Jeremiah 41:18

Jeremiah 41:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Because 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.
• New International Version (NIV)to escape the Babylonians. They were afraid of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.
• English Standard Version (ESV)because of the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.
• New King James Version (NKJV)because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor in the land.

Context of Jeremiah 41:18

16Johanan and the army officers who were with him led the people away from Gibeon. Those were the people who were still alive in Mizpah after Ishmael had murdered Gedaliah. Now Johanan and his men had rescued them from Ishmael. Johanan brought those men, women, children, soldiers and palace officers away from Gibeon. 17They started on the way towards Egypt. They stopped at Geruth Kimham, a town that is near Bethlehem. They were afraid that the soldiers of Babylon would want to kill them. They would be angry because Nethaniah's son Ishmael had killed Ahikam's son Gedaliah. The king of Babylon had chosen Gedaliah to rule Judah.

Jeremiah 41:18 word by word

מִפְּנֵי֙ הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים כִּ֥י יָרְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־הִכָּ֞ה יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֗ה אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִפְקִ֥יד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Becauseפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• of the Chaldeansכַּשְׂדִּיםkaώdîy kaώdîymâh · ChaldeaH3778
• for they were afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• of them, because Ishmaelיִשְׁמָעֵאלyishmâ‛ê'l · IshmaelH3458
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Nethaniahנְתַנְיָ֫הוּnethanyâh nethanyâhû · NethaniahH5418
• had slainנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• Gedaliahגְּדַלְיָ֫הוּgedalyâh gedalyâhû · GedaliahH1436
• of Ahikamאֲחִיקָם'ăchîyqâm · AhikamH296
• whom the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
• made governorפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: overseerH6485
• in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776

Cross-references for Jeremiah 41:18

• Jeremiah 42:11You are afraid of the king of Babylon now, but do not be afraid of him any more. I am with you to help you. I will save you and I will rescue you from his power. I, the Lord, promise you this.
• Jeremiah 43:2Then Hoshaiah's son Azariah and Kareah's son Johanan and some other proud men said to Jeremiah, ‘You are speaking lies! The Lord our God has not sent you to say to us, “You must not go to Egypt to live there.”
• 2 Kings 25:25But in the seventh month of that year, Ishmael went to Mizpah with ten of his men. Ishmael was the son of Nethaniah and the grandson of Elishama, who belonged to the king's family. They murdered Gedaliah, and the other men who were with him in Mizpah. Some of those men were from Judah and some of them were from Babylon.
• Isaiah 30:16Instead, you say, ‘No! We will run away on horses and we will escape.’ Yes, you will run away! You say, ‘Our horses will run very fast!’ But your enemies who chase you will also be very fast!
• Isaiah 51:12‘I am the Lord who comforts you. You do not need to be afraid of people who are only human. Remember that they will all die one day, like grass that only lives for a short time.
• Isaiah 57:11What idol are you so afraid of, that you choose to deceive me? You seem to have forgotten about me. You do not think about me at all. Have I been silent for too long? Is that why you no longer respect me?
• Luke 12:4You are my friends, so I tell you this: do not be afraid of those people who can kill only your body. After that, they can do nothing worse to you.
• Jeremiah 41:2During the meal, Ishmael and his ten men stood up. They took hold of their swords and they killed Gedaliah, Ahikam's son and grandson of Shaphan. Ishmael and his men killed the man that the king of Babylon had chosen to rule Judah.
• Jeremiah 40:5But before Jeremiah turned away from him, Captain Nebuzaradan said, ‘Return to Ahikam's son Gedaliah. The king of Babylon chose him to rule over the towns of Judah. Go and live with Gedaliah, among the people of Judah. Or you may go to any other place that you choose.’ Captain Nebuzaradan gave Jeremiah some food and a gift. Then he let him go.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 41:18

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-18Verses 11-18 The success of villany must be short, and none can prosper who harden their hearts against God. And those justly lose comfort in real fears, who excuse themselves in sin by pretended fears. The removal of a prudent and peaceable ruler, and the succession of another who is rash and ambitious, affects the welfare of many. Only those are happy and steady who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-18The group led by Johanan traveled south, past the ruins of Jerusalem, to Geruth-kimham, a small village near Bethlehem. During this journey, the leaders decided they would be safer from Babylonian revenge if they fled to Egypt. The Babylonians were cruel, and no one trusted them to find the real person responsible for Gedaliah’s death.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. afraid--lest the Chaldeans should suspect all the Jews of being implicated in Ishmael's treason, as though the Jews sought to have a prince of the house of David (Jr 41:1). Their better way towards gaining God's favor would have been to have laid the blame on the real culprit, and to have cleared themselves. A tortuous policy is the parent of fear. Righteousness inspires with boldness (Psa 53:5; Pr 28:1).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 41:18

• Ahikam
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning

In the dictionaries

• Babylon
• Ishmael
• Babylon, Babylonia, Babylonian
• Ishmael, Ishmaelite
• Along
• Jerusalem
• Treasure
• Astronomy
• Egypt
• Gedaliah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 41

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings