411 In the seventh month Ishmael the son of Nethaniah , the son of Elishama , of the royal family and one of the chief officers of the king , along with ten men , came to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam . While they were eating bread together there in Mizpah , 2 Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him arose and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam , the son of Shaphan , with the sword and put to death the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land . 3 Ishmael also struck down all the Jews who were with him, that is with Gedaliah at Mizpah , and the Chaldeans who were found there , the men of war . 4 Now it happened on the next day after the killing of Gedaliah , when no one knew about it, 5 that eighty men came from Shechem , from Shiloh , and from Samaria with their beards shaved off and their clothes torn and their bodies gashed , having grain offerings and incense in their hands to bring to the house of the Lord . 6 Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went ; and as he met them, he said to them, "Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam !" 7 Yet it turned out that as soon as they came inside the city , Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the men that were with him slaughtered them and cast them into the cistern . 8 But ten men who were found among them said to Ishmael , "Do not put us to death ; for we have stores of wheat , barley , oil and honey hidden in the field ." So he refrained and did not put them to death along with their companions . 9 Now as for the cistern where e Ishmael had cast all the corpses of the men whom he had struck down because of Gedaliah , it was the one that King Asa had made on account e of Baasha , king of Israel ; Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain . 10 Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people who were in Mizpah , the king's daughters and all the people who were left in Mizpah , whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had put under the charge of Gedaliah the son of Ahikam ; thus Ishmael the son of Nethaniah took them captive and proceeded to cross over to the sons of Ammon .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 41:1-10
Commentary on Jeremiah 41:1-10
(Read Jeremiah 41:1-10)
Those who hate the worshippers of God, often put on the appearance of piety, that they may the easier hurt them. As death often meets men where they least expect it, we should continually search whether we are in such a state and frame of mind, as we would wish to be found in when called to appear before our Judge. Sometimes the ransom of a man's life is his riches. But those who think to bribe death, saying, Slay us not, for we have treasures in the field, will find themselves wretchedly deceived. This melancholy history warns us, never to be secure in this world. We never can be sure of peace on this side heaven.