OTNT

Jer 40


40:1 The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon.

40:2 When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place.

40:3 And now the LORD has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him.

40:4 But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”

40:5 However, before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.” Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go.

40:6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

40:7 When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon,

40:8 they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah–Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, and their men.

40:9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.

40:10 I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.”

40:11 When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them,

40:12 they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

40:13 Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

40:14 and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

40:15 Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?”

40:16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”

40:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah after Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him while he was bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah, who were being exiled to Babylon.

40:2 Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, Jehovah your God spoke this evil against this place.

40:3 And Jehovah has caused it to come to pass and done as He had spoken, because all of you have sinned against Jehovah and have not listened to His voice; therefore this thing has come upon you.

40:4 And now I release you today from the chains which are on your hands. If it is good in your sight to come to Babylon with me, come, and I will look after you; but if it is evil in your sight to come with me to Babylon, let it be so. See, all the land is before you; wherever it is good and right in your sight to go, there go.

40:5 While he had still not turned away, he said, Return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people; or go wherever it is right in your sight to go. And the captain of the bodyguard gave him an allowance of food and a present and let him go.

40:6 And Jeremiah came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam at Mizpah and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land.

40:7 And when all the captains of the forces that were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land and had committed to him men and women and little children and those of the poor of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon,

40:8 They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, that is, 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.

40:9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their men, saying, Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans; dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.

40:10 Now as for me, I will dwell in Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who come to us; but you, gather wine and summer fruit and oil and put them in your storage vessels, and dwell in your cities which you have taken.

40:11 And all the Jews who were in Moab and among the children of Ammon and in Edom and who were in all the lands also heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah and had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan.

40:12 And all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

40:13 And Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

40:14 And they said to him, Are you at all aware 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 would not believe them.

40:15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, Let me go and strike Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know. Why should he take your life and all the Jews who are gathered to you be scattered and the remnant of Judah perish?

40:16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, Do not do this thing, for you are speaking falsehood concerning Ishmael.