2Ki 25:25 | KingComments | STEP | In this section we have a brief announcement about what happened to the people who were left in the land of Judah. These people largely ended up in Egypt. A detailed description of this can be found in Jeremiah 40:1-43:7. The announcement here completes the picture of the end of Judah’s realm. It ends with the exile to Babylon and the flight to Egypt. After Nebuchadnezzar had finished all his actions in and with Judah and Jerusalem, he appointed Gedaliah, “the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan” over the people he allowed to live in “the land of Judah”. Gedaliah was one of the descendants of God-fearing Shaphan, whom we met during the reign and reformation of Josiah ( ). When four of the named captains heard of Gedaliah’s appointment, they and their men came to him in Mizpah. These four probably fled with Zedekiah ( ) and escaped the pursuit by the Babylonians. They did not seem to accept the situation that had arisen. Gedaliah advised them urgently, he “swore to them”, to just stay in the land. He wanted to convince them that they would have nothing to fear from the Chaldeans if they stayed and served the king of Babylon. They could be sure that things would go well with them. Gedaliah spoke of what God had said through Jeremiah. Jeremiah had always urged the people to submit to king Nebuchadnezzar. If we bow under the discipline of God, it will bring blessing to us. Despite Gedaliah’s penetrating words, the few remaining in the land revolted against Gedaliah. They pertinently refused to function as servants of the Babylonians. They had their own views on the matter and their own plans to deal with it and saw that he was a danger to their plans. That is why Gedaliah was murdered. A detailed account of the murder of Gedaliah ( ) can be found in Jeremiah 40:13-41:15. The perpetrators and all the people then fled to Egypt. However, the Holy Spirit does not close the book with this. He finishes with a ray of hope that we read about in the following and also the last verses of this book.

‏ 2 Kings 25:25

Appointment and Death of Gedaliah

In this section we have a brief announcement about what happened to the people who were left in the land of Judah. These people largely ended up in Egypt. A detailed description of this can be found in Jeremiah 40:1-43:7. The announcement here completes the picture of the end of Judah’s realm. It ends with the exile to Babylon and the flight to Egypt.

After Nebuchadnezzar had finished all his actions in and with Judah and Jerusalem, he appointed Gedaliah, “the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan” over the people he allowed to live in “the land of Judah”. Gedaliah was one of the descendants of God-fearing Shaphan, whom we met during the reign and reformation of Josiah (2Kgs 22:3 ; 8-14).

When four of the named captains heard of Gedaliah’s appointment, they and their men came to him in Mizpah. These four probably fled with Zedekiah (2Kgs 25:4) and escaped the pursuit by the Babylonians. They did not seem to accept the situation that had arisen. Gedaliah advised them urgently, he “swore to them”, to just stay in the land. He wanted to convince them that they would have nothing to fear from the Chaldeans if they stayed and served the king of Babylon. They could be sure that things would go well with them. Gedaliah spoke of what God had said through Jeremiah. Jeremiah had always urged the people to submit to king Nebuchadnezzar. If we bow under the discipline of God, it will bring blessing to us.

Despite Gedaliah’s penetrating words, the few remaining in the land revolted against Gedaliah. They pertinently refused to function as servants of the Babylonians. They had their own views on the matter and their own plans to deal with it and saw that he was a danger to their plans. That is why Gedaliah was murdered. A detailed account of the murder of Gedaliah (2Kgs 25:25) can be found in Jeremiah 40:13-41:15. The perpetrators and all the people then fled to Egypt.

However, the Holy Spirit does not close the book with this. He finishes with a ray of hope that we read about in the following and also the last verses of this book.