40The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took him bound in fetters along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon.H1697H3414H3068H310H5018H7227H2876H7971H7414H3947H631H246H8432H1546H3389H3063H1540H894 2The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, "The LORD your God threatened this place with this disaster;H7227H2876H3947H3414H559H3068H430H1696H7451H4725 3and now the LORD has brought it about, and has done as he said, because all of you sinned against the LORD and did not obey his voice. Therefore this thing has come upon you.H3068H935H6213H1696H2398H3068H8085H6963H1697 4Now look, I have just released you today from the fetters on your hands. If you wish to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will take good care of you; but if you do not wish to come with me to Babylon, you need not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go.H6605H3117H246H3027H2896H5869H935H894H935H7760H5869H7489H5869H935H894H2308H7200H776H6440H413H2896H3477H5869H3212H3212 5If you remain, then return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the towns of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or go wherever you think it right to go." So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go.H7725H7725H1436H1121H296H1121H8227H4428H894H6485H5892H3063H3427H8432H5971H3212H3477H5869H3212H7227H2876H5414H737H4864H7971 6Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.H935H3414H1436H1121H296H4708H3427H8432H5971H7604H776 7When all the leaders of the forces in the open country and their troops heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon,H8269H2428H7704H582H8085H4428H894H1436H1121H296H6485H776H6485H582H802H2945H1803H776H1540H894 8they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, they and their troops.H935H1436H4708H3458H1121H5418H3110H3129H1121H7143H8304H1121H8576H1121H5778H5200H3153H1121H4602H582 9Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan swore to them and their troops, saying, "Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall go well with you.H1436H1121H296H1121H8227H7650H582H559H3372H5647H3778H3427H776H5647H4428H894H3190 10As for me, I am staying at Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us; but as for you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and live in the towns that you have taken over."H3427H4709H5975H6440H3778H935H622H3196H7019H8081H7760H3627H3427H5892H8610 11Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan as governor over them,H3064H4124H5983H123H776H8085H4428H894H5414H7611H3063H6485H1436H1121H296H1121H8227 12then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been scattered and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah; and they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.H3064H7725H4725H5080H935H776H3063H1436H4708H622H3196H7019H3966H7235 13Now Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at MizpahH3110H1121H7143H8269H2428H7704H935H1436H4708 14and said to him, "Are you at all aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?" But Gedaliah son of Ahikam would not believe them.H559H3045H3045H1185H4428H1121H5983H7971H3458H1121H5418H5221H5315H1436H1121H296H539 15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, "Please let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one else will know. Why should he take your life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered around you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish?"H3110H1121H7143H559H1436H4709H5643H559H3212H5221H3458H1121H5418H376H3045H5221H5315H3064H6908H6327H7611H3063H6 16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, "Do not do such a thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael."H1436H1121H296H559H3110H1121H7143H6213H1697H1696H8267H3458
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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