Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Jeremiah · Chapter 40
CHAP. XL.
THe word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah, after that Nebuzaradan had let Vers. 1.him go free from Ramah. The Prophet having summarily shewed before, that he was delivered out of prison to go with Gedaliah into Judea, now he declareth Chap. 39. 14.more at large how the said Nebuzaradan proceeded with him. He was first carried bound out of the court of the prison to Riblah in the Land of Hamath, Chap. 39. 5.together with other Captives, of which place see before Chap. 31. 15. But the carrying of him thither in bonds was not to aggravate his misery, but that there in the sight of his Countrymen he only might be set free, when they were all carried away into Babylon to servitude, that now at length they might acknowledge him to be a true Prophet of God, for whom he so wrought by his providence above all others. For although some more were still left in the Land, yet it was not as free-men to go whether they would, but to live there as servants to the Caldees. Whereby we may see, That one day the true servants Note. of God shall be dealt otherwise by, then the wicked of the world, these having the comfort of liberty, and a reward in the Kingdom of heaven, these being carried Captive into everlasting confusion: That the righteous may be encouraged, and the wicked despisers of them and their admonitions, terrified in time so as to repent, and escape that judgement, otherwise they shall be vexed then the more by this, that when they go into misery they shall see those whom they have despised and persecuted most highly advanced, as Haman saw poor Mordecai, whose destruction, and the destruction of all his cognation, he most eagerly sought, through the hatred he had unto him: Whereas he saith, The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah, but tels not what this word was in all this Chapter, nor the next, he may seem to have forgotten himself. But his meaning is nothing else, but as if he had said, After things done and spoken from the Lord, related Chap. 39. 14. whilst the City remained untaken, I will now come to shew, what word I had from the Lord time after time, when the City was taken and burnt, and I being carried away with other Captives was set at liberty, only I will first declare the circumstances of my enlargement, and then come to shew what this word was Ch. 42. 7, &c.
And it is remarkable here, that Nebuzaradan speaketh so piously, The Lord Vers. 2.thy God hath pronounced all this evil against this place, because ye have sinned against him, and now he hath brought it to passe. A strange speech to come from an Heathen man, but God used his tongue to say thus, the more to confound the Jews that were guilty of that which he charged them withall, that now at the least in their misery they might be moved to repent, which they would not do in their prosperity, as Balaams Asse sometime rebuked his foolishness. Thus even prophane men that know not God, may for their own ends speak Note. the truth of God sometimes, when such as professe him do things most contrary, as the Legion in the man possessed said to Christ, I know thee whom thou art, even the Sonne of God, but God would have these things to be spoken by them to convince the wicked hypocrites in his Church the more, and to make them a shamed. In saying, Because ye have sinned, he meaneth not Jeremiah, as one of them, for he knew that he was the man by whose Ministry this evil was pronounced, and that he was faithfull to execute his prophetical Office in denouncing this judgement, not fearing their threatnings, or being discouraged by their false prophets, pretending revelations from God, as well as he, and therefore he setteth him free, vers. 3. and dismisseth him not unrewarded. But Jeremiah being now amongst the rest, he speaketh to them together, directing his speech to Jeremiah, as the man who had often in the person of the people confessed their sins, and prayed for the averting of this great judgement out of his most affectionate love towards them. It doth not therefore argue a godly man sometime to speak piously, for as we see, even Heathens can do so to serve their own turn, and the devil himself also.
Nebuzaradan is not only said to have set Jeremiah free, but also to have given him victuals and a reward. Whereupon a Question is moved by Calvin, Vers. 5. Calvin.how the Prophet could lawfully take a reward, which Elishah would not do of Naaman the Syrian, least he should seem to set to sale the gifts of the Spirit of God, a thing determined by Peter to be so odious before God? and saith, That for victuals, or provision for the way, as the word signifieth, he Act. 8.had present need thereof for his sustentation; but touching the gift, it is not to be conceived, that it was any great matter, to enrich him, as Naaman Calv.offered to Elishah, but somewhat wherewith to buy him necessaries for food or cloathing, after he was gone from him, being by the Princes hard usage of him made poor and needy, as of old they used when they came to a Seer to bring some little gift unto him, as we may see in the example of Saul and his 1 Sam. 9. 8. 1 King. 14.servant going to Samuel to enquire after the lost Asses; And in Jeroboams wife going to the Prophet Ahijah. But it is not necessary to yield that Nebuzaradan gave him a gift or reward, because the word foreign signifieth both a reward, and the elevation of honour, haply by dismissing him with reverence, as a man of God. Yet neither must it needs seem to be ill done of Jeremiah to take a gift, as a kindnesse before promised that he should finde at the enemies hands, Chap. 15. 11. after his own peoples using him so harshly, because hereby Gods favour promised unto him was made good, for which it was not by him to be refused, but to be taken with thanksgiving as coming from God.
Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah in Mizpah. Gedaliah was a great and wise Vers. 6.man of the Jews, who upon the admonition of Jeremiah went to the Caldees, and therefore was now by Nebuchadnezzar set over the Jews that remained; So Lyra and the Hebrews. And we read of Ahikam his father, Chap. 26. 24. Lyra. Hebraei.that he once stood for Jeremiah being in danger of his life, and therefore his son is now thus preferred. Mizpah was a City on the border of Judea in the way to Babylon, and therefore most fit for him to dwell in; but of it see before in my Exposition upon 2 King. 25. 26.
Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, and Johanan, and Jonathan, Captains, came to Vers. 8.Gedaliah. These are called Captains, because the Government of Cities had been at the Caldees coming committed unto them and their men for their defence, but they, it seemeth soon fled for fear of the enemy, leaving the Cities and lurking about in the fields, till the Caldees were gone, but now both they and others that had fled into other countreys, returned to Gedaliah, although Ishmael, as afterwards appeareth, came with a deceitfull minde, being set on by the King of the Ammonites to kill him. For the reason, it is thought by Lyra. Tostat. T. Aquinas. Chap. 41. 1.Lyra, Tostatus, Thomas Aquinas and the Hebrews, because he was of the bloud royal, and therefore envied Gedaliah this honour, and because he had so basely revolted to Nebuchadnezzar, thus insinuating into his favour to be made Ruler of the Land, thus laying an evil imputation of treachery unto him for his obedience to God, who had by his Prophet warned all that would be saved from destruction to go out to the Caldees. Gedaliah secures the Captains that came unto him, as by swearing to them vers. 9. so vers. 10. by bidding them go and gather the Summer-fruits, as not fearing any enemy, and to dwell in the Cities, Vers. 10.which they had taken, he in the mean season abiding at Mizpah to stand for them against all hostile attempts that might be made by the Caldees. In saying, The Cities which ye have taken, he meaneth not taken by force, for all the Cities of Judah then lay open, but the Government whereof they had formerly taken upon them, but had lately fled from; thus he shewed all love and kindness to them, although he were ill-requited by one of them that came to him as the chief.
From hence to the end of the Chapter is nothing else set forth, but Johanans Vers. 13.and the other Captains coming from their fruit-gathering to which Gedaliah had dismissed them, to certifie him what they had heard as most certain, that Ishmael had conspired with the King of Ammon about his destruction, wherefore they advised him to beware of that Traitor, and Johanan offered to go and kill him, but Gedaliah being over-confident of his fidelity, would not suffer him, and thus he soon had an end put to his life and government by Ishmaels treachery, as is shewed Chap. 41.