Tyndale Open Study NotesJeremiah 40

This passage explains what happened to Jeremiah right after Jerusalem fell.

The guard captain mentioned that the Lord's prediction through Jeremiah had come true.

Gedaliah set up his new headquarters in Mizpah, which is eight miles north of the destroyed Jerusalem.

The new government was organized under Gedaliah, who came from a high-ranking family. His grandfather, Shaphan, had given King Josiah the scroll of the law that started a reformation (2 Kings 22:10). Gedaliah’s father, Ahikam, held a high position among Jehoiakim’s officials and saved Jeremiah’s life (Jeremiah 26:24).

News quickly spread among the Judean guerrilla groups and the poor people left behind about Gedaliah's appointment as governor. A small group of guerrilla leaders arranged to meet with Gedaliah to understand his plans better.

Gedaliah tried to convince the Judean fighters that living peacefully under Babylonian rule would lead to prosperity.

The new governor's promises encouraged the people of Judah, who had fled to nearby countries, to return to their land. The mention of a great harvest shows that the Babylonians did not destroy the crops when they attacked Jerusalem.

• Ammon was a small highland nation east of the Jordan Valley.

• Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, was of royal descent (2 Kings 25:25).

Gedaliah's response showed his naivety and the distrust in advisers that affected the entire chaotic situation.