being the prime minister. Gather ye wine - As Jerusalem was captured in the fifth month, August, it would now be autumn, and there would be fruit upon the trees, enough to maintain the scanty…Read the comment
• 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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Gedaliah tried to convince the Judean fighters that living peacefully under Babylonian rule would lead to prosperity.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Fear not--They were afraid that they should not obtain pardon from the Chaldeans for their acts. He therefore assured them of safety by an oath. serve--literally, "to stand before" (Jr 40:10; Jr 52:12), that is, to be at hand ready to execute the commands of the king of Babylon.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 40:9

• Ahikam
• Ishmael
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Mizpah
• Oath
• Shaphan

In the dictionaries

• Babylon
• Babylon, Babylonia, Babylonian
• Ahikam
• Jerusalem
• Kings, The Books of
• Astronomy
• Egypt
• Ephai
• Gedaliah
• Ishmael (1)

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