ToES Diary February 2019

Jeremiah seems to have been freed by Nebuzaradan twice. Once from the court of the guard (Jeremiah 39:11-14) and once from Ramah (Jeremiah 40:1). It is possible that the “court of the guard” was referring to a place in Ramah where Jeremiah had been taken, but it seems more likely that he was given freedom in Jerusalem and then taken prisoner again before being taken to Ramah in chains.

Jeremiah goes to Mizpah (Jeremiah 40:6) where Gedaliah is governor over the land (Jeremiah 40:5, 11).  He saw his job as representing the people to the Chaldeans who would be sent to them (Jeremiah 40:10).  This suggests to me that Gedaliah expected either a series of visiting Chaldeans sent from time to time, or a group of Chaldeans sent to oversee the running of the country.  Whatever it meant, I don’t think the arrangements ever progressed that far.  The assassination and subsequent flight to Egypt forestalled it.

Mizpah is north of Ramah which is north of Jerusalem.

We are told who was at Ramah in a few different places:

1. Men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been taken to Babylon (Jeremiah 40:7)
2. Chaldean soldiers (Jeremiah 41:3)
3. Judeans who had returned from Moab, from among the Ammonites, from Edom and from other lands when they heard that Gedaliah was governor (Jeremiah 40:11).
4. King Zedekiah’s daughters (Jeremiah 41:10; 43:6).
5. Eunuchs (Jeremiah 41:10) – presumably from Zedekiah’s palace or from the houses of other rich people.  Ebed-melech?
6. Baruch the scribe (Jeremiah 43:3, 6)
7. The captains of the forces in the open country (presumably guerrilla forces) visited (Jeremiah 40:7-8).  It seems likely that these came in secret rather than confronting the Chaldean soldiers there.

We are told that the people gathered wine and harvested summer fruits in great abundance (Jeremiah 40:12).   Gedaliah had encouraged them to gather wine, summer fruits and oil (Jeremiah 40:10).  I’m not sure how they could gather wine or oil!  In general, grapes would have been harvested around mid-June to mid-July.

The year probably started mid-March at the earliest – the current Hebrew calendar can have the year starting as early as 13th March or as late as 12 April.  I have chosen to use the current Hebrew calendar as a guide and these limits as binding, although there is no proof for this.

Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem only finished on the 9th day of the 4th month (Jeremiah 39:2; 52:5-7) which would be the 18th of June at the earliest and 18th July at the latest.  The destruction of Jerusalem followed on the 10th day of the 5th month (Jeremiah 52:12) which would be the 17th of July at the earliest and 16th August at the latest.

Some suggest that 18 July, 586BC is the date for the fall of Jerusalem (see here or here), but I am not convinced that we can be quite so certain.  Apart from anything else, there is a fundamental disagreement on which year it all happened: 587BC or 586BC.  The 586BC date depends on using two different frames of reference for the dates of the start and end of the siege.  This seems unlikely to me, although it is not impossible.

Others  suggest 18 July 587BC.

In Terror on Every Side! Volume 5, I have assumed the following, less specific, timeline:

• Chapter 2 “There is a future”: June 587 BC
• Chapter 6 “The end”: July 587 BC – the fall of Jerusalem

This places the destruction of Jerusalem in August 587BC.  Gedaliah’s instructions seem to have been given after most of the Chaldeans have left the land, probably to go to Riblah, from whence they would have proceeded to Babylon.  After the destruction of Jerusalem, the spoil and some more people were taken away and this seems to be when most of the remaining Chaldeans left.

This could have been in mid- to late-August.  Harvesting would have followed, possibly in early- to mid-September.

Common harvest times for summer fruits in Israel are:
•    Figs: mid-August to mid-September.
•    Dates: mid-August to mid-September.
•    Olives: mid-July to mid-August

It seems that God’s hand was heavy on the land of Judah to bring the siege to an end and bring the nation to its knees.  He seems to have lifted that heavy hand once the punishment was underway.  Maybe the harvests were late that year as a result.

Ordinarily, winter figs are harvested from mid-October to the end of October.  Maybe this too was delayed.  Ploughing would begin between mid-November and mid-December, but if everyone was to be taken to Egypt, they may not have bothered ploughing.

Gedaliah the son of Ahikam was appointed governor, so presumably he had not been too badly mistreated or he would not be willing to work for the Chaldeans in any positive way. His reported comments in Jeremiah 40 suggest to me that he was not too strongly against them.

Did Gedaliah have any living family? There is no mention of any wife or children, but that is true of very many people in the Bible.

I think, however, that it is more likely that someone who has no family is less likely to be hurt in the utter destruction that happened when Jerusalem was taken.

Various leaders of the forces that were in the open country went to Mizpah to see Gedaliah (Jeremiah 40:7-8).

Some suggest that these were leaders from the army who had escaped during the fall of Jerusalem and had been hiding in the open country.

