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Chapter 40 |
| 1 | The word that
came to Jeremiah from the LORD, 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 that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried
away captive unto Babylon. |
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2 | And the captain of the guard took
Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon
this place. |
| 3
| Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he
hath said: because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his
voice, therefore this thing is come upon you. |
| 4 | And now,
behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine 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 convenient for
thee to go, thither go. |
| 5 | Now while he was not yet gone back, he said,
Go back also 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 convenient unto thee to go. So the
captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go. |
| 6 |
Then went Jeremiah unto 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 which 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
poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;
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| 8 | Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even 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 a Maachathite,
they and their men. |
| 9 | And 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. |
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10 | As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to serve
the Chaldeans, which will 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. |
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11 | Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and
among the Ammonites, 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 | Even 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. |
| 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 unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites
hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam believed them not. |
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15 | Then 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
slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered,
and the remnant in Judah perish? |
| 16 | But Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for
thou speakest falsely of Ishmael. |
