Jeremiah 41 · Verse 18

Jeremiah 41:18

Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.
Jeremiah 41:18, King James Version

Jeremiah 41:18 in other translations

BSBto escape the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of the Chaldeans because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
WEBbecause of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.
ASVbecause of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.
YLTfrom the presence of the Chaldeans, for they have been afraid of them, for Ishmael son of Nethaniah had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
DARBYbecause of the Chaldeans; for they feared them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had smitten Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
BBEBecause of the Chaldaeans: for they were in fear of them because Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, had put to death Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made ruler over the land.
WebsterBecause of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.

What does Jeremiah 41:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. afraid--lest the Chaldeans should suspect all the Jews of being implicated in Ishmael's treason, as though the Jews sought to have a prince of the house of David (Jr 41:1). Their better way towards gaining God's favor would have been to have laid the blame on the real culprit, and to have cleared themselves. A tortuous policy is the parent of fear. Righteousness inspires with boldness (Psa 53:5; Pr 28:1).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 41:11-18

The success of villany must be short, and none can prosper who harden their hearts against God. And those justly lose comfort in real fears, who excuse themselves in sin by pretended fears. The removal of a prudent and peaceable ruler, and the succession of another who is rash and ambitious, affects the welfare of many. Only those are happy and steady who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 41:11-18 →

Jeremiah 41:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מִפְּנֵי֙mi.pe.Neifrom beforeH6440
הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔יםha.kas.Dimthe ChaldeansH3778
כִּ֥יkiforH3588
יָרְא֖וּya.re.'Uthey were afraidH3372
מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑םmi.pe.nei.Hemof <before> themH6440
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
הִכָּ֞הhi.Kahhe had struck downH5221
יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אלyish.ma.'ElIshmaelH3458
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
נְתַנְיָ֗הne.tan.YahNethaniahH5418
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ge.dal.Ya.huGedaliahH1436
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
אֲחִיקָ֔ם'a.chi.KamAhikamH296
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whomH834
הִפְקִ֥ידhif.Kidhe had appointedH6485
מֶֽלֶךְ\־Me.lekh-[the] king ofH4428
בָּבֶ֖לba.VelBabylonH894
בָּאָֽרֶץ\׃\ \סba.'A.retzover the landH776

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 41:18

  • Jeremiah 40:5

    Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.

  • Jeremiah 42:16

    Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.

  • Luke 12:4-5

    And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

  • Jeremiah 42:11

    Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.

  • Jeremiah 43:2-3

    Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there: But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.

  • Isaiah 51:12-13

    I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

  • Isaiah 57:11

    And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?

  • Isaiah 30:16-17

    But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

  • 2 Kings 25:25

    But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
for they.
42:11,16; 43:2,3; 2Ki 25:25; Isa 30:16,17; 51:12,13; 57:11
Lu 12:4,5
because.
2
whom.
40:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 41:17

    And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Beth–lehem, to go to enter into Egypt,

  • Jeremiah 41:18

    Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.

Read all of Jeremiah 41

Jeremiah 41:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Por causa de los Caldeos: porque temían de ellos, por haber herido Ismael hijo de Nethanías á Gedalías hijo de Ahicam, al cual el rey de Babilonia había puesto sobre la tierra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
à cause des Chaldéens; car ils les craignaient, parce qu’Ismaël, fils de Nethania, avait frappé Guedalia, fils d’Akhikam, que le roi de Babylone avait établi sur le pays.
German
Elberfelder 1871
aus Furcht vor den Chaldäern; denn sie fürchteten sich vor ihnen, weil Ismael, der Sohn Nethanjas, Gedalja, den Sohn Achikams, erschlagen, welchen der König von Babel über das Land bestellt hatte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
a facie Chaldæorum: timebant enim eos, quia percusserat Ismahel filius Nathaniæ Godoliam filium Ahicam, quem præposuerat rex Babylonis in terra Juda.