提要
當耶利米被巴比倫王的護衛長從耶路撒冷他被關的牢房釋放出來時，他顯然被錯混在被擄人中一起帶到拉瑪（耶路撒冷以北八公里）去（39：11~14）。在那裡他們被編為若干隊，然後遂往北行。在此時有一護衛長尊重耶利米，把他釋放了。護衛長或許從許多背叛者的見證熟悉耶利米的預言，因那些背叛者乃聽耶利米的勸告選擇投降而免死亡的人（參21：9）。依照多神信仰，每個國家都有自己的土地神，巴比倫王護衛長的觀念中，認為以色列人的上帝對猶大百姓既定的目的已經達成了（40：2~3）。
耶利米得釋放後選擇留在本土服事猶大的餘民，而不願到巴比倫去享受可能有的富貴。他到他的朋友亞希甘的兒子基大利作傀儡省長的所在地米斯巴去，在那裡與猶大的餘民在一起（26：24）。正如耶利米所宣告，基大利照著上帝的旨意接受巴比倫所授的統治權。許多逃往鄰國的猶太難民聽到基大利被立為省長和巴比倫人對餘民的寬待，都回本土來。基大利沒有使用武力，而得到那些在田野間的游擊隊支持（假裝投誠的以實瑪利這班人在外）。他很明智地叫他們在寒冷天氣未到之前，從事田間工作，積蓄所需的產物（40：10，12）。
在第四十一章中我們看到以實瑪利是一個大欺騙者；他使基大利相信他假的忠誠，以致喪掉性命，並且喪掉跟隨他的猶太人和迦勒底衛隊的性命。由於以實瑪利是王家的人，可能他殺基大利是為了表示他反對巴比倫人殺害和虐待他的親人西底家和他的兒子（參王下25：25；39：6~7）。以實瑪利也欺騙從以前北國的地方來的八十個哀傷的朝聖者，他們乃是要到耶路撒冷被毀的聖殿獻祭；不知何故，以實瑪利竟然殘暴地殺了他們，只留十人的命，因他們要把所藏的財物送給他（41：8）。
以實瑪利貪婪的另一明證，如果不是支持基大利的軍官約哈難阻止，他可能把猶大的餘民包括耶利米在內，當作奴隸賣給亞們人。猶大的餘民都喜歡約哈難，擁他為領袖。由於基大利和巴比倫兵丁被殺之故，除了耶利米，約哈難和那些猶大餘民都害怕巴比倫人會怪罪並責罰他們，所以約哈難決定帶著那些餘民要到埃及去避難（41；17）。他們決定到伯利恆附近停下來，考慮計畫並請耶利米求上帝指示當行的路。他們的話很動聽──如果是真心的話。他們應許要遵守上帝的指示行卻非出自內心，因他們早已決定要照自己的意思做，就是要進入埃及去。當他們在等候上帝回答的時候，耶利米看出他們的請求，以及應許遵行上帝旨意的話都是虛偽詭詐的（42：20）。
從最近耶路撒冷城的毀滅，猶大的百姓應該會學到對上帝必須順從的重要教訓。同時，他們也該從可跡查的記錄知道耶利米是一位真正的先知，應該留心聽他的話，可是他們過去卻充耳不聞。雖然耶和華曾給他們第二次機會，由於他們繼續不順從，現在將導致他們死在埃及了（42；21~22）。上帝願意拯救、釋放、栽植和建立他們在猶大地方，祇要他們肯順從祂（參閱路16：31）。
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Overview
It appears that after Jeremiah had been released by the Babylonian captain from the court of the prison in Jerusalem (39:11-14), he was mistakenly rounded up with the captives who were taken to Ramah (about 8 km north of Jerusalem). The Babylonians may have been organizing them into groups there before sending them on northwards. Here, the same captain freed Jeremiah and showed him respect. He was familiar with Jeremiah's prophecies, probably due to the witness of the many defectors who had taken Jeremiah's advice and surrendered themselves rather than dying (cf. 21:9). The Babylonian captain's recognition of God's purposes being fulfilled upon the people of Judah (40:2-3) was in keeping with the polytheistic belief that every nation had its own territorial god.
Once freed Jeremiah chose to remain in the land to minister among the remnant of Judah, rather than go to Babylon where he would have been honoured and made wealthy. He joined the rest of the remnant at Mizpah, the headquarters of the newly appointed puppet governor Gadaliah, the son of Ahikam, Jeremiah's friend (cf. 26:24). Gadaliah accepted the sovereignty of the Babylonians as the will of God, just as Jeremiah had proclaimed. Many of the Jewish refugees who had fled into the neighbouring countries returned when they heard of the appointment of Gadaliah and the leniency of the Babylonians to the remnant in the land. Without using any force, Gadaliah also gained the support of the guerrilla bands that had been roaming in the wilderness (except the band led by Ishmael who only feigned loyalty). He wisely put them all to work to gather the remaining produce from the fields before the colder weather came (40:10,12).
As we see in chapter 41, Ishmael was a great deceiver. Gedaliah had believed his lies of loyalty and it cost him his life, as well as the lives of the Jews who were with him and also the Chaldean guards. Since Ishmael was a member of the royal family, he may have killed Gedaliah to show his opposition to the Babylonians who had killed and mistreated his kinsmen, Zedekiah and his sons (cf. 2 Kings 25:25; 39:6-7). Ishmael also deceived the group of the eighty mournful pilgrims (from the former Northern Kingdom) who were making their way to the burned-down temple in Jerusalem. Whatever the motive, Ishmael was ruthless and killed all but ten who promised to give him their hidden treasures (41:8).
Ishmael's greed is again evident, for if Johanan, a military officer who had supported Gedaliah, had not intercepted Ishmael, he would have sold the remnant of people, including Jeremiah, as slaves to the Ammonites. Everyone was glad to see Johanan and looked to him for leadership. He and the people, except for Jeremiah, were afraid that they would be blamed and punished by the Babylonians for the deaths of Gedaliah and the Babylonian soldiers, therefore, Johanan decided to take the remnant to Egypt for protection (41:17). They decided to stop near Bethlehem to make plans and ask Jeremiah to seek the Lord's will for them. Their words were beautiful — if only they were sincere. Their promises to obey whatever God said did not come from their hearts, for they had already decided to do their will, and that was to go to Egypt. While waiting on the Lord for an answer, Jeremiah discerned that their request and promise to do the Lord's will was hypocritical (42:20).
One would think that the people of Judah would have learned the importance of obedience to God from the recent destruction of the city. Also, they should have known, by his track record, that Jeremiah was a true prophet and should have heeded his words; yet they did not. Although the Lord had given them a second chance, their continued disobedience would now lead to their deaths in Egypt (42:21-22). God was willing to save, deliver, plant, and build them in Judah, if only they had obeyed Him (see Luke 16:31).
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