1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Loʀᴅ after AJer 39:9, 11Nebuzaradan captain of the bodyguard had released him from BJer 31:15Ramah, when he had taken him bound in CActs 12:6, 7; 21:13; 28:20; Eph 6:20chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. 2 Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “The ALev 26:14-38; Deut 28:15-68; 29:24-28; 31:17; 32:19-25; Jer 22:8, 9Loʀᴅ your God promised this calamity against this place; 3 and the Loʀᴅ has brought it on and done just as He promised. Because you people AJer 50:7; Dan 9:11; Rom 2:5sinned against the Loʀᴅ and did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you. 4  “But now, behold, I am AJer 39:11, 12freeing you today from the chains which are on your hands. If 1Lit it is good in your eyesyou would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will 2Lit set my eyes onlook after you; but if 3Lit it is evil in your eyesyou would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, 4Lit refrain!never mind. Look, the BGen 13:9; 20:15; 47:6whole land is before you; go wherever it seems good and right for you to go.” 5 As 1Lit heJeremiah was still not going back, 2I.e. Nebuzaradanhe said, “Go on back then to AJer 39:14Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has B2 Kin 25:23appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or else go anywhere it seems right for you to go.” So the captain of the bodyguard gave him a CJer 52:34ration and a D2 Kin 8:7-9gift and let him go. 6 Then Jeremiah went to AJudg 20:1; 21:1; 1 Sam 7:5; 2 Chr 16:6Mizpah to BJer 39:14Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

7 A2 Kin 25:23Now all the 1Or princescommanders 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 that he had put him in charge of the men, women and 2Lit infantschildren, those of the BJer 39:10; 52:16poorest of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon. 8 So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with AJer 40:14; 41:2Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and BJer 40:13, 15; 42:1; 43:2Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the C2 Sam 23:28, 29; Ezra 2:22; Neh 7:26Netophathite, and DJer 42:1Jezaniah the son of the EDeut 3:14; Josh 12:5; 2 Sam 10:6, 8Maacathite, both they and their men. 9 Then Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, A1 Sam 20:16, 17; 2 Kin 25:24swore to them and to their men, saying, “BJer 27:11; 38:17-20Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans; stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, that it may go well with you. 10  “Now as for me, behold, I am going to stay at Mizpah to ADeut 1:38; 1 Kin 10:8; Jer 35:19stand for you before the Chaldeans who come to us; but as for you, BDeut 16:13; Jer 39:10gather in wine and CIs 16:9; Jer 40:12; 48:32summer fruit and oil and put them in your storage vessels, and live in your cities that you have taken over.” 11 Likewise, also all the Jews who were in ANum 22:1; 25:1, 2; Is 16:4; Jer 9:26Moab and among the sons of B1 Sam 11:1; 12:12Ammon and in CGen 36:8; Is 11:14Edom and who were in all the other countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan. 12 Then all the Jews AJer 43:5returned from all the places to which they had been driven away and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered in wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

13 Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and said to him, “Are you well aware that Baalis the king of the sons of A1 Sam 11:1-3; 2 Sam 10:1-6; Jer 25:21; 41:10Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them. 15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “A1 Sam 26:8Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and not a man will know! Why should he B2 Sam 21:17take your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the CJer 42:2remnant of Judah would perish?” 16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “AMatt 10:16; 1 Cor 13:5Do not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”