Jeremiah 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.