Jer 40
1
The word which came to Jeremiah from YHWH, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the
guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among
all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah, that were carried away captive to Babylon.
2
And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said to him, YHWH your God pronounced
this evil upon this place;
3
and YHWH has brought it, and done according as he spoke: because you have sinned against
YHWH, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.
4
And now, behold, I loose you this day from the chains which are upon your hand. If
it seem good to you to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will look well to you;
but if it seem ill to you to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land
is before you; where it seems good and right to you to go, there go.
5
Now while he was not yet gone back, Go back then, [said he], to Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities
of Judah, and dwell with him among the people; or go wheresoever it seems right to
you to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a present, and let him
go.
6
Then went Jeremiah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and dwelt with him among
the people that were left in the land.
7
Now when all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, even they and their
men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in
the land, and had committed to him men, and women, and children, and of the poorest
of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;
8
then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, [to wit], Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and
Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the
sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their
men.
9
And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men,
saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of
Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
10
As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans that shall
come to us: but you, gather you wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your
vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.
11
Likewise when 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 of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the
son of Shaphan;
12
then all the Jews returned out of all places where they were driven, and came to the
land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.
13
Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in
the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
14
and said to him, Do you know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon has sent
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed
them not.
15
Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me
go, I pray you, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know
it: wherefore should he take your life, that all the Jews that are gathered to you
should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish?
16
But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, You shall not do
this thing; for you speak falsely of Ishmael.