Jeremiah
Chapter 40
1 God gave a message to Jeremiah after Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, released him in Ramah. This happened when he had been taken with chains among all the people from Jerusalem and Judah who were being taken as prisoners to Babylon.
2 The guard leader took Jeremiah and said to him, “God has declared this disaster on this place.”
3 God has made this happen because you sinned against him and didn’t listen to him, so this has come upon you.
4 Today, I free you from the chains on your hands. If you want to come with me to Babylon, come; I will take good care of you. But if you don’t want to come with me to Babylon, then don’t. Look, all the land is open to you: go wherever you think is best and right for you.
5 Before he had gone far, he said, “Return to Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son and Shaphan’s grandson, whom the king of Babylon appointed as ruler over the towns of Judah. Stay with him and the people, or go anywhere you think is best.” Then the guard captain gave him food and a gift and allowed him to leave.
6 Jeremiah went to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah and lived with him among the people who remained in the land.
7 When all the military leaders who were in the open country and their troops heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son, as governor over the land and had put under his care men, women, children, and the poorest people who had not been taken as captives to Babylon;
8 They went to Gedaliah at Mizpah, including Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophah, and Jezaniah son of a Maachathite with their men.
9 Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son, Shaphan’s grandson, promised them and their people, saying, “Don’t be afraid to work for the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the Babylon king, and you will be fine.”
10 I will stay in Mizpah to help the Chaldeans when they arrive, but you should collect wine, summer fruits, and oil, store them in containers, and live in the cities you’ve captured.
11 When all the Jews in Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, and other countries heard that the king of Babylon had allowed some people from Judah to remain and that he had appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them;
12 All the Jews came back from the places they had been scattered to and went to Judah, to see Gedaliah at Mizpah. There, they collected a lot of wine and summer fruits.
13 Johanan, Kareah’s son, and all the army leaders in the fields went to see Gedaliah at Mizpah.
14 He asked, “Do you really know that Baalis, the king of the Ammonites, has sent Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, to kill you?” But Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, did not believe it.
15 Johanan, Kareah’s son, spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah in secret. He said, “Please let me go and kill Ishmael, Nethaniah’s son, and no one will find out. Why should he kill you, so the Jews with you scatter and the survivors in Judah die?”
16 But Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son, told Johanan, Kareah’s son, “Don’t do this; you’re lying about Ishmael.”