Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/5_600_p.lzh/5_627.TXT

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bylon, as a proper seat of residence for him, as a go-
vernor under the king of Babylon: to serve the Chal-
deans; or to stand before them"; that should come to
him as messengers from the king of Babylon, to re-
ceive tribute or bring orders to him; all which he
would take care of, as well as be an. advocate for the
Jews, and plead on their behalf, for fayours to be be-
stowed on them; and particularly for these generals
and their forces, that they might be pardoned, and
dwell safely in the land: hesuggests, that they need
not trouble themselves about these things; all affairs
of this kind he would take upon himself to transact;
so that they would have nothing to fear, nor any thing
to do, but as follows: but ye, gather ye wine, and sum-
mer-fruits, and oil; that is, grapes to. make wine of,
and olives to make oil of, and summer-fruits, such as
figs and apples. The Targum interprets it lumps of
figs; and so Jarchi; for fruits of trees are meant, and
not fruits of the earth, as corn and wheat; for both
barley and wheat harvests were over before this time;
the city being taken in July, and, a month after that,
Nebuzaradan came and carried off the captives, and
left the poor with Gedaliah, appointed governor. It
may be rendered, autumnal fruits {w}; for the word sig-
nifies autumn as well as summer. And put them in
your vessels; casks, bottles, and such-like vessels, suit-
able to the things mentioned, and which were in com-
mon use, in order to be laid up for winter; and as they
used to do in times of peace, not fearing any enemy to
come and take them from them: and dwell in your ci-
ties which ye have taken; not by force of arms, or as
they pleased; but which they had held in possession
formerly as the inheritances of their families, and
which they had lately reassumed, or tnight however
enter upon the quiet possession of.
Vet. 11. Likewise, when all the Jews that were in
Moab, &c.] Who had fled thither, and to the places
after mentioned, when the king of Babylon first in-
vaded the !and, and where they had coutinued unto
this time:and among the Ammonites, and in Edom,
and that were in all the countries; in all other neigh-
boating countries, besides Moab, Ammon, and Edom;
some fleeing one way, and some another, which lay
nearest to their borders, or where they thought. them-
selves safest: when they heard that the king of Babylon
had left a remnant ofJudah ; a few of their brethren,
to cultivate the land, and re-people it: and that he had
set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of
Shaphan; whom they knew to be a wise and good
man; these were engaging motives to them to return
to their own land, being more desirable to live in than
any other, could they enjoy peace and safety; and to
dwell with their brethren, their own country.men, and
of the same religion with them, was more eligible than
to dwell in foreign idolatrous countries; and especially
· shice there was a government established to protect
and defend them, and that in the hands of so worthy
a prince as Gedaliah.
Vet. 12. Even all the Jews returned from all places
whither they tvere driven, &c.] Through fear of the
Chaldean army; they came all of them from the se-
veral countries before mentioned; so. that here wa8
like to be a happy settlement and a flourishing com-
monwealth again; here being princes and generals,
soldiers and common people, in large numbers, that
were returned and coalesced under the government of
Gedaliah: and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah,
unto Mizpah; they came out of the several countries
where they had been for some time, and entered the
land of Judah; but did not take up their abode any-
where, tilt they had presented themselves to the go-
vernor, and put themselves under his protection; pro-
mising, no doubt, to regard him as such, and to be tri-
butary to the Chaldeans; being assured by him, as the
generals and their ibrces before, that all would be well
with them, giving them free liberty to settle in the
cities and villages to which they' belonged; and ac-
cordingly they set out from Mizpah, and went to their
respective habitations they had abandoned: and ga-
thered wine and summer-fruits very much; see on ver. t0.
the people of the land being carried captive; and the
Chaldean army not having ravaged these parts, or how-
ever had left an abundance of fruits, which these people,
at their return, found and gathered.
Vet. 13. Moreover, Johanan the son of Kareah, &c.]
Who seems to be the principal captain next to Ish-
maei, against whom an information is brought, and so
not present; this captain is here only mentioned by
name, and before next to Ishmael: and all the captains
of the forces that were in the fields ; or that had been in
the fields, and probably might be there again; see vet. 7.
that is, the rest of them, besides Johanan mentioned,
and Ishmaei the conspirator: these came to Gedaliah
to Mizpah; they had been with him before, and being
satisfied by him of the safety they would be in, in the
service of the Chaldeans, under him, either returned to
the fields from whence they came, or went to those
cities and villages he directed them to; but, like ho-
nest and faithful men, knowing there was a conspiracy
against his life, came in a body to inform him of it, for
the greater certainty of it; as judging he would be
more ready to give heed unto it, than if only a single
person had informed him of it, as well as to shew their
affection and loyalty to him.
Vet. 14. And said unto him, dost thou certainly know,
&c.] Not that they thought he did know, or that
the thing was so flagrant that he must know it; but
that he might be assured of the truth of it, from the
information they were now about to give him: or,
dost thou not in knowing know {x} ? it is most certainly
true; and thou mayest depend upon it that it. is real
matter of fact: that Baalis the king of the Ammonites
hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee?
very probably Ishmael, with the forces under him,
fled to the king of the Ammonites upon the taking of
Jerusalem; who, out of ill will to the Jews, always
bore them by the Ammonites, envying their re'esta-
blishment under Gedaliah, and hoping to make a prey
of them if their governor was removed, moved it to
this young prince to dispatch him; and who might
be forward enough to undertake it, being displeased
that Gedaliah should be governor, which he might

{u} \^ynpl dmel\^ ut stem coram, Vatablus, Pagninus; ad standum
coram, Schmidt.
{w} \^Uyqw\^ & autumni fructus, Schmidt; fructus autumnales, Vatablus.
{x} \^edt edyh\^ nonne cognoscendo cognosces, Pagninus, Montanus.