Others suggest that these are groups who had been outside Jerusalem when the Chaldeans attacked and continued to fight the Chaldeans in the open country more as guerrilla forces than regular troops.  Given the association of one of them, Ishmael, with the king of Ammon (Jeremiah 40:14; 41:15), the idea of them being resistance forces operating independent across the country (or even outside it) seems more likely to me.

The list of the men who came is disputed.

Apparently the Masoretic text of Jeremiah 40:8 is reflected in the KJV:

Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

However, according to some, there is apparently something somehow wrong with the name “Jonathan”, and it is also omitted from the Septuagint, Josephus and 2 Kings 25:23.  The ESV of Jeremiah 40:8 reads:

they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.

2 Kings 25:23 (ESV), however, says:

Now when all the captains and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite.

2 Kings 25:23	Jeremiah 40:8 (KJV)	Jeremiah 40:8 (ESV)
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah,	Ishmael the son of Nethaniah,	Ishmael the son of Nethaniah,
and Johanan the son of Kareah,	and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah,	Johanan the son of Kareah,
and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth	and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth,	Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth,
the Netophathite,	and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,	the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,
and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite	and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite,	Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite,

Such a table is helpful for highlighting the differences, but won’t always help with deciding which is “right” or whether some error has crept into the text.

In general, differences between the Hebrew and Greek of Jeremiah are that the Greek leaves out many parts of passages (see the earlier newsletter article about this: https://www.bibletales.online/jeremiah-in-greek/).  This is no exception.

Which should we take?  I don’t think there is any way of knowing which is best, but it seems to me that there are two main possibilities:

1. the Septuagint was trying to get rid of repetitions and things not supported elsewhere.  Since Jonathan is not found in 2 Kings 25:23, this may have been enough reason for someone to omit him from Jeremiah 40:8.
2. the Septuagint may reflect the Hebrew text as it was about 250BC and that many things have been added to the Hebrew manuscripts of Jeremiah since that time as well as significant re-ordering.

There are many other possibilities also, far too many to consider.  Overall, it seems to me that the Septuagint was often a reflection of “scholarship” in much the same way as Bible scholars in the last two hundred years have questioned many things about the Bible and tried to get rid of duplication, etc. in the Bible.

Overall, I lean towards thinking that I have more confidence in the Hebrew than in the Greek, although many of the quotes in the NT seem to be taken from the Greek when they now differ.  I find it a hard thing to decide and so I will probably avoid the issue completely in the text of ToES.  Poor Jonathan – if he existed!

I will, however, include the sons of Ephai the Netophathite.

Jeremiah 41 reports that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah came with ten men and ate bread with Gedaliah before killing him, the Judeans with him and the Chaldeans in the city.

Jeremiah seems to have been in Mizpah with Gedaliah (Jeremiah 40:6), but clearly he was not killed, so Ishmael’s killing of “the Judeans with” Gedaliah did not include all of those in the city.  For example, it did not include Jeremiah or Baruch.

I would guess that it means those who worked directly for Gedaliah as helpers or advisors.  Gedaliah’s staff.

I would subsequently guess that he did kill all of the Chaldeans who were in Mizpah and that there were no others left in the land since they seem to have been worried about Chaldeans coming and punishing them.  As an aside, this is interesting too.  I suppose that if you are expanding an empire you can’t leave an army in each conquered country!  But I would have expected to leave enough men that Ishmael and a mere 10 men would not have been able to kill them all so easily.  I suppose it shows that the Chaldeans believed the country was so weakened that there was little danger and they trusted Gedaliah to keep things under control.

Going back to the main question: how did Jeremiah know of the details he reports in Jeremiah 41:1-3?

The story continues with another 80 men coming and 70 of them being killed.  10 survived by claiming to have some provisions hidden away.

Possible sources of Jeremiah’s information:

1. revelation from God
2. reports from the ten survivors who may have heard Ishmael and his men discussing what they had done.
3. two of Ishmael’s men did not escape with him to the Ammonites.  Possibly they took the opportunity to change sides and subsequently described what had happened, or possibly – more interestingly for a story! – they were fatally injured and described what had happened with their last dying gasps.

In this series, Jeremiah’s mother has been a great help to him but is very old for that time (87 years old) and had outlived her husband by about 33-34 years.

She has seen the destruction of Jerusalem, but has also seen that peace is possible in the land with Gedaliah as governor.  The two families have been quite close over generations.

Jerusalem was destroyed in the 5th month and Gedaliah killed in the 7th month.  Jeremiah is to have a discussion with his mother about the past, present and future hope based on the messages God had given to him and on the words of Isaiah.

This happens early in the 7th month, as she enjoys some peace after the desolation and some discussions of the prophecies of a coming hope for Israel.  Passages to consider:

Jeremiah 23:1-7: bad shepherds to be punished, but God will bring back Israel and Judah from the north country.  A righteous branch will be raised up for David who will rule as king, called “The Lord is our righteousness”.

