John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 41:16-18

"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, [to wit], the men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon: and they departed, and dwelt in Geruth Chimham, which is by Beth-lehem, to go to enter into Egypt, 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 over the land." — Jeremiah 41:16-18 (ASV)

The Prophet now shows that though some kind of virtue appeared in John the son of Kareah, he was not yet of a right mind. He was an energetic and a discreet man, but he revealed his unbelief when he led the remnant of the people into Egypt, while the Prophet was forbidding such a thing. He already knew that this was not lawful, but his obstinacy was all the greater when the Prophet repudiated his project, as we will see. This passage then teaches us that though the leaders of the forces, who had put Ishmael to flight and avenged his treachery, were men of courage and showed regard for the public good, they were destitute of faith: thus, the chief thing was lacking in them, that is, piety and the fear of God.

Then the Prophet says that John and the rest took the remnant of the people whom they had recovered from Ishmael, from Mizpah, this means not that they were recovered from that place, but that Ishmael had brought the unhappy people captive from Mizpah, as we have seen. Instead, they had all been recovered at Gibeon, according to what is said at the end of the verse.

But he says that they were valiant men, גברים , geberim, (he calls them this on account of their courage, as an explanation follows) and men of war, המלחמה אנשי , anushi emelecheme. He then calls them valiant or brave, and afterwards he explains what that virtue was: namely, that they were warlike men.

He says further that there were women mixed with them, and children, and eunuchs, who had once lived in the king’s court; and as we have seen before, the king’s daughters were among them. Gedaliah then had gathered a considerable number of people, not only from the lower orders but also from the higher class, whose wealth and rank had been significant while the kingdom still stood.

But the Prophet immediately adds the purpose they had all formed. They dwelt, he says, in Geruth; some render it, “in the peregrination;” but it seems to me to be a proper name, and I agree with those who render it so.

It is called the Geruth of Chimham, of whom mention is made in 2 Samuel 19:31, 37. He was the son of Barzillai, who had entertained David bountifully when David was a fugitive from his kingdom. When David wished to remunerate his kindness, the good man pleaded his age as an excuse, saying that he was old and so could not enjoy the things of this life; but he presented his son to David, and it is probable that this place was given to his son as a reward. It was therefore called Geruth-Chimham, with the name of its possessor attached to it.

And he says that it was near Bethlehem. It is also probable that when David wished to remunerate his host, he chose a place near his own city, where he was born.

It is added, to go, etc. Then the Prophet shows that this was not a settled habitation, but that they intended to go into Egypt. They knew that this was forbidden by the Law of God, and the Prophets had often pronounced a curse on such a design. Despite God’s prohibition, they prepared themselves for the journey.

Fear was the cause. But however much they might have justly feared, they still should have considered what God permitted.

For if a sick man takes poison instead of medicine, he must suffer the punishment that necessarily follows his own presumption and madness; so those who seek to provide for themselves contrary to God’s will gain only their own destruction. This was done, as the Prophet tells us, by the remnant of the people.

He then says that they were there for a time, but that they looked towards Egypt, on account, he says, of the Chaldeans, because they feared them, and for this reason: because Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, whom Nebuchadnezzar had set over the land.

This fear was not without reason. But they could have sent representatives to the king of Babylon, attributed the blame to the correct person, and cleared themselves; and the matter could have been settled. They could then have easily obtained a pardon from King Nebuchadnezzar.

But as no fear of God prevailed in them, they did not consider what was lawful and were led into Egypt by a blind impulse. Thus, fear was no alleviation of their crime, for there was another remedy at hand, which God would have blessed.

But when they disregarded God’s word and followed what their own feelings dictated to them, they schemed very badly for themselves. But what follows is far worse.