2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him, and struck Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Smote Gedaliah - See the preceding chapter, Jeremiah 41:14.
Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him,.... After they had eat and drank well, they rose up from their seats at table:
and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword,
and slew him; they all drew their swords and thrust at him, and were assisting in the murder of him; though it is probable that it was Ishmael that gave him the mortal wound, since the phrase, "and slew him", is singular. Josephus (d) says that Gedaliah prepared a splendid table, and made a sumptuous entertainment for them, and being drunk himself, which they observed, took the opportunity and slew him, and all at table with him:
whom the king Babylon had made governor over the land; which mentioned; both to aggravate the crime they were guilty of, and to observe the reason of it, and what it was that prompted them to it; for so the words may be rendered, "because the king of Babylon had made him governor over the land" (e).
(d) Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 4. (e) "quia illum praefecerat", Vatablus. So Ben Melech.
slew him whom the king of Babylon had made governor--This assigns a reason for their slaying him, as well as showing the magnitude of their crime (Daniel 2:21; Romans 13:1).
*More commentary available at chapter level.