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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Gedaliah vowed to them that the Babylonians meant them no harm. “Don’t be afraid to serve them. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and all will go well for you,” he promised.

Context of Jeremiah 40:9

7When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, 8they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men. 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. 10I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.” 11When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over 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 20:16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.”
• 2 Kings 25:24Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”
• Jeremiah 27:11But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the Lord.” ’ ”
• Jeremiah 38:17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down; you and your family will live.
• Genesis 49:15When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor.
• Psalms 37:3Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
• Psalms 128:2You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

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