Source shape: Brenton LXX Jeremiah 47–48 corresponds to familiar MT Jeremiah 40–41. All verse numbers, order, and wording follow the LXX text exactly. Familiar MT chapter numbers are noted only for cross-reference.
Jeremiah 47:1-8 LXX — Jeremiah released from manacles at Ramah and directed to Gedaliah (familiar MT 40:1-6)
1. The word that came from the Lord to Jeremias, after that Nabuzardan the captain of the guard had let him go out of Rama, when he had taken him in manacles in the midst of the captivity of Juda, even those who were carried to Babylon. 2. And the chief captain of the guard took him, and said to him, The Lord thy God has pronounced all these evils upon this place: 3. and the Lord has done it; because ye sinned against him, and hearkened not to his voice. 4. Behold, I have loosed thee from the manacles that were upon thine hands. If it seem good to thee to go with me to Babylon, then will I set mine eyes upon thee. 5. But if not, depart; return to Godolias the son of Achicam, the son of Saphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed governor in the land of Juda, and dwell with him in the midst of the people in the land of Juda: to whatsoever places it seems good in thine eyes to go, do thou even go. And the captain of the guard made him presents, and let him go. 6. And he came to Godolias to Massepha, and dwelt in the midst of his people that was left in the land. 7. And all the leaders of the host that was in the country, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Godolias governor in the land, and they committed to him the men and their wives, whom Nabuchodonosor had not removed to Babylon. 8. And there came to Godolias to Massepha Ismael the son of Nathanias, and Joanan son of Caree, and Saræas the son of Thanaemeth, and the sons of Jophe the Netophathite, and Ezonias son of the Mochathite, they and their men.
After the fall, Nebuzaradan releases Jeremiah from chains at Ramah among the captives being taken to Babylon. The captain acknowledges that the Lord has done what he pronounced because of sin. Jeremiah is given the choice to go to Babylon under protection or to remain in the land with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon has made governor. Jeremiah chooses to go to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The surviving leaders and their men also come to him and place themselves under his charge.
Jeremiah 47:9-19 LXX — Gedaliah’s oath of safety and the ignored warning about Ishmael (familiar MT 40:7-16)
9. And Godolias swore to them and to their men, saying, Be not afraid before the children of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be better for you. 10. And, behold, I dwell in your presence at Massepha, to stand before the Chaldeans who shall come against you: and do ye gather grapes, and fruits, and oil, and put them into your vessels, and dwell in the cities which ye have obtained possession of. 11. And all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and those that were in Idumea, and those that were in all the rest of the country, heard that the king of Babylon had granted a remnant to Juda, and that he had appointed over them Godolias the son of Achicam. 12. And they came to Godolias into the land of Juda, to Massepha, and gathered grapes, and very much summer fruit, and oil. 13. And Joanan the son of Caree, and all the leaders of the host, who were in the fields, came to Godolias to Massepha, 14. and said to him, Dost thou indeed know that king Beleissa son of Ammon has sent Ismael to thee to slay thee? But Godolias believed them not. 15. And Joanan said to Godolias secretly in Massepha, I will go now and smite Ismael, and let no man know it; lest he slay thee, and all the Jews that are gathered to thee be dispersed, and the remnant of Juda perish. 16. But Godolias said to Joanan, Do not the thing, for thou speakest lies concerning Ismael. 17. And, behold, I dwell in your presence at Massepha, to stand before the Chaldeans who shall come against you: and do ye gather grapes, and fruits, and oil, and put them into your vessels, and dwell in the cities which ye have obtained possession of. 18. And all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and those that were in Idumea, and those that were in all the rest of the country, heard that the king of Babylon had granted a remnant to Juda, and that he had appointed over them Godolias the son of Achicam. 19. And they came to Godolias into the land of Juda, to Massepha, and gathered grapes, and very much summer fruit, and oil.
Gedaliah swears safety to the leaders and urges them to serve the king of Babylon and gather the harvest. Jews from Moab, Ammon, Edom, and elsewhere return to the land and bring in the summer fruit. Joanan and the captains warn Gedaliah that Ishmael son of Nethaniah, sent by the king of Ammon, intends to assassinate him. Gedaliah refuses to believe the report and forbids Joanan from striking Ishmael secretly, calling it a lie. He continues to offer hospitality at Mizpah.
Jeremiah 48:1-11 LXX — Ishmael’s treachery: murder of Gedaliah, the Chaldeans, and the pilgrims (familiar MT 41:1-9)
1. Now it came to pass in the seventh month that Ismael the son of Nathanias the son of Eleasa of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, to Godolias to Massepha: and they ate bread there together. 2. And Ismael rose up, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Godolias, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor over the land, 3. and all the Jews that were with him in Massepha, and all the Chaldeans that were found there. 4. And it came to pass on the second day after he had smitten Godolias, and no man knew of it, 5. that there came men from Sychem, and from Salem, and from Samaria, even eighty men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and beating their breasts, and they had manna and frankincense in their hands, to bring them into the house of the Lord. 6. And Ismael went out to meet them; and they went on and wept: and he said to them, Come in to Godolias. 7. And it came to pass, when they had entered into the midst of the city, that he slew them and cast them into a pit. 8. But ten men were found there, and they said to Ismael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, wheat and barley, honey and oil. So he passed by, and slew them not in the midst of their brethren. 9. Now the pit into which Ismael cast all whom he smote, is the great pit, which king Asa had made for fear of Baasa king of Israel: even this Ismael filled with slain men. 10. And Ismael brought back all the people that were left in Massepha, and the king’s daughter, whom the captain of the guard had committed in charge to Godolias the son of Achicam: and he went away beyond the children of Ammon. 11. And Joanan the son of Careë, and all the leaders of the host that were with him, heard of all the evil deeds which Ismael had done.
