Jeremiah 41:12

12 they took all their men and went to fight with Ishmael son of Nethaniah and found him by the great pool in Gibeon.

Jeremiah 41:12 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 41:12

Then they took all the men
All the soldiers that were under their command; this they did at once, believing the report to be true, as they had reason to do; since they knew of Ishmael's designs, and had given notice and warning of them to Gedaliah, though he would not listen to them: and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah:
resolving to give him battle, and to revenge the innocent blood he had shed, and rescue the captives out of his hands he was carrying to the Ammonites: and found him by the great waters that [are] in Gibeon;
taking this road to the country of Ammon, though it was not quite the direct road; either to avoid the forces of Johanan; or rather for the sake of the hid treasure at Shechem, or Shiloh, or Samaria, the ten men had promised him for their lives. These great waters were the same with the pool at Gibeon, where the servants of Ishbosheth and the servants of David met, and sat one on one side, and the other on the other; and where twelve young men on each side slew one another, and from thence called Helkathhazzurim, ( 2 Samuel 2:12-16 ) ; and the Targum calls it

``the pool of many waters, which were in Gibeon.''
Josephus F16 calls it a fountain in Hebron; which perhaps should be read Gibeon.
FOOTNOTES:

F16 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 5.

Jeremiah 41:12 In-Context

10 Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people of Mizpah including the daughters of the king-all those who remained in Mizpah over whom Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set off to cross over to the Ammonites.
11 When Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done,
12 they took all their men and went to fight with Ishmael son of Nethaniah and found him by the great pool in Gibeon.
13 When all the people with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the army with him, they rejoiced,
14 and all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned around and rejoined Johanan son of Kareah.
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