Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 40
CHAP. XL.
Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah] This word what it was, Jeremy will ſhew, chap. 42.7. after the circumſtances of his enlargement related, and other matters of ſtory premiſed. Vatablus rendereth it, Actio quam geſſit Dominus cum Jeremia.
After that Nebuzaradan—had let him go from Ramah] Which was the place of Rendevouz, whether Jeremy was alſo brought (with the reſt of the Captives) and manicled alſo (as he was found in the court of the priſon) but ſoon ſet free, and diſmiſſed. A difference ſhall one day (at that great day eſpecially) be diſcerned between the righteous and the wicked: betwixt him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not, Mal. 3. ult. Jeremy is here, by ſome overſight of the officers (contrary to Nebuchadnezzars command, chap. 39.11, 14. but not without a ſpecial providence of God) brought bound to Ramah, ad opprobrium Gentis, & in gloriam ſuam: that the Jews, now captives, and to be carried to Babylon, might ſee their madneſſe in perſecuting ſo true a Prophet, and perſevering in their ſinful practices, to their ſo utter undoing, againſt all admonition.
Ver. 2. And the Captain of the guard took Jeremiah] Took him and looſed him, as he ſhould have done before.
Saying, The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place] Oratio militaris, ſed bene Theologica: A ſtrange ſpeech to come out of ſuch a mans mouth. How could the captives preſent hear it, and not be affected with it? Thus Baalams Aſſe ſometimes rebuked his Maſters madneſſe, but to little good effect.
Ver. 3. Now the Lord hath brought it, and done according] A bad man, we ſee, may ſpeak piouſly. Samuel himſef could not have ſpoken more gravely, ſeverely, divinely, then the feind did to Saul, 1 Sam. 28. Well then may lewd men be good Preachers, &c.
Ver. 4. And now behold I looſe thee] I diſmiſſe thee with all due honour, as a true Prophet: however undervalued and afflicted by thine unworthy Countrymen.
Come and I will look well unto thee] Heb. I will ſet mine eye upon thee, that is, I will give thee ſingular reſpect, and obſerve thee to the utmoſt.
Behold all the land is before thee] What could Pharaoh ſay more to Joſeph? Gen. 47.6. or Abraham to Lot? Gen. 13.9.
Ver. 5. Now while he was not yet gone back] But yet ſhewed by his lookes or otherwiſe, that he was not willing to go to Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar, Ex ipſo vultu vel ſilentio Jeremiae, &c.who had already ſet his eyes upon him, as ver. 4. perceiving it, ſaid,
Go back unto Gedaliah] Who ſhall both protect thee and provide for thee.
So the Captain of the guard gave him victuals] i. e. Neceſſaries for his journey; for he came out of priſon nudus tanquam ex mari, bare and needy.
And a reward] Or, a preſent fit for a Prophet: donum honorarium, ſuch as they uſed to give the Seers, 1 Sam. 9.8. 1 King. 14. and ſuch as he might ſafely and comfortably take, as from God himſelf, who had promiſed it, chap. 15.11.
Ver. 6. Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah] Bleſſing himſelf from the Chaldaeans proffered kindneſſe, (as Luther alſo did alate from the great Turke's, who invited him to him, and promiſed him to be his good Lord) he maketh Moſes his choice, Heb. 11.25. and Davids, Pſal. 84.10. rather to abide with Gods poor people in the promſed land, then to be great in the Court of Babylon: How few at this day would have been of his mind?
Ver. 7. Now when all the Captains of the forces that were in the fields] The diſperſed Jews with their Captains and Centurions, ſuch as had lain lurking during the ſeige, or had fled when Zedekias did and eſcaped.
Heard that the King of Babylon had made Gedaliah] Whom they knew to be a pious and prudent man: and would be a father unto them inſtead of a King. Nebuchadnezzar might have ſet a Babylonian Governour, who would have ruled them with rigour; But God, in mercy to his poor people, moved him to make choiſe of this man, famous for his mildneſſe and integrity: to whom therefore they reſort, but not all for the ſame good end, as the ſequel ſhewed: for Iſhmael was a very Judas.
Ver. 8. Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah] Where Samuel dwelt, 1 Sam. 7. not far from Shiloh.
Even Iſhmael] Who was of the blood royal, chap. 41.1. and envyed Gedaliah, his ſo great preferment, whom he looked upon for a transfuga, and a traitour, for revolting to Nebuchadnezzar: which yet he did in obedience to Gods Word by the Prophet Jeremy.
Ver. 9. And Gedaliah — ſware unto them] viz. That what he ſpake was from his heart; and out of good affection to them all.
Ver. 10. As for me, behold I will dwell at Mizpah] To agitate for you, to the Chaldeans: and to ſecure you to mine utmoſt.
But ye, gather ye wind] Humaniſſima haec ſunt, pia, & utiliſſima Gedaliae verba ad populum: Twas wonder the Chaldees, after ſo long a ſiege, had left any fruits behind them: Souldiers now-adayes lay all waſte moſtly.
Ver. 11. Likewiſe when all the Jews] Who had field into forrein parts, for ſuccour and ſafety.
Ver. 12. And gathered wine and ſummer-fruits very much] So is God wont to reward thoſe that love their Countrey.
Ver. 13. Moreover Johanan — came to Gedaliah to Mizpah] Iſhmael perhaps had ſolicited them, to take part with him.
Ver. 14. That Baalis the King of the Ammonites] Set on work by Beelzebub the prince of devils to hinder ſo good a work.
But Gedaliah—believed them not] No more did Julius Caeſar thoſe that forewarned him of the conſpiracy againſt him. The Duke of Guiſe the ſame day that he was ſlain by the command of Henry the third King of France, had a ſcrol laid under his napkin, as he ſat at dinner, wherein was witten, That his life was in danger: he under-wrot They dare not; Speed. 1212.and ſo threw it from him under the table. But it proved that they both durſt do it, and did do it, the ſame day. Gedaliah, likely, thought that Iſhmael durſt not attempt any thing againſt him, becauſe of the Babylonians: beſides he knew his own innocency, and Iſmaels pretended familiarity with him; which he might think the other Captains envyed. Sure it is, that good Gedaliah was too ſecure. Nam qui omnia credit, & qui nihil credit, ex aequo peccat. It is no leſſe a fault to believe nothing,Seneca. then to believe every thing; ſine vano publica fama, Reports are neither to be overheeded, nor over-ſlighted: eſpecially where life is concerned.
Ver. 15. Let me go I pray thee, and I will ſlay Iſhmael] He offereth his ſervice for the ſlaying of Iſmael, and it had been happy he had done it: ſed immodico obſequio ſibi fidem derogat, his forwardneſſe rendereth him ſupected. Gedaliah ſeemeth to have been of our Queen Eliſabeths temper,Camden. who was heard to profeſſe, that ſhe could believe nothing of her people, that parents would not believe of their children.
Ver. 16. Thou ſhalt not do this thing] This juſt man would not have any man dye ixdicta cauſa, before his cauſe had been heard, were he never ſo wicked.
For thou ſpeakeſt falſely of Iſhmael] So Gedaliah thought: but it proved otherwiſe. Iſhmael is pleaded for, but without cauſe. Queen Elizabeth complained that in truſt ſhe had oft found treaſon; So ſhall all Princes: who therefore had need to be very cautelous, and yet not over-credulous. Kingcraft is not eaſily learned.