Jeremiah 33:6-26  God will restore fortunes of Judah and Israel as they were at first.  I will cleanse from guilt and sin forgive their sin and rebellion the city will be a name of joy, a praise and glory.  Jerusalem is destroyed and empty, but won’t stay that way.  There will be a house of God.  Joy and happiness, bridegroom and bride.  God will fulfil the promise he has made to Israel and Judah and a righteous branch will spring up for David.  Jerusalem will be called, “The Lord is our righteousness”.  God has not and will not reject the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Jeremiah 29:10-14  After 70 years God would fulfil promise to bring them back.  “I know the plans I have for you” plans for welfare, a future and a hope.  God will restore and gather.  You will seek me and find me when your seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 30:10  Fear not Jacob my servant.  Save from far away.  Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease and none shall make him afraid.  (see 47:27 – identical)

Jeremiah 31:17  There is a hope for the future and your children will come back to their own country.

Jeremiah 46:27-28  Fear not Jacob my servant.  Save from far away.  Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease and none shall make him afraid.  (see 30:10 – identical)  Not make full end of them but won’t leave them unpunished.

Also the vengeance of God is to be discussed (Jeremiah 50:28/51:11; 51:6, 11, 35-37).  Babylon was to be destroyed because of their treatment of Israel/Jerusalem/temple (Jeremiah 51, particularly v11, 24, 28 and 49)
Is there a personal hope in this or is it just a national hope?  Anything about resurrection?  Mostly it is national, but the passage in Jeremiah 30:10 and repeated in 46:27 gives more of a hint since it speaks of Jacob as an individual.  Jesus’ quoting of Exodus 3:6 as proof of resurrection is worth thinking about.

Jeremiah 24:7 (speaking of those taken into captivity before Zedekiah’s reign) I will give them a heart to know me.  I will be their God.  They shall return to me with their whole heart.  “Return” implies they had worshipped God before.  Maybe just meaning the nation, or could it refer to individuals?

Passages from Isaiah

Isaiah 2:3 Many peoples.  Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob.

Isaiah 14:1 Compassion on Jacob, set in own land.  Sojourners will join them.

Isaiah 26:19-21 Your dead will live.  The earth will give up its dead.

Isaiah 48:20 Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea, for God has redeemed his servant Jacob.

Isaiah 4:2-6 Branch of the Lord shall be glorious.  He who is left in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Zion.

Why did some of the events after the assassination of Gedaliah happen how they did, and how?

Jeremiah 41:10 tells us that Ishmael  the son of Nethaniah took the people from Mizpah captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.  To do this, you would expect him to travel roughly east from Mizpah, but when we next hear of where he is, it is at the great pool at Gibeon (Jeremiah 41:12) which is about 5km south-west of Mizpah.  Why?  It is possible that Ishmael went to collect the supplies that the pilgrims had claimed to have hidden, but there is no indication of this, and Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria are in almost the opposite direction from Gibeon.

All I can guess is that they were trying to take a route that would not be expected in travelling toward Ammon: circling around to the south, possibly with the intention of going to the south of the Dead Sea.

Jeremiah 41:11 tells us that when Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael had done, they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael.  How did they hear of all the evil that Ishmael had done?  Gedaliah and his men were all dead.  The Chaldean soldiers were all dead.  All the people in Mizpah who had been committed to Gedaliah were taken away as prisoners.  I find it hard to believe that Ishmael would allow the ten remaining pilgrims to go free when they had been allowed to live on the basis that they had supplies buried somewhere!  Ishmael and his men presumably wanted those supplies.

I think that the most likely explanation is that there were some survivors from the slaughter of Gedaliah’s men or that some other people in Mizpah escaped and took the news to the field commanders.  From the fact that they were able to catch Ishmael and his men at Gibeon, I would guess that whoever took the message knew what Ishmael was doing.

We don’t know how many people were taken by Ishmael, but I would guess that it could be up to about 100 at the most.  Any more and they could escape quite easily.  Maybe some did and that is how the news was taken to Johanan and the others.

On Monday, 18 February, I listed possible sources of Jeremiah’s information regarding the assassination of Gedaliah:

1. revelation from God
2. reports from the ten survivors who may have heard Ishmael and his men discussing what they had done.
3. two of Ishmael’s men did not escape with him to the Ammonites.  Possibly they took the opportunity to change sides and subsequently described what had happened, or possibly they were fatally injured but described what had happened before they died.

We now need to add the possible ways in which this information got to Johanan and his fellow commanders:

1. one or more of Gedaliah’s men survived the attack and escaped to tell the news.  In that case, it seems unlikely that they would have known about the 80 pilgrims.
2. one or more of the people in Mizpah may have been missed when Ishmael gathered the people to go to Ammon.  How would they know what had happened to Gedaliah and the pilgrims?  It seems unlikely that Ishmael would have talked about it as it would have made the people afraid that they would be killed too.  That would probably make them harder to control.
3. one of more of the pilgrims may have escaped when Ishmael tried to take them to Ammon.  They may have been more likely to know the full extent of the massacre than anyone else.

Who would have know where the Johanan and the other commanders were anyway?