Jeremiah 40

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had released him at Ramah, having found him bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon.

The word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had dismissed him from Ramah, when he had taken him as he was bound in chains in the midst of all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah, who were carried away into exile unto Babylon.

2 The captain of the guard found Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster on this place,

Then took the captain of the guard Jeremiah, and said unto him, The Lord thy God had spoken this evil over this place;

3 and now the LORD has fulfilled it; He has done just as He said. Because you people have sinned against the LORD and have not obeyed His voice, this thing has happened to you.

Now the Lord hath brought it [to fulfillment], and hath done according as he had spoken; because ye had sinned against the Lord, and had not hearkened to his voice; and therefore is this thing come upon you.

4 But now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains that were on your wrists. If it pleases you to come with me to Babylon, then come, and I will take care of you. But if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, go no farther. Look, the whole land is before you. Wherever it seems good and right to you, go there.”

And now, behold, I have freed thee this day from the chains which were upon thy hand. If it seem good in thy eyes to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will direct my eye unto thee; but if it seem ill in thy eyes to come with me to Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee; whither it seemeth good and proper in thy eyes to go, thither go.

5 But before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, “Return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people, or go anywhere else that seems right.” Then the captain of the guard gave him a ration and a gift and released him.

And as he did not yet turn about, [he said, ] Go then back to Gedalyah the son of Achikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath appointed governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him in the midst of the people; or wheresoever it seemeth proper in thy eyes to go, go. And the captain of the guard gave him an allowance and a present, and then dismissed him.

6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

So did Jeremiah come unto Gedalyah the son of Achikam to Mizpah; and he dwelt with him in the midst of the people that had been left in the land.

7 When all the commanders and men of the armies in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women, and children who were the poorest of the land and had not been exiled to Babylon,

Now when all the captains of the armies who were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedalyahu the son of Achikam governor over the land, and that he had entrusted unto him men, and women, and children, and these of the poorest of the land, of those that had not been carried away into exile to Babylon:

8 they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men.

Then came they to Gedalyah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethanyahu, and Jochanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareach, and Serayah the son of Tanchumeth, and the sons of 'Ephai the Netophathite, and Yezanyahu the son of a Ma'achathite, they and their men.

9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.

And Gedalyahu the son of Achikam the son of Shaphan swore unto them and unto their men, saying, Have no fear to serve the Chaldeans: remain in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.

10 As for me, I will stay in Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us. As for you, gather wine grapes, summer fruit, and oil, place them in your storage jars, and live in the cities you have taken.”

As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans, who will come unto us; but ye, gather ye together wine, and summer-fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities of which ye have taken possession.

11 When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, over them,

And so likewise all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the children of 'Ammon, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant unto Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedalyahu the son of Achikam the son of Shaphan;

12 they all returned from all the places to which they had been banished and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered an abundance of wine grapes and summer fruit.

And then did all the Jews return out of all places whither they had been driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedalyahu, unto Mizpah, and gathered together wine and summer-fruits in very great abundance.

13 Meanwhile, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

And Jochanan the son of Kareach, and all the captains of the armies that were in the field, came to Gedalyahu to Mizpah,

14 and said to him, “Are you aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

And they said unto him, Dost thou at all know that Ba'alis the king of the children of 'Ammon hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethanyah to deprive thee of life? But Gedalyahu the son of Achikam believed them not.

15 Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,” he said. “No one will know it. Why should he take your life and scatter all the people of Judah who have gathered to you, so that the remnant of Judah would perish?”

And Jochanan the son of Kareach said to Gedalyahu secretly in Mizpah, as followeth, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethanyah, and no man shall know of it: wherefore should he deprive thee of life, whereby all the Jews who are gathered unto thee would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah be lost?

16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is a lie.”

But Gedalyahu the son of Achikam said unto Jochanan the son of Kareach, Thou shalt not do this thing; for thou speakest a falsehood concerning Ishmael.