Jeremiah 41:16-18

Jeremiah 41:16-18

[16] Then took  Johanan  the son  of Kareah,  and all the captains  of the forces  that were with him, all the remnant  of the people  whom he had recovered  from Ishmael  the son  of Nethaniah,  from Mizpah,  after  that he had slain  Gedaliah  the son  of Ahikam,  even mighty  of war,  and the women,  and the children,  and the eunuchs,  whom he had brought again  from Gibeon:  [17] and dwelt in  the habitation  which is by  Bethlehem,  to enter  into Egypt,  [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. 

What does Jeremiah 41:16-18 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Johanan led the people he had rescued south to Geruth-Chimham (lit. the lodging place of Chimham) near Bethlehem, six miles south of Jerusalem. The exact location of this place is presently unknown, but it may have been a site that David gave to Chimham in appreciation for Barzillai (cf. 2 Samuel 19:37-40). Johanan and his party intended to proceed to Egypt, because they feared that the Babylonian soldiers would retaliate and kill them when they discovered that Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah.