The Meaning of Jeremiah 41:8 Explained

Jeremiah 41:8

KJV: But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

YLT: And ten men have been found among them, and they say unto Ishmael, 'Do not put us to death, for we have things hidden in the field -- wheat, and barley, and oil, and honey.' And he forbeareth, and hath not put them to death in the midst of their brethren.

Darby: But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Do not kill us, for we have hidden stores in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbore, and did not kill them among their brethren.

ASV: But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not; for we have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But ten  men  were found  among them that said  unto Ishmael,  Slay  us not: for we have  treasures  in the field,  of wheat,  and of barley,  and of oil,  and of honey.  So he forbare,  and slew  them not among  their brethren. 

What does Jeremiah 41:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Ten of the men from the north convinced Ishmael to let them live by claiming that they had a hidden cache of food stored in a field. The Israelites frequently used dry wells and cisterns as underground silos. [1] Apparently Ishmael needed these supplies and so allowed these10 men to live, at least until he had confiscated their food.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 41

1  Ishmael, treacherously killing Gedaliah and others,
7  purposes with the residue to flee unto the Ammonites
11  Johanan rescues the captives, and is minded to flee into Egypt

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 41:8 mean?

But ten men were found among them and who said to Ishmael not do kill us for have we treasures in the field of wheat and barley and oil and honey And he desisted and not did kill them among their brothers
וַעֲשָׂרָ֨ה אֲנָשִׁ֜ים נִמְצְאוּ־ בָ֗ם וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֶל־ יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ אַל־ תְּמִתֵ֔נוּ כִּֽי־ יֶשׁ־ לָ֤נוּ מַטְמֹנִים֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה חִטִּ֥ים וּשְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְשֶׁ֣מֶן וּדְבָ֑שׁ וַיֶּחְדַּ֕ל וְלֹ֥א הֱמִיתָ֖ם בְּת֥וֹךְ אֲחֵיהֶֽם

וַעֲשָׂרָ֨ה  But  ten 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, masculine singular
Root: עֶשֶׂר 
Sense: ten.
אֲנָשִׁ֜ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
נִמְצְאוּ־  were  found 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
בָ֗ם  among  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ  and  who  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙  Ishmael 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׁמָעֵאל  
Sense: son of Abraham and Sarah’s handmaid Hagar and the progenitor of the Arabian peoples.
תְּמִתֵ֔נוּ  do  kill  us 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
מַטְמֹנִים֙  treasures 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַטְמֹון  
Sense: hidden treasure, treasure.
בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה  in  the  field 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
חִטִּ֥ים  of  wheat 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: חִטָּה  
Sense: wheat.
וּשְׂעֹרִ֖ים  and  barley 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: שְׂעֹרָה  
Sense: barley.
וְשֶׁ֣מֶן  and  oil 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
וּדְבָ֑שׁ  and  honey 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּבַשׁ  
Sense: honey.
וַיֶּחְדַּ֕ל  And  he  desisted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָדַל 
Sense: to stop, cease, desist, forego, cease to be, leave undone, forbear.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הֱמִיתָ֖ם  did  kill  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
אֲחֵיהֶֽם  their  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.