Gedaliah

About Gedaliah Written by AI

Gedaliah, the son of Pashhur, is mentioned in Jeremiah 38:1 as one of the officials who heard the prophet Jeremiah's message during the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. Jeremiah had been prophesying that the Babylonians would conquer Jerusalem and that those who surrendered to them would live, while those who remained in the city would die (Jeremiah 38:2 to 3). Gedaliah, along with other officials named Jucal, Shephatiah, and Pashhur, reported Jeremiah's words to King Zedekiah and urged the king to put Jeremiah to death, accusing him of discouraging the soldiers and the people (Jeremiah 38:4). Zedekiah handed Jeremiah over to the officials, who lowered him into a cistern, where he sank into the mud (Jeremiah 38:5 to 6). However, Ebed-Melech, an Ethiopian eunuch, rescued Jeremiah with the king's permission (Jeremiah 38:7 to 13). Gedaliah's opposition to Jeremiah reflects the political and religious tensions in Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege and the prophet's unpopular message of surrender.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

This entry is on the name Gedaliah, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.

Made great by Jehovah. (1.) the son of Jeduthum (1 Chr. 25:3, 9). (2.) The grandfather of the prophet Zephaniah, and the father of Cushi (Zeph. 1:1). (3.) One of the Jewish nobles who conspired against Jeremiah (Jer. 38:1). (4.) The son of Ahikam, and grandson of Shaphan, secretary of king Josiah (Jer. 26:24). After the destruction of Jerusalem (see ZEDEKIAH), Nebuchadnezzar left him to govern the country as tributary to him (2 Kings 25:22; Jer. 40:5; 52:16). Ishmael, however, at the head of a party of the royal family, “Jewish irreconcilables”, rose against him, and slew him and “all the Jews that were with him” (Jer. 41:2, 3) at Mizpah about three months after the destruction of Jerusalem. He and his band also plundered the town of Mizpah, and carried off many captives. He was, however, overtaken by Johanan and routed. He fled with such of his followers as escaped to the Ammonites (41:15). The little remnant of the Jews now fled to Egypt.

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.