40:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah after Nebuzaradan the captain of the royal guard had set him free at Ramah. He had taken him there in chains along with all the people from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried off to exile to Babylon.
Jeremiah was unrecognized in Jerusalem. He was chained with the other captives and taken five miles away to Ramah. At Ramah, he was recognized, released of his chains, and taken back to Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan was the captain of the Babylonian guard who freed Jeremiah as per the instructions of King Nebuchadnezzar.
40:2 The captain of the royal guard took Jeremiah aside and said to him, “The Lord your God threatened this place with this disaster.
The Babylonian captain (Nebuzaradan) recognized Jeremiah as a Jewish prophet. Notice that the Babylonian captain said “your God.” The Babylonian captain recognized Jehovah as one of many gods, but not his own god.
40:3 Now he has brought it about. The Lord has done just as he threatened to do. This disaster has happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey him.
The Babylonian captain understood that Israel was removed from her land because of her sin.
40:4 But now, Jeremiah, today I will set you free from the chains on your wrists. If you would like to come to Babylon with me, come along and I will take care of you. But if you prefer not to come to Babylon with me, you are not required to do so. You are free to go anywhere in the land you want to go. Go wherever you choose.”
Jeremiah was given the choice of traveling to Babylon and living in luxury (perhaps alongside Daniel) or staying with the poor in Jerusalem.
40:5 Before Jeremiah could turn to leave, the captain of the guard added, “Go back to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed to govern the towns of Judah. Go back and live with him among the people. Or go wherever else you choose.” Then the captain of the guard gave Jeremiah some food and a present and let him go.
Jeremiah was given a third choice of living in the governor’s court of Gedaliah. The captain also gave Jeremiah some food and a gift. This is one example of the influence in which Jeremiah had upon the Babylonian people. The Jewish people would not listen to him, but many of the Babylonians did listen to him and were possibly converted to the one true God.
40:6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and lived there with him. He stayed there to live among the people who had been left in the land of Judah.
Jeremiah lived with and most likely advised the Babylonian-appointed Governor of Judah.
40:7 Now some of the officers of the Judean army and their troops had been hiding in the countryside. They heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam to govern the country. They also heard that he had been put in charge over the men, women, and children from the poorer classes of the land who had not been carried off into exile in Babylon.
Although the main army in Jerusalem had surrendered, there were still some scattered soldiers from Jerusalem, Lachish, Azekah, and some of the other Judean cities. They were living in the wilderness. They heard a favorable report that Gedaliah was appointed as Governor of Judea.
40:8 So all these officers and their troops came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers who came were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite.
Some of the military officers and their troops came to visit Governor Gedaliah at Mizpah. Ishmael was from the royal line of David.
40:9 Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, took an oath so as to give them and their troops some assurance of safety. “Do not be afraid to submit to the Babylonians. Settle down in the land and submit to the king of Babylon. Then things will go well for you.
Gedaliah gave these guerrilla armies a pardon, invited them to settle in the land, and promised them his protection. The only stipulation was that these men had to submit to the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar.
40:10 I for my part will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians whenever they come to us. You for your part go ahead and harvest the wine, the dates, the figs, and the olive oil, and store them in jars. Go ahead and settle down in the towns that you have taken over.”
Gedaliah would remain in Judea and govern from Mizpah. The soldiers were to put down their weapons and become farmers and good citizens of the Babylonian Empire.
40:11 Moreover, all the Judeans who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other countries heard what had happened. They heard that the king of Babylon had allowed some people to stay in Judah and that he had appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them.
There were other Judean soldiers who had left Judea and settled in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other countries. After hearing favorable reports about Governor Gedaliah, they were interested in returning to Israel.
40:12 So all these Judeans returned to the land of Judah from the places where they had been scattered. They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Thus they harvested a large amount of wine and dates and figs.
Many of the scattered Judean soldiers returned to Judah and became farmers.
40:13 Johanan and all the officers of the troops that had been hiding in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.
Johanan was one of the four military officers who had traveled to Mizpah to speak to Gedaliah. During this trip, he must have learned that Ishmael was sent to Mizpah to assassinate Governor Gedaliah. This would bring chaos to Judea, because Nebuchadnezzar would have to replace the soft governor with a tougher governor. He would also have to send more troops to Judea so that he could control them.
40:14 They said to him, “Are you at all aware that King Baalis of Ammon has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam would not believe them.
Ammon was a tribute state to Nebuchadnezzar. Judea, Egypt, Ammon, and Tyre had met secretly to combine and defeat Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar first defeated Judea. His next target was Tyre. His third target was Ammon. The Ammonite King wanted Gedaliah assassinated, because it would cause Babylon to delay her attack against Ammon and concentrate all of her forces on keeping Judah under control. Governor Gedaliah did not believe the report.
40:15 Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah there at Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah before anyone knows about it. Otherwise he will kill you and all the Judeans who have rallied around you will be scattered. Then what remains of Judah will disappear.”
Johanan asked for permission to get rid of the assassin Ishmael. He realized that the rule of Governor Gedaliah was good for Judah. He did not want an assassination to bring Nebuchadnezzar back down to Judah.
40:16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do that because what you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”
Gedaliah made a big mistake in mistrusting Ishmael’s character.