which probably an altar had been erected for burnt-offerings. On their way they were passing near Mizpah. They came with beards shaven, clothes rent, every token of deep grief, probably over the lamented fall of the holy city. The miscreant Ishmael goes out to meet them; joins their party, professing to be as much afflicted as they; "weeping" as only a consummate deceiver could or would; and invites them to turn aside to Mizpah to enjoy the hospitalities of Gedaliah, still lying in his fresh gore by the foul hands of this same Ishmael. Then he falls suddenly upon them, and seems to have murdered all of them save ten men.

8. But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

9. Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.

Ishmael's avarice and greed prevailed over his thirst for blood, so he let these men live, in the hope of plundering the stores which they said they had secreted near by.In v. 9 the original words rendered "because of Gedaliah," are precisely by the hand of Gedaliah. They must refer here, not to his active, but to his passive agency, i. e., by Ishmael's using his name as a decoy in reference to the last seventy. The first party were slain because they were with Gedaliah.This pit seems to have been a huge cistern, provided to supply water in case of a siege.

10. Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.

Ishmael now sets off with his captives for the country of the Ammonites.

11. But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,

12. Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.

13. Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.

14. So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.

15. But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.

Johanan and the forces with him, who were abroad in the country gathering fruits (see chap. 40: 10), heard of these things, and nobly rushed to the rescue. They found him "by the great waters which were in Gibeon," i. e., the pool of Gibeon, where Joab and Abner fought (2 Sam. 2: 13); where the ample supply of water would invite such a caravan as Ishmael had now with him to encamp. Ishmael's train gladly threw themselves into the hands of Johanan; but quite against the demands of justice, Ishmael escaped to the Ammonites.

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 men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:

17. And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go 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.

Johanan prepares to go with his people down into Egypt."The habitation of Chimham" was an oriental inn or caravansary, consisting simply of shelter where a traveling caravan might rest and provide their own food and lodging. This, as it bears his name, was probably erected by Chimham, son of Barzillai, a venerable friend of king David (2 Sam. 19: 38, 39, 41). In the East men of wealth and benevolence were accustomed to provide such establishments at their own expense for the comfort of travelers. This was near Bethlehem, and on the great road from Mizpah and Jerusalem to Egypt. The special reason with Johanan for going down to Egypt seems to have been his fear lest the Chaldeans should avenge the murder of Gedaliah upon the whole

people. Perhaps, also, he and his people retained still some of the old sentiment that leaned so strongly away from the Chaldeans and toward the Egyptians for help. The sequel favors this view.

CHAPTER XLII.

This chapter, and the two that follow it, continue and complete the history of the remnant of Jews under Johanan who were left in Judah, but went into Egypt to perish there. In this chapter they request the prophet to pray for them, and to ask the Lord what they shall do. They receive his answer, coupled with strong intimations from the Lord that he knows they are not honest in their avowal of a purpose to follow his counsel.

1. Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came

near,

2. And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us);

3. That the LORD thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do..

In the form and the letter of it, nothing could be more appropriate than this request made to the prophet; nothing more befitting than this asking counsel from the Lord as to the way they should walk and the thing they should do. Is not the Lord infinitely wise in counsel and mighty in working to guide and to bless those who seek and accept his leading? "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding, In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Prov. 3: 5, 6). With God so directing them, have his trusting children ever lacked any good thing?

4. Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.

5. Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to

all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee

to us.

6. Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.

The heart of this faithful prophet inwardly rejoices in view of these hopeful indications, and he promptly answers, “I will do my part. I will surely pray to the Lord as you request, and will report back to you truly the answer I may receive." They reiterate their promise to obey the Lord's word-a promise previously implied but less distinctly expressed. So far all appears fair, and we are left in the sanguine and cheering hope that this little remnant will indeed learn wisdom from the bitter experiences of the past, and will now follow the Lord honestly and fully.

7. And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.

8. Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,

9. And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;

10. If ye will still abide in this land, Then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.

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.

12. And I will show mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.

No special reason appears for a delay so long as ten days other than that of moral trial, to hold the mind in a waiting attitude as a trial of faith and a means of developing a spirit that humbly waits and looks to God. The answer was definite and plain, promising good if they would remain trustfully in the land of Judah, assuring them they need fear nothing from the Chaldeans, as to whom the Lord would amply protect them.- -There is a rich and touching significance in the phraseology, "I will show mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you.' God will manifest his mercy toward them by inspiring compassion for them in the otherwise hard and selfish heart of the king of Babylon. Is not the "heart of even the king in the hand of the Lord, so that

he may turn it whither he will, even as the rivers of water are turned?"

13. But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,

14. Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:

15. And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;

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.

17. So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.

18. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.

The other alternative is strongly put before them. If they will go down into Egypt despite the Lord's friendly counsel and earnest prohibition, the very evils they were seeking to escape would surely overtake them there for their destruction. They might think to escape war, famine, and pestilence there; but assuredly they would not, but on the contrary would certainly meet them there in their

most fearful forms.

19. The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.

20. For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.

21. And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye