Jeremiah 40

1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had released him at Ramah. He had taken him there bound in chains among all the exiles from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried off to Babylon.

2The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “Yahweh your God pronounced this disaster against this place,

3and now Yahweh has brought it about; he has done just as he said. Because you people sinned against Yahweh and did not obey his voice, this has happened to you.

4But now, look, today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. If you want to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. But if you do not want to come with me to Babylon, then do not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go.”

5Before Jeremiah had turned to leave, Nebuzaradan said, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go wherever you think it right to go.” Then the captain of the guard gave him provisions and a gift and let him go.

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

7All the commanders of the troops who were out in the countryside, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women, and children, and of the poorest of the land who had not been carried off into exile to Babylon.

8So 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 Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, they and their men.

9Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan swore an oath to them and their men: “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.

10As for me, I will stay at Mizpah to stand for you before the Chaldeans who come to us. But you are to gather wine, summer fruit, and oil, store them in your jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.”

11Likewise all the Jews who were in Moab, among the Ammonites, in Edom, and in all the other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan over them.

12Then all the Jews returned from all the places where they had been scattered and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They gathered a great abundance of wine and summer fruit.

13Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the troops who were out in the countryside came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

14and said to him, “Do you not know 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.

15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah: “Please let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know. Why should he take your life, so that all the Jews who have gathered around you would be scattered and the remnant of Judah would perish?”

16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do such a thing, for what you are saying about Ishmael is a lie.”