旧约 - 耶利米书(Jeremiah)第40章

The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon.
When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, "The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place.
And now the LORD has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him.
But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don't come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please."
However, before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, "Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please." Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go.
So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.
When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon,
they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah--Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, and their men.
Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. "Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians," he said. "Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.
I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over."
When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them,
they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.
Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah
and said to him, "Don't you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?" But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, "Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?"
But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, "Don't do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true."
耶利米书第四十章   第 40 章 

  耶 40-45 章 > 40-45 章 这六章经文纪载了耶路撒冷沦陷之后发生的事情。 

  耶 40:2-3> 认识宇宙的伟大,亲见神奇妙的作为,下一步该要面对的是什么? 

  40:2-3 巴比伦护卫长虽然不认识神,但他承认巴比伦的胜利乃神所赐。有人承认神的存在,知道祂施行神迹,却不愿亲自接受祂、认识祂,这实在很奇怪。认识神不只是晓得有关祂的事,而是要与祂亲自接触,建立关系。 

  耶 40:4> 耶利米选择留在犹大,意味着他将会放弃什么?他又将要承受什么? 

  40:4 耶利米可以随意选择自己的住处。在巴比伦,他可享受安适的生活,拥有一定的权势;在犹大却要继续受苦受难。他在巴比伦可能得到巴比伦人爱戴,但会受流亡的同胞唾弃;在犹大意味着要过贫穷孤单的生活,却可以表明自己并不是苟且偷安的卖国贼。最后耶利米还是选择回犹大。 

  耶 40:6> 米斯巴在什么地方?为什么耶利米选择留在那里? 

  40: 6 米 斯巴位于耶路撒冷以北数公里外,此地在战争中没有遭到严重破坏,所以耶路撒冷沦陷后,不少人来这里避难。 

  耶 40:13-41:3> 经历亡国之痛的犹大,仍有不少人沉醉在权力斗争之中,让人叹息…… 

  40:13-41:3 基大利获巴比伦王委任为犹大总督,而本属大卫支派的以实玛利却没有领导权,使他怀恨在心,动了杀机。基大利对自己会遭暗杀的消息掉以轻心,不肯相信。这种政局动荡的情况,与以斯拉及尼希米重建城墙及圣殿时的情况十分相似。──《灵修版圣经注释》