(8) Then they came to Gedaliah.--Of the captains thus named, Ishmael, "of the seed royal" (we have no date for determining his precise position in the line of successors) (Jeremiah 41:1), is prominent in the history of the next chapter, Johanan (the Hebrew form of Joannes or John) in that of Jeremiah 42, Seraiah and Jaazaniah are named in the parallel passage of 2 Kings 25:23, but nothing more is known of them. Netophah, to which the sons of Ephai belonged, was a town of Benjamin not far from Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 2:54; 1 Chronicles 9:16; Ezra 2:22; Nehemiah 7:26). The Maachathite, whose father is not named, was probably a naturalised alien from the small kingdom of Maachah, on the east side of the Jordan, near Argob (Deuteronomy 3:14; 2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Samuel 10:8) and Bashan (Joshua 12:5), not far from the modern Lejah.
Verse 8. - Jonathan. This name is omitted in the parallel passage (2 Kings 25:23), and by the Septuagint here. It may, of course, be a corruption of Johanan, as Ewald supposes. If so, we must read "son" for "sons," with Septuagint. The Netophathite. Netophah was in the neighbourhood of Benjamin. The son of a Maachathite; rather, the Maachathite. Maachah was a Syrian district in the neighbourhood of Hermon (Deuteronomy 3:14; Joshua 12:5). Jezaniah was, therefore, a naturalized foreigner, like Doeg the Edomite (Hitzig).
40:7-16 Jeremiah had never in his prophecies spoken of any good days for the Jews, to come immediately after the captivity; yet Providence seemed to encourage such an expectation. But how soon is this hopeful prospect blighted! When God begins a judgment, he will complete it. While pride, ambition, or revenge, bears rule in the heart, men will form new projects, and be restless in mischief, which commonly ends in their own ruin. Who would have thought, that after the destruction of Jerusalem, rebellion would so soon have sprung up? There can be no thorough change but what grace makes. And if the miserable, who are kept in everlasting chains for the judgment of the great day, were again permitted to come on earth, the sin and evil of their nature would be unchanged. Lord, give us new hearts, and that new mind in which the new birth consists, since thou hast said we cannot without it see thy heavenly kingdom.
Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,.... Having heard that the Chaldean army was gone, and so were in no fear of that; and also that Gedaliah was made deputy governor, one of their own nation, a pious, prudent, good man, a man of ingenuity, mildness, and integrity; under whose government they might expect to live comfortably; and which was much preferable to captivity in a foreign country, though tributary to Babylon:
even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah; who was of the seed royal, Jeremiah 41:1;
and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah; two brothers, but who they were, or their father, is not known, no mention being made of them but in this story:
and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth; who he was is also uncertain:
and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite; so called from Netophah, a city of the tribe of Judah near Bethlehem, and are mentioned together, Ezra 2:22; the Netophathites inhabited several villages, 1 Chronicles 9:16; mention is made in the Misnic (t) writings of artichokes and olives this place was famous for:
and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite; a family so called from Maacah, Caleb's concubine, 1 Chronicles 2:48;
they and their men; these generals, and the forces under their command.
even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah; who was of the seed royal, Jeremiah 41:1;
and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah; two brothers, but who they were, or their father, is not known, no mention being made of them but in this story:
and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth; who he was is also uncertain:
and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite; so called from Netophah, a city of the tribe of Judah near Bethlehem, and are mentioned together, Ezra 2:22; the Netophathites inhabited several villages, 1 Chronicles 9:16; mention is made in the Misnic (t) writings of artichokes and olives this place was famous for:
and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite; a family so called from Maacah, Caleb's concubine, 1 Chronicles 2:48;
they and their men; these generals, and the forces under their command.
(t) Shebiit, c. 9. sect. 5. & Pea, c. 7. sect. 1.