In the seventh month Ishmael, of royal seed, comes with ten men to Mizpah. They eat bread with Gedaliah and then rise and kill him, the Jews with him, and the Chaldean soldiers present. Two days later, eighty men from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria arrive in mourning dress with offerings for the house of the Lord. Ishmael meets them, invites them in under pretense of Gedaliah’s hospitality, and slaughters them, throwing the bodies into the great pit that Asa had made. Ten are spared when they reveal hidden stores. Ishmael takes the remaining people of Mizpah, including the king’s daughters, and heads toward the Ammonites.
Jeremiah 48:12-18 LXX — Joanan recovers the remnant; fear drives them toward Egypt (familiar MT 41:10-18)
12. And they brought all their army, and went to fight against him, and found him near much water in Gabaon. 13. And it came to pass, when all the people that was with Ismael saw Joanan, and the leaders of the host that was with him, 14. that they returned to Joanan. 15. But Ismael escaped with eight men and went to the children of Ammon. 16. And Joanan, and all the leaders of the host that were with him, took all the remnant of the people, whom he had brought back from Ismael, mighty men in war, and the women, and the other property, and the eunuchs, whom they had brought back from Gabaon: 17. and they departed, and dwelt in Gaberoch-amaa, that is by Bethleem, to go into Egypt, for fear of the Chaldeans: 18. for they were afraid of them, because Ismael had smitten Godolias, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.
Joanan and the captains pursue Ishmael and overtake him at the great waters in Gibeon. The people with Ishmael turn back to Joanan. Ishmael escapes with eight men to the Ammonites. Joanan gathers the rescued remnant—warriors, women, children, and property—and they encamp near Bethlehem. From there they set out for Egypt, fearing Chaldean retaliation for the murder of the governor the king of Babylon had appointed.
Spiritual Fruit 🍇
After catastrophe, ordinary work becomes a form of mercy. Gedaliah calls the scattered remnant to gather wine, summer fruit, and oil and to dwell in the towns. The chapter honors the slow rebuilding of common life after trauma. Harvest, food, trustworthy leadership, and a place to remain matter spiritually because human beings need more than survival; they need a community in which faithfulness can take root again.
Yet trust without discernment can leave the wounded exposed. Gedaliah rejects a specific warning about Ishmael, and Ishmael turns a shared meal and the grief of pilgrims into occasions for murder. The passage does not justify suspicion toward everyone after trauma, nor does it praise naive openness. It calls the community to truth joined to prudence: listen carefully, test warnings soberly, protect the vulnerable, and refuse the cycle in which fear produces another flight from the place God has provided.
Lord, heal the fear that follows betrayal without making my heart hard. Give our families and parishes leaders who welcome, discern, and protect. Teach me to help rebuild ordinary life, to hear warnings without panic, and to remain faithful when violence tempts the remnant to scatter again. Amen.
Teaching Notes
Jeremiah 47:1-8 LXX — Jeremiah released from manacles at Ramah and directed to Gedaliah (familiar MT 40:1-6)
- Nebuzaradan explicitly acknowledges the Lord’s hand in the judgment while releasing the prophet.
- Jeremiah is given genuine choice; he elects to stay in the land with the appointed governor rather than go into exile.
- The surviving military leaders voluntarily place themselves and the remaining people under Gedaliah.
Jeremiah 47:9-19 LXX — Gedaliah’s oath of safety and the ignored warning about Ishmael (familiar MT 40:7-16)
- Gedaliah swears peace and urges the remnant to serve the Babylonian king and gather the harvest.
- Jews scattered in neighboring lands return and begin to rebuild ordinary life.
- Joanan brings a specific report that Ishmael has been sent to assassinate the governor; Gedaliah refuses to credit it and forbids preemptive action.
Jeremiah 48:1-11 LXX — Ishmael’s treachery: murder of Gedaliah, the Chaldeans, and the pilgrims (familiar MT 41:1-9)
- Ishmael abuses the hospitality of the governor’s table to kill Gedaliah and the Chaldean garrison.
- He then deceives a group of mourning pilgrims from the north and slaughters most of them in the ancient pit.
- The ten who are spared buy their lives by revealing hidden provisions; Ishmael takes the king’s daughters and heads for Ammon.
Jeremiah 48:12-18 LXX — Joanan recovers the remnant; fear drives them toward Egypt (familiar MT 41:10-18)
- Joanan and the captains pursue and recover the people Ishmael had taken.
- Ishmael escapes with a handful of men; the remnant is safe but now terrified of Chaldean reprisal for the murder of the governor.
- Instead of remaining in the land under the protection already extended, they begin the journey to Egypt.
Sources
Embedded Scripture is from Brenton’s English Septuagint (LXX).