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

7All the army commanders and their men who were in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, to govern the country and some of the country’s poorest men, women, and children who had not been taken away to Babylon. 8These are the commanders who went with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael (son of Nethaniah), Johanan and Jonathan (sons of Kareah), Seraiah (son of Tanhumeth), the sons of Ephai from Netophah, and Jezaniah, who was the son of a man from Maacah. Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men. He said, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Babylonians. Live in this country, serve the king of Babylon, and you will prosper. 10I’m going to live in Mizpah and represent you when the Babylonians come to us. Gather grapes, summer fruit, and olive oil, and put them in storage jars. Live in the cities you have taken over.” 11Now, all the Jews who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and in all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a few survivors in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them.

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 20:16At that time, if Jonathan’s name is cut off from David’s family, then may the Lord punish David’s house.”
• 2 Kings 25:24Gedaliah swore an oath to them and their men. He said, “Don’t be afraid of the Babylonian officers. Live in this country, serve the king of Babylon, and you will prosper.”
• Jeremiah 27:11But suppose a nation surrenders to the king of Babylon and serves him. I will let it stay in its own land. People will farm the land and live on it,’ ” declares the Lord.
• Jeremiah 38:17Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the Lord God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, you will live, and this city will not be burned. You and your household will live.
• Genesis 49:15When he sees that his resting place is good and that the land is pleasant, he will bend his back to the burden and will become a slave laborer.
• Psalms 37:3Trust the Lord, and do good things. Live in the land, and practice being faithful.
• Psalms 128:2You will certainly eat what your own hands have provided. Blessings to you! May things go well for you!

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