Bible reading & studying on 11/19/2021 Jeremiah 39-42 by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible reading & studying on 11/19/2021 Jeremiah 39-42

by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce 

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music 

Chapter 39 the events of this chapter are also described in chapter 52 the fall of Jerusalem. There at Riblah the king Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. They he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. Nergal-Sharezer. King Neriglissar, son in-law of Nebuchadnezzar; he reigned 560-550.

This is how Jerusalem was taken: in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate; Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Saresekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Bbylon.(vv.1-3)

When Zedekiah king Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah. But the Babylonian army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. There at Riblah the king Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. They he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. (vv.4-7)

The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the house of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people. But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.  (vv.8-10).

God honored His promise to Jeremiah.

Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Zebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: “take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks.”(39:11-12)

Chapter 40 recorded the events after the fall of Jerusalem, and Jeremiah ministers to Jews in Palestine. Gedaliah was grandson of one of Josiah’s nobles was made puppet governor of denuded Judah (v.5). “men who were still in the open county”(v.7). Jewish guerilla units that had not been captured, they are urged to obey the Babylonian officials.

The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “the Lord your God decreed this disaster for this place. And now the Lord has brought it about; He has done just as He said He would. All this happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey Him.” But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon , if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to , then don’t come… “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people or go anywhere else you please. (vv.1-4)

So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land…(v.6)

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...Gedaliah son of Ahikam, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Don’t 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. I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, buy you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.” (vv.7-10)

When 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, they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit. (vv.11-12)  

Chapter 41 Ishmael may have been motivated by jealousy to kill Gedaliah, because he felt slighted in being passed over for the office of governor. Gedaliah refused to believe his life was in danger form Ishmael, a would-be assassin.

In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king’s officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. (v.1)

Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land. Ishamael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian soldiers who were there. Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah…(vv2-3)

Then Johanan son Kareah and all the army officers who were with him led away all the survivors from Mizpah whom he had recovered from Ishmael…they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem on their way to Egypt to escape the Babylonians. They were afraid of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land. (vv.16-18)

 

 

Bibliography,

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.