Jeremiah
40
- The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD
after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah.
He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem
and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon.
- When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah,
he said to him, "The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place.
- And now the LORD has brought it about; he
has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned
against the LORD and did not obey him.
- But today I am freeing you from the chains
on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after
you; but if you do not want to, then don't come. Look, the whole country lies
before you; go wherever you please."
- However, before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan
added, "Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the
king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among
the people, or go anywhere else you please." Then the commander gave
him provisions and a present and let him go.
- So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam
at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the
land.
- When all the army officers and their men
who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed
Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge
of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had
not been carried into exile to Babylon,
- 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 Jaazaniah the son of the
Maacathite, and their men.
- Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan,
took an oath to reassure them and their men. "Do not be afraid to serve
the Babylonians," he said. "Settle down in the land and serve the
king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.
- I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent
you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine,
summer fruit and oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns
you have taken over."
- When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and
all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant
in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as
governor over them,
- they all came back to the land of Judah,
to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered.
And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.
- Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers
still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah
- and said to him, "Don't you know 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.
- Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately
to Gedaliah in Mizpah, "Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,
and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews
who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish
?"
- But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan
son of Kareah, "Don't do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael
is not true."
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