A Bloody Story of Treachery
March 30, 2022
Commentary
This is a bloody account of treachery and jealousy. Ishmael was from the royal family and one of the king’s chief officers. Perhaps this explains his jealousy toward Gedaliah, a man of humble background who had been appointed governor of the land. In a scene that appeared peaceful, while they were eating together, Ishmael rose and killed Gedaliah with the sword. He also killed all who were with him at Mizpah (vv. 1–3). This is a shocking picture of betrayal and murder. When jealousy and bitterness are planted and allowed to grow, they can produce destructive thoughts and desires. What happened outwardly in Ishmael’s actions often begins inwardly in the heart.
As the story continues, it becomes even darker. Ishmael deceived 80 men who came to Mizpah bringing grain offerings and incense. He killed many and filled a cistern with their bodies (vv. 4–9). Then he took captive the remaining people of Mizpah, with Jeremiah, planning to hand them over to the Ammonites (vv. 10–15). But Johanan, the son of Kareah, and his men pursued Ishmael and rescued the captives. Ishmael escaped, but the people were set free (vv. 16–18).
The reaction of the rescued people is interesting. They feared the Babylonians and fled toward Egypt. Yet it was the Babylonians who had appointed Gedaliah as governor. They had not taken part in the murder and had no real reason to fear punishment. Still, fear controlled them. This is often what sin and an evil heart do within us. They create anxieties and fears that are greater than reality. Instead of trusting God, people are driven by guilt and panic. The tragedy of this chapter is not only the bloodshed and betrayal but also the fear that followed, leading people farther from the safety and the Lord.
Application
Am I allowing jealousy, anger, or bitterness to grow within me? Do I treat others with love, grace, and honesty? Am I fearing situations more than I trust God’s care and guidance? Is guilt or anxiety controlling my decisions? What steps can I take today to walk in forgiveness, trust, and deeper obedience to the Lord?
Jeremiah 41:1–18 (NET)
1 But in the seventh month Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and had been one of Zedekiah’s chief officers, came with ten of his men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating a meal together with him there at Mizpah, 2 Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him stood up, pulled out their swords, and killed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. Thus Ishmael killed the man that the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the country. 3 Ishmael also killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah and the Babylonian soldiers who happened to be there.
4 On the day after Gedaliah had been murdered, before anyone even knew about it, 5 eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves to show they were mourning. They were carrying grain offerings and incense to present at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 6 Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them. He was pretending to cry as he walked along. When he met them, he said to them, “Come with me to meet Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” 7 But as soon as they were inside the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw their bodies in a cistern. 8 But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us. For we will give you the stores of wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey we have hidden in a field.” So he spared their lives and did not kill them along with the rest. 9 Now the cistern where Ishmael threw all the dead bodies of those he had killed was a large one that King Asa had constructed as part of his defenses against King Baasha of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with dead bodies. 10 Then Ishmael took captive all the people who were still left alive in Mizpah. This included the royal princesses and all the rest of the people in Mizpah that Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, had put under the authority of Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took all these people captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.
11 Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the atrocities that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed. 12 So they took all their troops and went to fight against Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the large pool at Gibeon. 13 When all the people that Ishmael had taken captive saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers with him, they were glad. 14 All those people that Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah managed to escape from Johanan along with eight of his men, and he went on over to Ammon.
16 Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him led off all the people who had been left alive at Mizpah. They had rescued them from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after he killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. They led off the men, women, children, soldiers, and court officials whom they had brought away from Gibeon. 17 They set out to go to Egypt to get away from the Babylonians, but stopped at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem. 18 They were afraid of what the Babylonians might do because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the country.
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