It
is a very tragical story that is related in this chapter, and shows that
evil pursues sinners. The black cloud that was gathering in the foregoing
chapter here bursts in a dreadful storm. Those few Jews that escaped the
captivity were proud to think that they were still in their own land, when
their brethren had gone they knew not whither, were fond of the wine and
summer-fruits they had gathered, and were very secure under Gedaliah's
protectorship, when, on a sudden, even these remains prove ruins too. I.
Gedaliah is barbarously slain by Ishmael, ver. 1, 2. II. All the Jews that
were with him were slain likewise (ver. 3) and a pit filled with their dead
bodies, ver. 9. III. Some devout men, to the number of fourscore, that were
going towards
Jerusalem, were drawn in by Ishmael, and murdered
likewise, ver. 4-7. Only ten of them escaped, ver. 8. IV. Those that escaped
the sword were taken prisoners by Ishmael, and carried off towards the
country of the Ammonites, ver. 10. V. By the conduct and courage of Johanan,
though the death of the slain is not revenged, yet the prisoners are
recovered, and he now becomes their commander-in-chief, ver. 11-16. VI. His
project is to carry them into the
land
of
Egypt (ver. 17, 18), which we shall hear more of
in the next chapter.
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The
Murder of Gedaliah.
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B.
C. 588.
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1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the
princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.
2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with
him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword,
and slew him, whom the king of
Babylon
had made governor over the land.
3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with
Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the
men of war. 4 And it came to pass the second day after he had
slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it, 5 That there came
certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore
men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut
themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them
to the house of the LORD.
6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them,
weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said
unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. 7 And it was so,
when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah
slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men
that were with him. 8 But ten men were found among them
that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of
wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them
not among their brethren. 9 Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast
all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was
it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were
slain. 10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of
the people that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and
all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the
guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the
Ammonites.
It is hard to say which is more astonishing, God's permitting or men's
perpetrating such villanies as here we find committed. Such base, barbarous,
bloody work is here done by men who by their birth should have been men of
honour, by their religion just men, and this done upon those of their own
nature, their own nation, their own religion, and now their brethren in
affliction, when they were all brought under the power of the victorious
Chaldeans, and smarting under the judgments of God, upon no provocation, nor
with any prospect of advantage--all done, not only in cold blood, but with
art and management. We have scarcely such an instance of perfidious cruelty
in all the scripture; so that with John, when he saw the woman drunk with
the blood of the saints, we may well wonder with great admiration.
But God permitted it for the completing of the ruin of an unhumbled people,
and the filling up of the measure of their judgments, who had filled up the
measure of their iniquities. Let it inspire us with an indignation at the
wickedness of men and an awe of God's righteousness.
I. Ishmael and his party treacherously killed Gedaliah himself in the first
place. Though the king of Babylon had made him a great man, had given him a
commission to be governor of the land which he had conquered, though
God had made him a good man and a great blessing to his country, and his
agency for its welfare was as life from the dead, yet neither could secure
him. Ishmael was of the seed royal (v. 1) and therefore
jealous of Gedaliah's growing greatness, and enraged that he should merit
and accept a commission under the king of Babylon. He had ten men
with him that were princes of the king too, guided by the same
peevish resentments that he was; these had been with Gedaliah before, to put
themselves under his protection (ch. xl. 8), and now came again to
make him a visit; and they did eat bread together in Mizpah. he
entertained them generously, and entertained no jealousy of them,
notwithstanding the information given him by Johanan. They pretended
friendship to him, and gave him no warning to stand on his guard; he was in
sincerity friendly to them, and did all he could to oblige them. But those
that did eat bread with him lifted up the heel against him.
They did not pick a quarrel with him, but watched an opportunity, when they
had him alone, and assassinated him, v. 2.
II. They likewise put all to the sword that they found in arms there, both
Jews and Chaldeans, all that were employed under Gedaliah or were in any
capacity to revenge his death, v. 3. As if enough of the blood of
Israelites had not been shed by the Chaldeans, their own princes here mingle
it with the blood of the Chaldeans. The vine-dressers and the husbandmen
were busy in the fields, and knew nothing of this bloody massacre; so
artfully was it carried on and concealed.
