Thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.] He thought it quite possible that the man who was capable of becoming an assassin was capable of telling a lie; and therefore he would not credit what he said. Had he been a little more distrustful, he would have saved his own life. The next chapter shows that Johanan's information was too true. So noble Gedaliah lost his life by not believing that evil of others of which he himself was incapable.

Jer. 40:1-6 The captain of the guard seems to glory that he had bee God's instrument to fulfil, what Jeremiah had been God's messenger to foretell. Many can see God's justice and truth with regard to others who are heedless and blind as to themselves and their own sins. But sooner or later, all men shall be made sensible that their sin is the cause of all their miseries. Jeremiah has leave to dispose of himself but is advised to go to Gedaliah, governor of the land under the kin of Babylon. It is doubtful whether Jeremiah acted right in thi decision. But those who desire the salvation of sinners, and the goo of the church, are apt to expect better times from slight appearances and they will prefer the hope of being useful, to the most secur situations without it.

Jer. 40:7-16 Jeremiah had never in his prophecies spoken of any goo days for the Jews, to come immediately after the captivity; ye Providence seemed to encourage such an expectation. But how soon is this hopeful prospect blighted! When God begins a judgment, he wil complete it. While pride, ambition, or revenge, bears rule in the heart, men will form new projects, and be restless in mischief, whic commonly ends in their own ruin. Who would have thought, that after the destruction of Jerusalem, rebellion would so soon have sprung up? Ther can be no thorough change but what grace makes. And if the miserable who are kept in everlasting chains for the judgment of the great day were again permitted to come on earth, the sin and evil of their natur would be unchanged. Lord, give us new hearts, and that new mind in which the new birth consists, since thou hast said we cannot without i see thy heavenly kingdom __________________________________________________________________

Original Hebrew