Jer 40:13-16 | KingComments | STEP | Then Gedaliah is visited by Johanan and all the commanders of the forces who are in the field ( ). They come to warn Gedalia of an attempt that is being plotted on his life ( ). They know the details and inform him of them. The thing is, that Baalis, the king of the Ammonites, has sent Ishmael to kill him. Baalis had been an ally of Zedekiah in the battle against the king of Babylon. It seems that he still wants to fight against the king of Babylon. Now if Gedaliah is killed by Ishmael, Ishmael can take control and they can continue to resist the king of Babylon together. Gedaliah, however, does not want to believe what he is told. Johanan does not give up and secretly seeks out Gedaliah ( ). He proposes that he will kill Ishmael. He will do it in such a way that no one will know that he has been murdered. The murder is necessary, he argues, because if that man kills Gedaliah, all who have joined Gedaliah will also perish. Gedaliah forbids Johanan the mission he proposes ( ). This is not because he turns the matter over to the LORD. That’s what David does when his servant proposes to kill Saul ( ). Here we hear nothing about the LORD. Jeremiah who is also there is not consulted by Gedaliah. Gedaliah is simply too trusting. He dismisses the threat, about which he has been informed, by stating that it are lies. He trusts his own judgment of the danger, and according to his judgment, there is no danger. That gullibility costs him his life.

‏ Jeremiah 40:13-16

Gedaliah Is Warned About Ishmael

Then Gedaliah is visited by Johanan and all the commanders of the forces who are in the field (Jer 40:13). They come to warn Gedalia of an attempt that is being plotted on his life (Jer 40:14). They know the details and inform him of them. The thing is, that Baalis, the king of the Ammonites, has sent Ishmael to kill him. Baalis had been an ally of Zedekiah in the battle against the king of Babylon. It seems that he still wants to fight against the king of Babylon. Now if Gedaliah is killed by Ishmael, Ishmael can take control and they can continue to resist the king of Babylon together.

Gedaliah, however, does not want to believe what he is told. Johanan does not give up and secretly seeks out Gedaliah (Jer 40:15). He proposes that he will kill Ishmael. He will do it in such a way that no one will know that he has been murdered. The murder is necessary, he argues, because if that man kills Gedaliah, all who have joined Gedaliah will also perish.

Gedaliah forbids Johanan the mission he proposes (Jer 40:16). This is not because he turns the matter over to the LORD. That’s what David does when his servant proposes to kill Saul (1Sam 24:7 ; 1Sam 26:8-10). Here we hear nothing about the LORD. Jeremiah who is also there is not consulted by Gedaliah. Gedaliah is simply too trusting. He dismisses the threat, about which he has been informed, by stating that it are lies. He trusts his own judgment of the danger, and according to his judgment, there is no danger. That gullibility costs him his life.