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

7Now some of the officers of the Judean army and their troops had been hiding in the countryside. They heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam to govern the country. They also heard that he had been put in charge over the men, women, and children from the poorer classes of the land who had not been carried off into exile in Babylon. 8So all these officers and their troops came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers who came were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite. Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, took an oath so as to give them and their troops some assurance of safety. “Do not be afraid to submit to the Babylonians. Settle down in the land and submit to the king of Babylon. Then things will go well for you. 10I for my part will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians whenever they come to us. You for your part go ahead and harvest the wine, the dates, the figs, and the olive oil, and store them in jars. Go ahead and settle down in the towns that you have taken over.” 11Moreover, all the Judeans who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other countries heard what had happened. They heard that the king of Babylon had allowed some people to stay in Judah and that he had appointed Gedaliah, the 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 20:16and called David’s enemies to account.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David.
• 2 Kings 25:24Gedaliah took an oath so as to give them and their troops some assurance of safety. He said, “You don’t need to be afraid to submit to the Babylonian officials. Settle down in the land and submit to the king of Babylon. Then things will go well for you.”
• Jeremiah 27:11Things will go better for the nation that submits to the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon and is subject to him. I will leave that nation in its native land. Its people can continue to farm it and live in it. I, the Lord, affirm it!”’”
• Jeremiah 38:17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “The Lord, the God who rules over all, the God of Israel, says, ‘You must surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon. If you do, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down. Indeed, you and your whole family will be spared.
• Genesis 49:15When he sees a good resting place, and the pleasant land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and become a slave laborer.
• Psalms 37:3Trust in the Lord and do what is right! Settle in the land and maintain your integrity!
• Psalms 128:2You will eat what you worked so hard to grow. You will be blessed and secure.

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