Jeremias 40

1 Det Ord, som kom til Jeremias fra Herren, efter at Nebusar-Adan, Øversten for Livvagten, havde løsladt ham fra Rama af, idet han havde ladet ham hente, medens han var bunden med Lænker, midt iblandt alle de bortførte fra Jerusalem og Juda, som bleve bortførte til Babel.

[The soldiers from Babylonia] captured me and many other people from Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah. They [planned to] take us to Babylon. So they fastened chains around our wrists and took us to Ramah [town north of Jerusalem]. While we were there, I was released. [This is how it happened]:

2 Og den øverste for Livvagten lod Jeremias hente og sagde til ham: Herren din Gud har udsagt det onde imod denne Stad.

[Nebuzaradan, ] the captain of the [king’s] bodyguards, [found that I was there]. He summoned me and said to me, “Yahweh your God said that he would cause this land to experience a disaster.

3 Og Herren lod det komme og gjorde, efter som han havde talt; thi I syndede imod Herren og hørte ikke hans Røst, derfor er eder sket efter dette Ord

And now he has caused it to happen. He has done just what he said [that he would do], because you people sinned against Yahweh and refused to obey him.

4 Og nu, se, jeg har i Dag løst dig af Lænkerne, som vare paa dine Hænder; dersom det synes godt for dine Øjne at komme med mig til Babel, saa kom, og jeg vil lade mit Øje være over dig; men dersom det synes ondt for dine Øjne at komme med mig til Babel, saa lad det være; se, hele Landet ligger for dit Ansigt, hvor det synes godt og ret for dine Øjne at gaa, gak derhen!

But today I am going to take the chains off your wrists and release you. If you want to come with me to Babylon, [that will be fine]. I will take care of you. But if you do not want to come with me, do not come. [Stay here]. Look, the entire country is available; you can choose whatever part you want to go to. You can go wherever you wish.” [Then he took the chains off my wrists].

5 Og efterdi han ikke mere vender tilbage, vend du om til Gedalia, Ahikams Søn, Safans Sønnesøn, hvem Kongen af Babel har beskikket over Judas Stæder, og bo hos ham midt iblandt Folket, eller gaa hen, hvor som helst det synes ret for dine Øjne at gaa; og den øverste for Livvagten gav ham Tæring og Skænk og lod ham fare.

He said, “If you [decide to] stay here, go to Gedaliah. The King of Babylon appointed him to be the governor of Judah. [You will be allowed to] stay here with the people [that he is governing]. But you can do whatever you want to.” Then Nebuzaradan gave me some food and some money, and he allowed me to go.

6 Saa kom Jeremias til Gedalia, Ahikams Søn, til Mizpa, og han boede hos ham midt iblandt Folket, som var blevet tilbage i Landet.

I returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and I stayed in Judah with the people who still remained in the land.

7 Da alle Høvedsmænd for Hærene, som vare paa Marken, baade de og deres Mænd hørte, at Kongen af Babel havde beskikket Gedalia, Ahikams Søn, over Landet, og at han havde betroet ham Mænd og Kvinder og smaa Børn og en Del af de fattige i Landet af dem, som ikke vare bortførte til Babel:

The [Israeli] soldiers [who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia] were roaming around in the countryside. Then their leaders heard someone say that the King of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to be the governor of the very poor people [who were still in Judah], who had not been taken to Babylon.

8 Da kom de til Gedalia, til Mizpa, baade Ismael, Nethanjas Søn, og Johanan og Jonathan, Kareaks Sønner, og Seraja, Tankumets Søn, og Netofatiten Efajs Sønner og Jesanja, Maakatitens Søn, de og deres Mænd.

So they went [to talk] to Gedaliah at Mizpah. [Those who went included] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophath, and Jezaniah from Maacah, and the soldiers who were with them.

9 Og Gedalia, Ahikams Søn, Safans Sønnesøn, tilsvor dem og deres Mænd og sagde: I skulle ikke frygte for at tjene Kaldæerne; bliver i Landet, og tjener Kongen af Babel, saa skal det gaa eder vel.

Gedaliah solemnly promised that the soldiers from Babylonia would not harm them. He said, “Do not be afraid to do things for them. Stay [here] in this land and do things for the King of Babylon. If you do that, things will go well for you.

10 Og jeg, se, jeg bliver boende i Mizpa, til at træde frem for Kaldæerne, som komme til os; men samler I Vin og Sommerfrugt og Olie, og gemmer det i eders Kar, og bor i eders Stæder, som I tage i Besiddelse.

As for me, I will stay [here] at Mizpah to be your representative to the [officials from] Babylonia who come to [talk with] us. But you should [return to your towns, and eat the things that are produced on your land]. Harvest the grapes and the fruit [that ripen in] the (summer/hot season) and the olives, [make wine and olive oil, ] and store it.”

11 Da ogsaa alle de Jøder, som vare i Moab og iblandt Ammons Børn og i Edom og i alle Landene, hørte, at Kongen af Babel havde ladet nogle blive tilbage i Juda, og at han havde beskikket Gedalia, Ahikams Søn, Safans Sønnesøn, over dem,

Then the Jews who had fled to Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other [nearby] countries heard people say that the King of Babylon had allowed a few people [to remain] in Judah, and that he had appointed Gedaliah to be their governor.

12 da kom alle Jøderne tilbage fra alle de Stæder, hvorhen de vare fordrevne, og de kom til Judas Land, til Gedalia til Mizpa; og de samlede Vin og Sommerfrugt i stor Mængde.

So they [began to] return to Judah. They stopped at Mizpah to [talk with] Gedaliah. Then [they went to various places in Judea, and] they harvested a great amount of grapes and summer fruit.

13 Men Johanan, Kareaks Søn og alle Høvedsmænd for Hærene, som vare paa Marken, kom til Gedalia til Mizpa,

[Some time later, ] Johanan and all the [other] leaders of the Israeli soldiers [who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia] came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

14 og de sagde til ham: Ved du vel, at Baalis, Ammons Børns Konge, har sendt Ismael, Nethanjas Søn, for at slaa dig ihjel? Men Gedalia, Ahikams Søn, troede dem ikke.

They said to him, “Do you know that Baalis, the king of the Ammon [people-group], has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to assassinate you?” But Gedaliah did not believe what they said.

15 Da sagde Johanan, Kareaks Søn, hemmeligt til Gedalia i Mizpa: Kære, lad mig gaa og slaa Ismael, Nethanjas Søn, ihjel, og ingen skal faa det at vide; hvorfor skulde han slaa dig ihjel, saa at alle de af Juda, som ere samlede om dig, adspredes, og det overblevne af Juda omkommer?

Later Johanan talked with Gedaliah privately. He said, “Allow me to go and murder Ishmael secretly. It would not be good [RHQ] to allow him to come and murder you! If you are killed, what will happen to all the Jews who have returned to this area? They will be scattered, and the other people who remain in Judah will all be killed!”

16 Men Gedalia, Ahikams Søn, sagde til Johanan, Kareaks Søn: Gør ikke den Gerning; thi det er usandt, hvad du taler om Ismael.

But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “[No], I will not allow you to do that. [I think that] you are lying about Ishmael.”