The Meaning of Jeremiah 40:9 Explained

Jeremiah 40:9

KJV: And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

YLT: And swear to them doth Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, and to their men, saying, 'Be not afraid of serving the Chaldeans, abide in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it is well for you;

Darby: And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

ASV: And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Gedaliah  the son  of Ahikam  the son  of Shaphan  sware  unto them and to their men,  saying,  Fear  not to serve  the Chaldeans:  dwell in  the land,  and serve  the king  of Babylon,  and it shall be well  with you. 

What does Jeremiah 40:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Gedaliah urged these commanders not to fear the Babylonians but to cooperate with them. If they remained in the land and submitted to Babylonian authority, things would go well for them.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 40

1  Jeremiah, being set free by Nebuzaradan, goes to Gedaliah
7  The dispersed Jews repair unto him
13  Johanan revealing Ishmael's conspiracy is not believed

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 40:9 mean?

And took an oath before them Gedaliah son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan and their men saying not do be afraid to serve the Chaldeans Dwell in the land and serve - the king of Babylon and it shall be well with you
וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע לָהֶ֜ם גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־ אֲחִיקָ֤ם בֶּן־ שָׁפָן֙ וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר אַל־ תִּֽירְא֖וּ מֵעֲב֣וֹד הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑ים שְׁב֣וּ בָאָ֗רֶץ וְעִבְד֛וּ אֶת־ מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל וְיִיטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם

וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע  And  took  an  oath 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
לָהֶ֜ם  before  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ  Gedaliah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּדַלְיָה 
Sense: a son of Jeduthun in the time of David.
בֶן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֲחִיקָ֤ם  of  Ahikam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיקָם  
Sense: son of Shaphan, an officer in Josiah’s reign.
בֶּן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שָׁפָן֙  of  Shaphan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁפָן 
Sense: rock badger, coney, the hyrax.
וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֣ם  and  their  men 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
תִּֽירְא֖וּ  do  be  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
מֵעֲב֣וֹד  to  serve 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑ים  the  Chaldeans 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: כַּשְׂדִּים  
Sense: a territory in lower Mesopotamia bordering on the Persian Gulf.
שְׁב֣וּ  Dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בָאָ֗רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְעִבְד֛וּ  and  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מֶ֥לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בָּבֶ֖ל  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
וְיִיטַ֥ב  and  it  shall  be  well 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
לָכֶֽם  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural