Jeremiah 41:4-18

Ishmael's Deeds and Flight. Eighty pilgrims from N. Israel to Jerusalem, mourning its fall, and carrying offerings (Jeremiah 17:26), were met by Ishmael and enticed into Mizpah. There he killed them all except ten who acknowledged that they had stores of grain, etc. Ishmael threw all the dead bodies into a great cistern, made by Asa, and started for Ammon, with the surviving Jews as his captives, including certain princesses (doubtless also Jeremiah and Baruch; cf. Jeremiah 42:2; Jeremiah 43:3). Johanan and other Jews pursued Ishmael and overtook him at Gibeon, but he escaped with eight men. His captives were taken by Johanan to the neighbourhood of Bethlehem, with a view to migration into Egypt (for other refugees there, cf. Jeremiah 24:8).

Jeremiah 41:5. For the ceremonial cuttings, cf. Jeremiah 16:6. The offerings would presumably be made on the site of the destroyed Temple.

Jeremiah 41:6. LXX refers this weeping more naturally to the pilgrims.

Jeremiah 41:8. The stores hidden in the field would be at home; underground pits are still used for such a purpose; see Thomson, pp. 509f.

Jeremiah 41:9. by the side of Gedaliah: read instead, with LXX, was a great cistern. Asa would make this for water-storage, when he fortified the place (1 Kings 15:22).

Jeremiah 41:12. Gibeon: 1 m. N. of Mizpah; for the waters, see 2 Samuel 2:13.

Jeremiah 41:16. Emend with Hitzig, Ishmael. had taken captive for he had recovered from Ishmael, and omit of war. The eunuchs would be in attendance on the princesses of Jeremiah 41:10.

Jeremiah 41:17. Geruth Chimham: Geruth should perhaps be folds of (so Aquila); cf. Josephus (Antiq. x. 9. 5); for Chimham, see 2 Samuel 19:37.