The Book of Jeremiah
40: 1The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, 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 unto Babylon. 40:2And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and
said unto him, Jehovah thy God pronounced this evil upon this place; 40:3and
Jehovah hath brought it, and done according as he spake: because ye have sinned
against Jehovah, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon
you. 40:4And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which are upon thy
hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will
look well unto thee; but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon,
forbear: behold, all the land is before thee; whither it seemeth good and right unto
thee to go, thither go. 40:5Now 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 hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among
the people; or go wheresoever it seemeth right unto thee to go. So the captain of
the guard gave him victuals and a present, and let him go. 40:6Then went Jeremiah
unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and dwelt with him among the
people that were left in the land. 40:7Now 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 unto
him men, and women, and children, and of the poorest of the land, of them that
were not carried away captive to Babylon; 40:8then 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. 40:9And
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto 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. 40:10As for me, behold, I will dwell
at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans that shall come unto us: but ye, gather
ye wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in
your cities that ye have taken. 40:11Likewise 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; 40:12then all the
Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of
Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very
much. 40:13Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces
that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, 40:14and said unto him, Dost
thou know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon hath sent Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah to take thy life? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them
not. 40:15Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly,
saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and
no man shall know it: wherefore should he take thy life, that all the Jews that are
gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish? 40:16But
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not
do this thing; for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.