III. Some good honest men, that were going all in tears to lament the
desolations of Jerusalem, were drawn in by Ishmael, and murdered with the
rest. Observe, 1. Whence they came (v. 5)-- from Shechem, Samaria,
and Shiloh, places that had been famous, but wee now reduced; they
belonged to the ten tribes, but there were some in those countries that
retained an affection for the worship of the God of Israel. 2. Whither they
were going--to the house of the Lord, the temple at Jerusalem, which,
no doubt, they had heard of the destruction of, and were going to pay their
respects to its ashes, to see its ruins, that their eye might affect their
heart with sorrow for them. They favour the dust thereof, Ps. cii.
14. They took offerings and incense in their hand, that if they
should find any altar there, though it were but an altar of earth, and any
priest ready to officiate, they might not be without something to offer; if
not, yet they showed their good-will, as Abraham, when he came to the
place of the altar, though the altar was gone. The people of God used to
go rejoicing to the house of the Lord, but these went in the habit of
mourners, with their clothes rent and their heads shaven; for
the providence of God loudly called to weeping and mourning, because it was
not with the faithful worshippers of God as in months past. 3. How they were
decoyed into a fatal snare by Ishmael's malice. Hearing of their approach,
he resolved to be the death of them too, so bloodthirsty was he. He seemed
as if he hated every one that had the name of an Israelite or the face of an
honest man. These pilgrims towards Jerusalem he had a spite to, for the sake
of their errand. Ishmael went out to meet them with crocodiles' tears,
pretending to bewail the desolations of Jerusalem as much as they; and, to
try how they stood affected to Gedaliah and his government, he courted them
into the town and found them to have a respect for him, which confirmed him
in his resolution to murder them. He said, Come to Gedaliah,
pretending he would have them come and live with him, when really he
intended that they should come and die with him, v. 6. They had heard
such a character of Gedaliah that they were willing enough to be acquainted
with him; but Ishmael, when he had them in the midst of the town,
fell upon them and slew them (v. 7), and no doubt took the
offerings they had and converted them to his own use; for he that would not
stick at such a murder would not stick at sacrilege. Notice is taken of his
disposing of the dead bodies of these and the rest that he had slain; he
tumbled them all into a great pit (v. 7), the same pit that
Asa king of Judah had digged long before, either in the city or adjoining to
it, when he built or fortified Mizpah (1 Kings xv. 22), to be a
frontier-garrison against Baasha king of Israel and for fear of
him, v. 9. Note, Those that dig pits with a good intention know not
what bad use they may be put to, one time or other. He slew so many that he
could not afford them each a grave, or would not do them so much honour, but
threw them all promiscuously into one pit. Among these last that were doomed
to the slaughter there were ten that obtained a pardon, by working, not on
the compassion, but the covetousness, of those that had them at their mercy,
v. 8. They said to Ishmael, when he was about to suck their
blood, like an insatiable horseleech, after that of the companions, Slay
us not, for we have treasurers in the field, country treasures, large
stocks upon the ground, abundance of such commodities as the country
affords, wheat and barley, and oil and honey, intimating that they
would discover it to him and put him in possession of it all, if he would
spare them. Skin for skin, and all that a man has, will he give for his
life. This bait prevailed. Ishmael saved them, not for the love of
mercy, but for the love of money. Here were riches kept for the owners
thereof, not to their hurt (Eccl. v. 13) and to cause them to lose
their lives (Job xxxi. 39), but to their good and the preserving of
their lives. Solomon observes that sometimes the ransom of a man's life
is his riches. But those who think thus to bribe death, when it comes
with commission, and plead with it, saying, Slay us not, for we have
treasures in the field, will find death inexorable and themselves
wretchedly deceived.
IV. He carried off the people prisoners. The king's daughters (whom
the Chaldeans cared not for troubling themselves with when they had the
king's sons) and the poor of the land, the vine-dressers and husband-men,
that were committed to Gedaliah's charge, were all led away prisoners
towards the country of the Ammonites (v. 10), Ishmael probably
intending to make a present of them, as the trophies of his barbarous
victory, to the king of that country, that set him on. This melancholy story
is a warning to us never to be secure in this world. Worse may be yet to
come when we think the worst is over; and that end of one trouble, which we
fancy to be the end of all trouble, may prove to be the beginning of
another, of a greater. These prisoners thought, Surely the bitterness of
death, and of captivity, is past; and yet some died by the sword
and others went into captivity. When we think ourselves safe, and begin to
be easy, destruction may come that way that we little expect it. There is
many a ship wrecked in the harbour. We can never be sure of peace on this
side heaven.
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Johanan
Pursues Ishmael; Ishmael's Retreat.
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B.
