Jeremiah 41:8

But ten of the men among them said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us, for we have hidden treasure in the field—wheat, barley, oil, and honey!” So he refrained from killing them with the others.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Ten men among a group of captives approach Ishmael son of Nethaniah while he is slaughtering others and throwing them into a cistern. They intervene at that exact moment to plead for their own lives before the massacre concludes.

The words — The phrase וַ/עֲשָׂרָ֨ה אֲנָשִׁ֜ים (va./'a.sa.Rah 'a.na.Shim) literally means "and ten men," identifying the specific survivors. Their plea אַל־ תְּמִתֵ֔/נוּ ('al- te.mi.Te./nu) translates directly to "do not kill us," stating a direct request for mercy.

The thread — The relationship between material wealth and survival appears in Job 2:4, where Satan notes a man will trade all he owns for his life, and Proverbs 13:8, which contrasts riches that may ransom a man with the poor who hear no threat. Psalm 49:6 similarly records that some place their trust and boast in their great riches.

Why it lands — The text asks a reader to acknowledge that survival in immediate danger often hinges on tangible resources rather than righteousness. It requires a clear-eyed view of how material security operates as a practical shield against violence.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַעֲשָׂרָ֨הva./'a.sa.Rahand/ ten אֲנָשִׁ֜ים'a.na.Shimmen נִמְצְאוּ־nim.tze.'u-they were foundבָ֗םVa/mamong <the>/ themוַיֹּאמְר֤וּva/i.yo.me.Ruand/ they said אֶל־'el-to יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙yish.ma.'eLIshmael אַל־'al-may not תְּמִתֵ֔נוּte.mi.Te./nuyou kill/ us כִּֽי־ki-for יֶשׁ־yesh-there isלָ֤נוּLa./nu[belonging] to <the>/ usמַטְמֹנִים֙mat.mo.Nimtreasures בַּשָּׂדֶ֔הba./sa.Dehin the/ field חִטִּ֥יםchi.Timwheat<s>וּשְׂעֹרִ֖יםu./se.'o.Rimand/ barley<s>וְשֶׁ֣מֶןve./She.menand/ oil וּדְבָ֑שׁu./de.Vashand/ honey וַיֶּחְדַּ֕לva/i.yech.Daland/ he refrained וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not הֱמִיתָ֖םhe.mi.Ta/mhe killed/ them בְּת֥וֹךְbe./Tokhin/ among אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃'a.chei./Hemrelatives/ their

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Job 2:4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.
Proverbs 13:8 Riches may ransom a man’s life, but a poor man hears no threat.
Psalms 49:6 They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
Isaiah 45:3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and the riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Matthew 16:26 What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark 8:36 What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Philippians 3:7 But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.

People named

Ishmael