| 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. |
| 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; |
|
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. |
| 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. |
|
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. |
| 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. |
