Jeremiah 40:8

Jer 40:8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

Ver. 8. Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah.] Where Samuel dwelt, {1Sa 7:16-17} not far from Shiloh.

Even Ishmael.] Who was of the blood royal {Jer 41:1} and envied Gedaliah his so great preferment, whom he looked upon for a transfuga, deserter and a traitor, for revolting to Nebuchadnezzar, which yet he did in obedience to God’s word by the prophet Jeremiah.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Who was of the king’s blood and after slew him, Jer. 41:2.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Netophathite--from Netophah, a town in Judah (Sa2 23:28).

Maachathite--from Maachathi, at the foot of Mount Hermon (Deu 3:14).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 8. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah] This is he who afterwards murdered Gedaliah. He had been employed to do this by Baalis, king of the Ammonites, with whom he appears to have taken refuge during the siege. See Jer 40:14.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

They then and their men, came to Gedaliah, when they heard that the king of Babylon had set Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, over Judea, and that men, women, and children were committed to his power or keeping. And then he adds, from the poverty of the land, that is, from the dregs of the people, even from those who had not been removed to Babylon: they came, even Ishmael, etc.; who, as we shall hereafter see, became a traitor. He was, as the Prophet says, of the royal family. His spirits were still very high, and influenced by envy, he killed Gedaliah, though he had been kindly received by him. He had, at the same time, received a reward for his treachery from the king of Amon. But all these things we shall see in what follows.

He names here the fugitive chiefs, the first of whom was Ishmael, and among them were the sons of Kareah; who had pledged their faith to Gedaliah; but he was too credulous, and, at the same time, closed his ears to wise counsels and warnings. The Prophet proceeds to tell us how Geda-liah dealt with his own nation, —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(8) Then they came to Gedaliah.—Of the captains thus named, Ishmael, “of the seed royal” (we have no date for determining his precise position in the line of successors) (Jer_41:1), is prominent in the history of the next chapter, Johanan (the Hebrew form of Joannes or John) in that of Jeremiah 42, Seraiah and Jaazaniah are named in the parallel passage of 2Ki_25:23, but nothing more is known of them. Netophah, to which the sons of Ephai belonged, was a town of Benjamin not far from Bethlehem (1Ch_2:54; 1Ch_9:16; Ezr_2:22; Neh_7:26). The Maachathite, whose father is not named, was probably a naturalised alien from the small kingdom of Maachah, on the east side of the Jordan, near Argob (Deu_3:14; 2Sa_10:6; 2Sa_10:8) and Bashan (Jos_12:5), not far from the modern Lejah.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. the Netophathite] Netophah was apparently identical with Beit Nettif, a village W. of Bethlehem at the entrance to the Vale of Elah. See Buhl’s Geographie des alten Palästina, p. 194. It was not far from Jerusalem (Neh_12:28).

Jezaniah] not the “Jezaniah” of ch. Jer_42:1, where see note.

Maacathite] Maacah was S.E. of Hermon.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,.... Having heard that the Chaldean army was gone, and so were in no fear of that; and also that Gedaliah was made deputy governor, one of their own nation, a pious, prudent, good man, a man of ingenuity, mildness, and integrity; under whose government they might expect to live comfortably; and which was much preferable to captivity in a foreign country, though tributary to Babylon:

even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah; who was of the seed royal, Jer 41:1;

and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah; two brothers, but who they were, or their father, is not known, no mention being made of them but in this story:

and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth; who he was is also uncertain:

and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite; so called from Netophah, a city of the tribe of Judah near Bethlehem, and are mentioned together, Ezr 2:22; the Netophathites inhabited several villages, Ch1 9:16; mention is made in the Misnic (t) writings of artichokes and olives this place was famous for:

and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite; a family so called from Maacah, Caleb's concubine, Ch1 2:48;

they and their men; these generals, and the forces under their command.

(t) Shebiit, c. 9. sect. 5. & Pea, c. 7. sect. 1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

It is most likely that these captains with their forces were no newly raised and formed companies; for to what purpose should that be when their city and whole country was lost? but some commanders of parties, which either were within the city till it was taken, and then escaped out, or were about before some where in the country, and were not so much regarded by the Chaldeans, who were more intent upon the conquest of the city than pursuing these little parties, who they knew could do them no hurt. These hearing that the business was over, and a deputy governor set up, who was of their own country, and a man of a good, ingenuous temper, out of the love they had to their native country come unto him. Of these captains we read little save Ishmael, (of whom we shalt afterwards read more,) nor are we at all concerned to seek their genealogy.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Jonathan. This name is omitted in the parallel passage, (2Ki_25:23) and by the Septuagint here. It may, of course, be a corruption of Johanan, as Ewald supposes. If so, we must read "son" for "sons," with Septuagint. The Netophathite. Netophah was in the neighbourhood of Benjamin. The son of a Maachathite; rather, the Maachathite. Maachah was a Syrian district in the neighbourhood of Hermon. (Deu_3:14 Jos_12:5) Jezaniah was, therefore, a naturalized foreigner, like Doeg the Edomite (Hitzig).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ishmael - It is likely these were commanders of parties, which either were within the city 'till it was taken, and then escaped, or where somewhere in the country, and not so much regarded by the Chaldeans, who were more intent upon the conquest of the city, than pursuing these little parties.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.