Jeremia 40
1 Detta är det ord, som af Herranom skedde till Jeremia, då NebuzarAdan, höfvitsmannen, gaf honom lös i Rama; ty han var ock bunden med kedjor ibland alla dem som i Jerusalem och Juda fångne voro, att man dem till Babel bortföra skulle.
[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 Då nu höfvitsmannen hade låtit hemta Jeremia till sig, sade han till honom: Herren din Gud hafver talat denna olyckona öfver detta rummet;
[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 Och Herren hafver också låtit kommat, och gjort som han det sagt hafver; ty I hafven syndat emot Herran, och icke lydt hans röst, derföre är eder sådant vederfaret.
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 Nu si, jag hafver i dag gjort dig lös utu kedjorna, der dina händer med bundna voro; lyster dig draga med mig till Babel, så kom, jag vill veta ditt bästa; lyster dig ock icke draga med mig till Babel, så låt det blifva; Si, der hafver du hela landet för dig; hvar dig tycker godt vara och dig behagar, dit gack.
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 Ty fram länger varder ingen omvändning mer; derföre må du vända om igen till Gedalia, Ahikams son, Saphans sons, den Konungen i Babel öfver Juda städer satt hafver, och blifva när honom ibland folket, eller gå bort, dit dig bäst täckes. Och höfvitsmannen gaf honom täring och skänker, och lät honom gå.
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 Alltså kom Jeremia till Gedalia, Ahikams son, i Mizpa, och blef när honom ibland folket, som ännu i landena qvart blifvet var.
I returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and I stayed in Judah with the people who still remained in the land.
7 Då nu de höfvitsmän, som i markene lågo, samt med deras folk, fingo veta, att Konungen i Babel hade satt Gedalia, Ahikams son, öfver landet, och både öfver män och qvinnor, barn och de ringesta i landena, som till Babel icke förde voro,
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 Kommo de till Gedalia i Mizpa, nämliga: Ismael, Nethanja son, Johanan och Jonathan, Kareahs söner, och Seraja, Thanhumeths son, och Ephai söner af Nethophat, och Jesania, Mahachati son, samt med deras män.
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 Och Gedalia, Ahikams son, Saphans sons, gjorde dem och deras män en ed, och sade: Frukter eder intet att vara de Chaldeer underdånige; blifver i landena, och varer Konungenom i Babel underdånige, så varder eder väl gåendes.
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 Si, jag bor här i Mizpa, på det jag skall tjena de Chaldeer, som till oss komma; derföre församler in vin, och fikon, och oljo, och låter det uti edor fat, och bor uti edra städer, som I fått hafven.
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 Och alle de Judar, som i Moabs land voro, och Ammons barnas, och i Edom, och i all land, då de hörde att Konungen i Babel hade låtit somliga qvara blifva i Juda, och satt Gedalia, Ahikams son, Saphans sons, öfver 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 Kommo de alle igen ifrån all rum, dit de hade fördrefne varit, in uti Juda land, till Gedalia i Mizpa, och församlade in ganska mycket vin och fikon.
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, Kareahs son, samt med alla höfvitsmännerna, som i markene legat hade, kommo till Gedalia i 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 Och sade till honom: Vetst du ock, att Baalis, Ammons barnas Konung, hafver sändt hit Ismael, Nethanja son, att han skall slå dig ihjäl. Så ville Gedalia, Ahikans son, icke tro dem.
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 Då sade Johanan, Kareahs son, till Gedalia hemliga i Mizpa: Käre, jag vill gå bort, och slå Ismael, Nethanja son, ihjäl, så att ingen skall få vetat; hvi skall han slå dig, att alle de Judar, som till dig församlade äro, skola förströdde varda, och de som ännu af Juda qvare blefne äro, förgås?
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 son, sade till Johanan, Kareahs son: Det skall du icke göra; det är intet sant, som du om Ismael säger.
But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “[No], I will not allow you to do that. [I think that] you are lying about Ishmael.”
