Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 41:3
Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, [even] with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, [and] the men of war.
3. The Jews on their return from the exile used to keep the third day of the seventh month (Tisri) as a fast in memory of Ishmael’s deed (Zec 7:5; Zec 8:19).
even the men of war ] Gedaliah’s body-guard. But the words are absent, probably rightly, from LXX.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
It appeareth from Jer 41:10, that by all the Jews here must be understood only all those who were about the court of Gedaliah, for it is there said that he carried away many that were with him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. slew all the Jewsnamely,the attendants and ministers of Gedaliah; or, the military alone,about his person; translate, “even (not ‘and,’ as EnglishVersion) the men of war.” The main portion of the peoplewith Gedaliah, including Jeremiah, Ishmael carried away captive(Jer 41:10; Jer 41:16).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, [even] with Gedaliah, at Mizpah,…. Not only those that were at table, but that were in the city also. Josephus f says, that having slain those that were at the feast with him, he went out in the night, and slew all the Jews in the city, and the soldiers that were left by the Babylonians in it; but this cannot be understood of all the individuals there, or of the main body of the people, for they were carried captive by him,
Jer 41:9; but of those that opposed him, or were able to avenge the death of their governor, and he might suspect would do it:
and the Chaldeans that were found there, [and] the men of war; or, “even the men of war” g; this describes more particularly who they were that were slain, those of the Jews, and especially the Chaldeans, who were in military service; either the bodyguards of the governor, or the city guards, or both, whom Ishmael thought it advisable to cut off, lest they should fall upon him, and revenge the death of Gedaliah, and prevent his further designs.
f Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 4. g “[inquam] viros belli”, Schmidt; “bellatores scilicet”, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) Ishmael also slew all the Jews. . . .We wonder at first that ten men were able to effect so much. It does not follow, however, that the massacre went beyond the Jews and Chaldan officers who were sharing Gedaliahs hospitality, and they may easily have been surprised, like Gedaliah, unarmed, and in the act of feasting. Possibly, too, the ten princes may each have brought their retinue of attendants. Greek history presents two analogous massacresthat of the Persian generals by Alexander, the son of Amyntas (Herod, v. 19, 20); and that of Archias and Leontiades, the tyrants of Thebes, by Pelopidas and his associates. The massacre in this case was so complete that none escaped to tell the tale (Jer. 41:4). The italics in the last clause of the verse indicate that the conjunction and is not in the Hebrew, and that the words, the men of war, are in apposition with the previous clause, and limit their extent.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Slew all the Jews Namely, those in the governor’s palace.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 41:3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, [even] with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, [and] the men of war.
Ver. 3. Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him. ] Not the Chaideans only. His sword knew no difference; but, being fleshed in blood, he killed all that came in his way. And the rather that his wickedness might not be noticed – mortui non mordent – but that he might carry on his bloody design the better.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
and. Some codices, with Vulg, and three early printed editions, read this “and” in the text.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jer 41:11, Jer 41:12, 2Ki 25:25, Ecc 9:18, Lam 1:2
Reciprocal: Jos 11:3 – land
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 41:3. Ishmael was so mad against Gedaliah that he slew all the Jews who were helpless and who had been entrusted to Gedaliahs care. He evidently wished to have no witnesses who might escape and be in the way of his further wicked plots.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 41:3-4. Ishmael also slew all the Jews and the men of war That is, all that joined in opposing him, and in assisting Gedaliah: for several of the commanders, as well as the greater part of the people, were still left alive, as appears by the sequel of the story. And on the second day after, &c., no man knew it That is, no man who lived at any considerable distance from Mizpah, for Ishmael undoubtedly used every means in his power to keep this slaughter secret, lest the news of it should reach the ears of some of the Chaldean commanders, and so he should be prevented from making his escape.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The assassins also murdered the other Jews and the Chaldean soldiers who were there.
"Everything about him [Ishmael] disgraced the name of David his forebear [sic], who had resisted every impulse to ’wade through slaughter to a throne’ and had awaited God’s time and his people’s will [1Sa 26:10; 2Sa 2:1; 2Sa 2:4; 2Sa 5:1]. This was no David but a Jehu-and a Jehu without the excuse of a crusade. Almost as outrageous as his treachery was his folly, in supposing that a regime that was devised in deception, imposed by violence, backed by ill-wishers (Ammon, Jer 40:14; Jer 41:10 c) and in breach of God’s decree (Jer 27:6), could have any hope of survival. It may seem far-fetched to draw parallels between this monster and ourselves; but here, although writ large and in blood, is the way in which even the well-meaning may be tempted to get things done, especially in corporate projects. That is, by guile rather than openness; by pressure rather than patience and prayer; in a word, by carnal weapons rather than spiritual, and towards ends of one’s own choosing." [Note: Kidner, p. 130.]