Jeremiah 41:1-18
Q.1. What low acts was Ishmael guilty of in unsettling the remaining remnant in Judah? – (Jer.41:1-10)
Ishmael was a vicious man. Not content to plot the death of Gedaliah – the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land (Jer.41:2), he also killed all the Jews with him and – the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war (Jer.41:3). Ishmael then decided to slay another eighty pious men who had come to bring their grain offerings and incense to the house of the Lord. He cast their bodies into a cistern that King Asa had made generations before (Jer.41:5-7, 9). He spared ten men who bartered for their lives, but – 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 (Jer.41:10). This ensured severe reprisals from Babylon, and it was used by God to complete the punishment of Judah for all its sins.
Q.2. How did Johanan rekindle the hope of the prisoners of Ishmael? How risky is it to do what is right? – (Jer.41:11-18)
Johanan, son of Kareah, had previously warned Gedaliah of Ishmael’s murderous intent (c.f. Jer.40:13-16). He now gathered an army of men and caught up with Ishmael – by the great pool that is in Gibeon (Jer.41:12). Encouraged, the captives escaped from Ishmael and followed Johanan to Bethlehem on the way to Egypt (Jer.41:13-15). The reason? 18 because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, since Ishmael … had struck down Gedaliah … the king of Babylon had appointed over the land (Jer.41:18). This action by Johanan had been courageous yet he foolishly rejected the warning not to return to Egypt, which came from God through Jeremiah (c.f. Jer.42:7-22).