Ishmael slayeth Gedaliah, but is put to flight by Johanan. 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. 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: 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. LECTURE 1249. The abject condition to which men are brought by sin. It is not easy to say what motive could induce Ishmael to enter on a course of such treacherous bloodguiltiness; unless it were, that as he was one of the royal family, he was jealous of the authority of the governor, and thought it ought to have been entrusted to himself. Jealousy and envy harboured in the heart will account for almost any enormity of wickedness. If these feelings prompted Ishmael to compass Gedaliah's death, we may imagine how he was thereby led to take advantage of the sacred laws of hospitality, and how thence he would proceed, for his own safety's sake, to slay those who were with Gedaliah, as well as those who came to visit him at Mizpah, as they went up with their offerings to the ruins of Jerusalem. And therefore, though few run any risk of committing acts of such enormity as these, all may here do well to observe how close is the connexion between one sin and another; how easily the sinner, who once has entered on the downward path of guilt, is led on to its lowest depths. Ishmael could have no hope of safety in Judea, now a province of the empire of Babylon, after thus violating the Babylonian authority. And he was on his way with all his captives to the land of Ammon, when he was overtaken by Johanan, who had heard of his enormities, and who was come forth on purpose to attack him. Upon this the captives all gladly resorted to Johanan. And Ishmael having made his escape, this miserable remnant of the people, including several of the family of the king, sojourned for a short time on the borders of the country towards Egypt, with a view to taking refuge in the land of the Egyptians from the apprehended wrath of the Chaldeans. So abject was the condition of the chief body of the Jews now remaining in Judea! Such a spectacle of misery was it fitting that this people now should be to all the world, of misery the fruit of their notorious transgressions! So well is it for us also, that this account of the calamities of this remnant of God's people should be put on record, and set before our eyes, that we in viewing it may learn, what a bitter thing it is, if, when we have been exalted in the favour of the Lord, we persist in disobeying his commandments. Jeremiah prayeth to God to direct the people. 1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, 4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you. 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us. 6 Whether it be good, or whe ther it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God. 7 And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah. 8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest. 9 And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him; 10 If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you. 11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. 12 And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. LECTURE 1250. The connexion of dissembling and self deceit. Among the remnant which Johanan had rescued from treacherous Ishmael was the prophet Jeremiah, one whose presence and prayers and counsel might have proved of great value to the rest. And so they seem to have thought, as far as we can judge from the words in which they united to beseech him, that he would pray unto the Lord in their behalf, and would intreat of God to shew them how they ought to walk, what they ought to do. There is nothing which we so greatly need to study as this, nothing which we ought so earnestly to desire to learn, as what is God's will in our behalf. Which is our way to serve and please Him? Which is the path of duty? What is the work in which He would have us to employ each moment that He gives us here? These are questions of the utmost importance to our happiness, both in this world, and in that which is to come. And they are questions which no one except God himself can answer. Thanks be to Him that He has vouchsafed to answer them largely and plainly in the volume of his word. Thanks be to Him that we have access unto Him in prayer through Christ, for further guidance! Thanks be to Him that we have, in our Saviour, One who will not fail to ask in our behalf for all the light and help which it is good for us to have! But what mockery of God is this, to pray for a right knowledge of his will, without an honest intention to do it! How surely does He witness all that passes in our hearts! How well does He know our feelings, purposes, and thoughts, when we use such words as these of the Jews, " Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God!" It appears, from what is written at the close of this chapter, that the Jews, who used these words on this occasion, dissembled in their hearts. And yet they seemed to speak most sincerely. Nothing can be more devout than the language in which this faithful resolution is expressed. Let us adopt their words, but abhor their dissimulation. Let us be ready on due occasions to make profession of our faith and devotion towards God; rendered indeed doubly watchful over our own hearts by dissimulation brought to light in others, but not thereby deterred from witnessing a good confession ourselves. And Dissemblers are not unfrequently self deceivers also. these Jews, when thus they spake to Jeremiah, very probably supposed themselves in some measure sincere. They very probably thought that they should do that which they professed, until there came an answer from the Lord the reverse of that which they desired. He assured them of peace and safety on condition of their abiding in Judea. They were afraid of the wrath of the king of Babylon. They were bent upon taking refuge in Egypt. And as they meant to follow the counsel of the Lord if such had been its tenour, they might think themselves in some measure sincere in the profession which they made to Jeremiah. Such is at least a very common case. And with such half and half intentions of obeying God, men often use prayers, and make professions, which deceive themselves as well as their fellow creatures. Never may we so be beguiled by the deceitfulness of our own hearts! Never may we so use the language of devotion without the most sincere desire to have the things we pray for, and the most unreserved intention to do the things which we are told! Never may we dissemble before men! Never may we attempt that which is indeed utterly impossible, to deceive Almighty God! The people are reproved for dissembling in their hearts. 13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, 14 Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell: 15 And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; 16 Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. 17 So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them. 18 For thus saith the LORD of 19 The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day. 20 For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. 21 And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you. 22 Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn. LECTURE 1251. The infatuation of those who choose a worldly life. The desire of these Jews to go down into Egypt is here ascribed to a conviction on their minds, that there they would be safe from war, and would be abundantly supplied with the necessaries of life. God had promised them both peace and plenty if they would abide where they were. See ver. 9-12. Whereas the sword and famine and pestilence awaited them, as He here expressly warns them, in the land on which their hearts were set. And yet they resolved to follow their own inclination. And when they made a show of consulting the Lord by the prophet, it was with a secret reservation in their minds, not to follow his direction unless they liked it. And therefore He who sent them this wholesome counsel, sent them at the same time a severe reproof. He told them by Jeremiah what they ought to do. But |