Jeremiah 40

1 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.

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after Nebuzaradan, the leader of the military, had released him from Ramah, where he had taken him, bound in chains, along with all those who were being carried away from Jerusalem and from Judah, and were being led to Babylon.

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

Therefore, the leader of the military, taking Jeremiah, said to him: “The Lord your God has declared this evil over this place,

3 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.

and he has brought it. And the Lord has done just as he has spoken. For you have sinned against the Lord, and you have not heeded his voice, and so this word has happened to you.

4 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.

Now therefore, behold, I have released you this day from the chains which were on your hands. If it pleases you to come with me into Babylon, then come. And I will set my eyes upon you. But if it displeases you to come with me into Babylon, then remain. Behold, all the land is in your sight. Whatever you will choose, and wherever it will please you to go, so shall you go, proceeding to that place.

5 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.

And you may decline to come with me. For you may live with Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah. Therefore, you may live with him in the midst of the people. And you may go wherever it will please you to go.” And the leader of the military also gave him foods and gifts, and he released him.

6 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.

Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. And he lived with him in the midst of the people, those who had been left behind in the land.

7 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:

And when all the leaders of the army, who had been dispersed throughout the regions, they and their associates, had heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, governor of the land, and that he had committed to him the men, and women, and children, and the poor of the land, who had not been carried away to Babylon,

8 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.

they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah, with Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan, the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai, who were of Netophathi, and Jezaniah, the son of Maacathi, they and their men.

9 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.

And Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their companions, saying: “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.

10 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.

Behold, I live at Mizpah, so that I may follow the instruction of the Chaldeans who are sent to us. But as for you, gather the vintage, and the harvest, and the oil, and store it up in your vessels, and dwell in your cities, which you hold.”

11 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;

So then, all the Jews, who were in Moab, and among the sons of Ammon, and in Idumea, and in all the regions, when they had heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judea, and that he had made Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor over them,

12 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.

all the Jews, I say, returned from all the places to which they had fled, and they came into the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and an exceedingly great harvest.

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

Then Johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the leaders of the army, who had been dispersed in the regions, came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

14 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.

And they said to him: “Know that Baalis, the king of the sons of Ammon, has sent Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, to strike down your life.” And Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, did not believe them.

15 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?

But Johanan, the son of Kareah, spoke to Gedaliah, separately, at Mizpah, saying: “I will go, and I will strike down Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, without anyone knowing; otherwise he may kill you, and all the Jews will be scattered who have been gathered to you, and the remnant of Judah will perish.”

16 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.

And Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, said to Johanan, the son of Kareah: “Do not do this word. For what you have said about Ishmael is false.”