Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 40:4
And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which [were] upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land [is] before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.
4. I will look well unto thee ] See on Jer 39:12.
convenient ] lit. as mg. right.
but if it seem ill (5) Go back then, said he] The LXX have simply, “but, if not, depart, return,” and, as giving a much smoother sequence, preserve what is probably the original form. The latter part of Jer 40:4 in MT. may have been suggested by Gen 13:9, while the words “Now while back” are also a gloss.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. Come; and I will look well unto thee] Thou art now at full liberty to do as thou pleasest; either to come to Babylon or to stay in thy own land.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Nebuzar-adan, like a faithful servant, remembers his masters orders to him about the prophet, Jer 39:11, and offers Jeremiah greater favour than to any others of his prisoners; he determined others by his right of conquest to what they should do, but he giveth the prophet a liberty to choose whether he would go to Babylon, or stay at Jerusalem in his own country; he promised him that if he would go to Babylon, he would take a particular care of him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. look well unto theethevery words of Nebuchadnezzar’s charge (Jer39:12).
all the land is before thee .. . seemeth good (Ge 20:15,Margin). Jeremiah alone had the option given him of stayingwhere he pleased, when all the rest were either carried off or forcedto remain there.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which [were] upon thine hands,…. Or rather are; for, when he said these words, it is highly probable they were on him, though now ordered to be taken off; these were not what were put upon him by the Jews, when in the court of the prison; for rather his legs, than his hands, would have had fetters on them there; but what were put upon him by the Chaldeans, when he fell into their hands; though inadvertently done by the inferior officers, and without the knowledge of the princes, or of this captain, who loosed them; with these he came manacled to Ramah, with the rest of the captives, but now were loosed in the sight of them:
if it seem good unto thee to come with me unto Babylon, come, and one will look well unto thee; or, “I will set mine eyes upon thee” r; as the king of Babylon had ordered him to do, Jer 39:12; would favour him, protect him, provide for him, and use him in the most kind and generous manner:
but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me to Babylon, forbear; if it was not agreeable to him to leave his native country, and to go into Babylon, he would not urge it, but leave him to his liberty; yea, would advise him to continue where he was, and not take one step out of it:
behold, all the land [is] before thee; the land of Judea, which was at the disposal of the king of Babylon; and Jeremiah has a grant from him, by his officer, to settle where he pleased:
whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go; he left him to take his own way, and do as he thought fit; and this agrees with his master’s orders to him, Jer 39:12.
r “ponam oculos meos super te”, Schmidt; “et ponam oculum meum super te”, Pagninus, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jer 40:4 And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which [were] upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land [is] before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.
Ver. 4. And now, behold, I loose thee. ] I dismiss thee with all due honour, as a true prophet, however undervalued and afflicted by thine unworthy countrymen.
Come, and I will look well unto thee.
Behold, all the land is before thee.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
hand. Some codices, with eight early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “hands”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Reciprocal: Gen 44:21 – that I may 1Ki 17:6 – the ravens Est 3:11 – to do Jer 28:14 – I have put Jer 36:5 – General Jer 37:14 – said Jer 39:12 – look well to him Jer 40:5 – or go Act 12:6 – bound
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 40:4. Nebuzar-adan was then ready to complete his charge concern-
ing Jeremiah. He thus removed the chains that had been fastened upon him in the excitement of the fall of Jerusalem, He told him to take his choice between going with him to Babylon or remaining in the land of Palestine.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Nebuzaradan freed the prophet from his shackles, and gave him the choice of going to Babylon as a free man or staying in Canaan. If he went to Babylon, the captain promised to take care of him there. If he chose to stay in Canaan, he could live and move about wherever he wished.