The Book of Jeremiah (WEB)
40: 1The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, 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, who were carried away captive to Babylon. 40:2The captain of the
guard took Jeremiah, and said to him, Yahweh your God pronounced this evil on this place; 40:3and
Yahweh has brought it, and done according as he spoke: because you have sinned against
Yahweh, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come on you. 40:4Now, behold, I
loose you this day from the chains which are on 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. 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 has made governor over the cities of
Judah, and dwell with him among the people; or go wherever it seems right to you to go. So the
captain of the guard gave him victuals and a present, and let him go. 40:6Then went Jeremiah to
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the
land. 40:7Now when all the captains of the forces who 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 those who
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. 40:9Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their
men, saying, Don't be afraid 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 who 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. 40:11Likewise when all
the Jews who were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and who 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 where they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and
gathered wine and summer fruits very much. 40:13Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the
captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, 40:14and 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 didn't believe them. 40:15Then Johanan the son of
Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Please let me go, and I will kill Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: why should he take your life, that all the Jews who
are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish? 40:16But Gedaliah the son
of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, You shall not do this thing; for you speak falsely of Ishmael.
World English Bible