Jeremiah 40 Study Notes
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40:1-6 This passage amplifies and supplements 39:11-14 (see note there).
40:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord does not seem to be given until 42:9. The captain of the Babylonian guards released Jeremiah at Ramah, modern er-Ram, about five miles north of Jerusalem, a staging area for the deportation. Apparently, the Babylonians had mistakenly put Jeremiah in chains to be deported.
40:2-3 Some doubt that Nebuzaradan, a Babylonian, could have spoken such high Hebrew theology. But it is clear from 2Kg 18:22 that the Assyrians paid close attention to the beliefs of enemy nations in order to wage psychological warfare against them. This captain of the guards may also have been acquainted with some of Jeremiah’s teachings. Perhaps he had heard them from messages sent by ambassadors, from Jeremiah’s letters to those in exile, and from defectors.
40:5 Jeremiah was told to return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan. In 1935, James Starkey, the excavator of Lachish, found a stamp-seal with these words: “Gedalyahu, the one over the house,” i.e., palace governor (Is 36:22). This could be the same Gedaliah mentioned here, even though the name was common. The Hebrew title “[the one] who is over the house” designates a royal administrative official.
bo’
| Hebrew pronunciation | [BO] |
| CSB translation | come, enter, bring |
| Uses in Jeremiah | 218 |
| Uses in the OT | 2,592 |
| Focus passage | Jeremiah 40:3-4,6,8,10,12-13 |
Bo’, come or enter, contrasts with halak (“go,” Ec 1:4) and yatsa’ (“go out,” Is 37:28). The sun sets (Is 60:20). One gets on in years (Gn 18:11). Bo’ can connote go, extend, reach, arrive, or return (Gn 10:19,30; 42:29; 27:30; 24:62). People sleep with (Gn 16:4; Ru 4:13) others. One keeps off or encroaches (Pr 4:14; 23:10). Armies move (Jr 48:8), attack (Jr 49:4), and invade (Dn 11:40). Curses fall; events take place (Is 5:19), happen, or occur. Prophecies come true (Jdg 13:17). Bo’ is approach, appear, advance, travel, penetrate, or pass (Jb 5:26; 13:16; 19:12; 38:16; 41:13,16). Infinitives imply entry (Is 24:10) or migration (Jr 8:7), participles entourage (Dn 11:6) and future (Is 41:22). Causative verbs mean bring (Gn 2:19), bring back, take, put, or carry. People apply themselves (Pr 23:12), give counsel (Is 16:3), invite (Est 5:12), enable (Ec 3:22), and fulfill (Jr 39:16).
40:6 Mizpah was perhaps present-day Tell en-Nasbeh, about eight miles north of Jerusalem. Others locate it four miles southwest of Ramah at present-day Nabi Samwil. Gedaliah made this site his headquarters or administrative center.
40:7-8 In the absence of leaders, guerrilla bands emerged from hiding after the Babylonians took their captives back to Babylon. Most of the population of Judah was from the underprivileged class, with a few royal princesses who were left behind (43:6). Netophah (the Netophathite) was a Judean town between Bethlehem and Tekoa. Maacah (the Maacathite) was southeast of Hermon.
40:9 The guerrilla bands were pacified by Governor Gedaliah with an oath and the advice to settle down in the land. Gedaliah would be the mediator with the Babylonians.
40:10 There were evidently a few towns not destroyed by the Babylonians, especially north of Jerusalem.
40:11-12 Refugee Jews started returning from all over Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other lands. Summer was coming to an end, so it was necessary to gather the harvest (consisting of a great amount of wine and summer fruit) for the winter and to pay the Babylonian taxes. Apparently, the conquerors did not use a scorched-earth policy.
40:13-14 Johanan warned Gedaliah that Baalis, king of the Ammonites, had sent Ishmael to kill the newly appointed governor.
40:15-16 Despite Johanan’s offer to make a preemptive strike against Ishmael, Gedaliah refused to do so. He felt the rumors about Ishmael were a lie.