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Jeremiah 40
Prophet Jeremiah was set free by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard. He had asked Jeremiah to come with him to Babylon if he chooses to .
[5] However, before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.” Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go.
Gedaliah the appointed leader of the remnants in Judah started attracting Jews from far and wide.
Jeremiah 40:8
[8] they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men.
Meanwhile ; Jeremiah 40:14
[13] Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah [14] and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
Johanan even asked Gedaliah the permission to go and kill Ishmael but Gedaliah didn't approve .
Jeremiah 41
Ishmael succeeded in assassinating Gedaliah. He came with ten men to visit Gedaliah. He murdered him and all the men with him. Ishmael also killed seventy out of eighty men who came bringing grain offering and incense to the house of God in Shiloh.
Jeremiah 41:10
[10] Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah—the king’s daughters along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.
Johanan later got wind of the assassination of Gedaliah ,He came with his army officers and attacked Ismael who later escaped .
Jeremiah 42
Johanan with the army officers and the people recovered from Ishmael came to Jeremiah to ask instructions from the Lord on where to go and what to do .
Ten days later , the Lord spoke to Jeremiah warning the Jews not to move away from the land .
Jeremiah 42:10 - 12
[10] ‘If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you. [11] Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands. [12] I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land.’
However if they go away , Jeremiah 42:16
[16] then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die.
Jeremiah 43
The people refused to heed the word of God spoken by Jeremiah. They called him a liar and decided to head for Egypt. They took everyone including Jeremiah with them. . Jeremiah 43:7
[7] So they entered Egypt in disobedience to the Lord and went as far as Tahpanhes.
At Tahpanhes God instructed Jeremiah to bury large stones on clay brick pavement at the entrance of Pharaoh's Temple.
God promised to bring Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Egypt .
Jeremiah 44
The Lord continued the pronouncement of destruction on Egypt. Jeremiah 44:1
[1] This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt—in Migdol, Tahpanhes and Memphis—and in Upper Egypt:
God said the same destruction they witnessed in jerusalem will also become of them in Egypt. This was ...
Jeremiah 44:3
[3] because of the evil they have done. They aroused my anger by burning incense to and worshiping other gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors ever knew.