C. 588.
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11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and
all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the
evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, 12 Then they
took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and
found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon. 13 Now
it came to pass, that when all the people which were with
Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces
that were with him, then they were glad. 14 So all the
people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and
returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah. 15 But
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went
to the Ammonites. 16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and
all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of
the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from
Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even
mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he
had brought again from Gibeon: 17 And they departed, and dwelt
in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Beth-lehem, to go to enter into
Egypt, 18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of
them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.
It would have been well if Johanan, when he gave information to Gedaliah of
Ishmael's treasonable design, though he could not obtain leave to kill
Ishmael and to prevent it that way, yet had staid with Gedaliah; for he, and
his captains, and their forces, might have been a life-guard to Gedaliah and
a terror to Ishmael, and so have prevented the mischief without the effusion
of blood: but, it seems they were out upon some expedition, perhaps no good
one, and so were out of the way when they should have been upon the best
service. Those that affect to ramble are many times out of their place when
they are most needed. However, at length they hear of all the evil that
Ishmael had done (v. 11), and are resolved to try an after-game,
which we have an account of in these verses. 1. We heartily wish Johanan
could have taken revenge upon the murderers, but he prevailed only to rescue
the captives. Those that had shed so much blood, it was a pity but their
blood should have been shed; and it is strange that vengeance suffered them
to live; yet it did. Johanan gathered what forces he could and went to
fight with Ishmael (v. 12), upon notice of the murders he had
committed (for though he concealed it for a time, v. 4, yet murder
will out) and which way he was gone; he pursued him, and overtook him by the
great pool of Gibeon, which we read of, 2 Sam. ii. 13. And, upon his
appearing with such a force, Ishmael's heart failed him, his guilty
conscience flew in his face, and he durst not stand his ground against an
enemy that was something like a match for him. The most cruel are often the
most cowardly. The poor captives were glad when they saw Johanan and the
captains that were with him, looking upon them as their deliverers (v.
13), and they immediately found a way to wheel about and come over to them (v.
14), Ishmael not offering to detain them when he saw Johanan. Note, Those
that would be helped must help themselves. These captives staid not till
their conquerors were beaten, but took the first opportunity to make their
escape, as soon as they saw their friends appear and their enemies thereby
disheartened. Ishmael quitted his pray to save his life, and escaped with
eight men, v. 15. It seems, two of his ten men, that were his
banditti or assassins (spoken of v. 1), either deserted him or were
killed in the engagement; but he made the best of his way to the Ammonites,
as a perfect renegado, that had quite abandoned all relation to the
commonwealth of Israel, though he was of the seed royal, and we hear no more
of him. 2. We heartily wish that Johanan, when he had rescued the captives,
would have sat down quietly with them, and governed them peaceably, as
Gedaliah did; but, instead of that, he is for leading them into the land of
Egypt, as Ishmael would have led them into the land of the Ammonites; so
that though he got the command over them in a better way than Ishmael did,
and honestly enough, yet he did not use it much better. Gedaliah, who was of
a meek and quiet spirit, was a great blessing to them; but Johanan, who was
of a fierce and restless spirit, was set over them for their hurt, and to
complete their ruin, even after they were, as they thought, redeemed. Thus
did God still walk contrary to them. (1.) The resolution of Johanan and the
captains was very rash; nothing would serve them but they would go to
enter into
Egypt
(v. 17), and, in order to that, they encamped for a time in the
habitation of Chimham, by
Bethlehem
, David's city. Probably it was some land which David gave to Chimham,
the son of Barzillai, which, though it returned to David's family at the
year of the Jubilee, yet still bore the name of Chimham. Here Johanan
made his headquarters, steering his course towards Egypt, either from a
personal affection to that country or an ancient national confidence in the
Egyptians for help in distress. Some of the mighty men of war, it
seems had escaped; those he took with him, and the women and children,
whom he had recovered from Ishmael, who were thus emptied from vessel to
vessel, because they were yet unchanged. (2.) The reason for this resolution
was very frivolous. They pretended that they were afraid of the
Chaldeans, that they would come and do I know not what with them, because
Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, v. 18. I cannot think they
really had any apprehensions of danger upon this account; for, though it is
true that the Chaldeans had cause enough to resent the murder of their
viceroy, yet they were not so unreasonable, or unjust, as to revenge it upon
those who appeared so vigorously against the murderers. But they only make
use of this as a sham to cover that corrupt inclination of their unbelieving
ancestors, which was so strong in them, to return into Egypt. Those
will justly lose their comfort in real fears that excuse themselves in sin
with pretended fears.
