New English Translation
Jeremiah 40:15
15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah there at Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah before anyone knows about it. Otherwise he will kill you and all the Judeans who have rallied around you will be scattered. Then what remains of Judah will disappear.”
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
13Johanan and all the officers of the troops that had been hiding in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. 14They said to him, “Are you at all aware that King Baalis of Ammon has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam would not believe them. Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah there at Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah before anyone knows about it. Otherwise he will kill you and all the Judeans who have rallied around you will be scattered. Then what remains of Judah will disappear.” 16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do that because what you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Johananיוֹחָנָןyôchânân · JohananH3110
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Kareahקָרֵחַqârêach · KareahH7143
- spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to Gedaliahגְּדַלְיָ֫הוּgedalyâh gedalyâhû · GedaliahH1436
- in Mizpahמִצְפָּהmitspâh · MizpahH4709
- secretlyסֵ֫תֶרsêther sithrâh · secrecyH5643
- Let me goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- I pray thee, and I will slayנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- Ishmaelיִשְׁמָעֵאלyishmâ‛ê'l · IshmaelH3458
- of Nethaniahנְתַנְיָ֫הוּnethanyâh nethanyâhû · NethaniahH5418
- and no manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- shall knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- wherefore should he slayנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- thee, that all the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
- which are gatheredקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
- unto thee should be scatteredפּוּץpûts · to scatterH6327
- and the remnantשְׁאֵרִיתshe'êrîyth · remnantH7611
- in Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- perishאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
Cross-references for Jeremiah 40:15
- 1 Samuel 24:4David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’” So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe.
- 1 Samuel 26:8Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me drive the spear right through him into the ground with one swift jab! A second jab won’t be necessary!”
- Job 31:31if the members of my household have never said, ‘If only there were someone who has not been satisfied from Job’s meat!’ –
- Jeremiah 12:3But you, Lord, know all about me. You watch me and test my devotion to you. Drag these wicked men away like sheep to be slaughtered! Appoint a time when they will be killed!
- 2 Samuel 18:3But the soldiers replied, “You should not do this! For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won’t be too concerned about us. Even if half of us should die, they won’t be too concerned about us. But you are like ten thousand of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.”
- 2 Samuel 21:17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid, striking the Philistine down and killing him. Then David’s men took an oath saying, “You will not go out to battle with us again! You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel!”
- Ezekiel 33:24“Son of man, the ones living in these 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 for a possession.’
- John 11:50You do not realize that it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to 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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Commentaries