Free group study handout
Jeremiah 41: Group Study Handout
How to use: read Jeremiah 41 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.
Overview
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah visits Gedaliah the son of Ahikam in Mizpah, where they eat together (vv. 1-2). Ishmael then kills Gedaliah and all the Jews and Chaldeans present in Mizpah (vv.
Key verse
“But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,”
Jeremiah 41:11 (WEB)
Outline
- Jeremiah 41:1–2 Ishmael's Betrayal of Gedaliah
- Jeremiah 41:3–7 Massacre at Mizpah
- Jeremiah 41:8–10 Captives Taken
- Jeremiah 41:11–15 Johanan's Response
- Jeremiah 41:16–18 The Flight to Geruth Chimham
Discussion questions
- In v2, who does Ishmael kill and what was his position?
- What act does Ishmael perform in v7 upon meeting the eighty men?
- Ishmael's deception in v6: why does he weep while inviting the men to Gedaliah?
- Ishmael's escape in v15: what does it suggest about his motivations and loyalties?
- When have you acted against someone you were supposed to support, like Ishmael with Gedaliah?
Go deeper
Passages that echo Jeremiah 41: Jeremiah 40, Jeremiah 42, 2 Kings 25.
Before next time: read Jeremiah 42.