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护卫长释放耶利米

40 护卫长尼布撒拉旦在拉玛释放了耶利米以后,从耶和华那里有话临到耶利米。耶利米被提出来的时候,还被铁链锁着,在所有从耶路撒冷和犹大被掳到巴比伦去的人中间。 护卫长把耶利米提出来,对他说:“耶和华你的 神曾说要降这灾祸在这地方; 现在耶和华使灾祸临到,照他所说的行了;因为你们得罪了耶和华,没有听从他的话,所以这事才临到你们。 我现在解开你手上的铁链。你若认为与我一同到巴比伦去好,就一起去,我必好好照顾你;你若认为与我一同到巴比伦去不好,就不必去。看,全地都在你面前,你认为去哪里好、哪里合宜,就到哪里去吧!”

耶利米与基大利

耶利米还没有回去,护卫长又说:“你可以回到沙番的孙子、亚希甘的儿子基大利那里去!基大利是巴比伦王指派管理犹大各城的。你可以和他一起住在人民中间;或是你认为去哪里合宜,就到哪里去吧!”于是护卫长给他粮食和礼物,就释放他走了。 耶利米就到米斯巴去见亚希甘的儿子基大利,和他一同住在那地剩下的人民中间。

在田野的众将领和他们的士兵,听见巴比伦王委派了亚希甘的儿子基大利管理那地,也委派他管理那些没有被掳到巴比伦去的男人、妇女、孩童,和那地最贫穷的人, 他们就来到米斯巴去见基大利;其中有尼探雅的儿子以实玛利、加利亚的两个儿子约哈难和约拿单、单户篾的儿子西莱雅、尼陀法人以斐的众子,和玛迦人的儿子耶撒尼亚,以及他们的士兵。 沙番的孙子、亚希甘的儿子基大利向他们和他们的士兵起誓,说:“你们不要惧怕服事迦勒底人,只管住在这地,服事巴比伦王,就可以平安无事。 10 至于我,我要留在米斯巴,侍候那些来到我们这里的迦勒底人。你们只管收存酒、夏天的果子和油,放在器皿里,并且住在你们所占有的城中。” 11 那些在摩押、亚扪、以东和各地所有的犹大人,听见了巴比伦王在犹大留下一些余民,并且指派沙番的孙子、亚希甘的儿子基大利管理他们, 12 所有的犹大人就从被赶逐到的各地方回来,到犹大地的米斯巴去见基大利,并且收存了许多的酒和夏天的果子。

基大利不信警告

13 加利亚的儿子约哈难和在田野的众将领,都到米斯巴去见基大利, 14 对他说:“亚扪王巴利斯派尼探雅的儿子以实玛利来杀你,你知道吗?”亚希甘的儿子基大利不相信他们。 15 后来加利亚的儿子约哈难在米斯巴私下告诉基大利说:“请容我去把尼探雅的儿子以实玛利杀了,必没有人知道;为甚么要让他杀你,以致集合到你那里来的所有犹大人都分散,犹大余剩的人都灭亡呢?” 16 但亚希甘的儿子基大利对加利亚的儿子约哈难说:“你不可作这事,因为你所说关于以实玛利的事都是谎话!”

Book name not found: 耶利米书 for the version: 1881 Westcott-Hort New Testament.

基大利恩待耶利米

40 耶利米带着锁链跟耶路撒冷和犹大被掳的人一起被带往巴比伦,但护卫长尼布撒拉旦在拉玛释放了他。这事之后,耶和华的话传给了耶利米。 护卫长释放耶利米之前对他说:“你的上帝耶和华曾说要在这里降下灾祸, 现在果然应验了。你们遭灾是因为你们得罪了耶和华,不听祂的话。 现在我解除你手上的锁链,释放你。你可以跟我去巴比伦,我必善待你;如果你不想去,也可以。你看,整片土地都在你眼前,你想去哪里都可以。 巴比伦王委任沙番的孙子、亚希甘的儿子基大利管理犹大的城邑,如果你想留下来,可以去他那里住在同胞中,或去其他你喜欢的地方。”于是,护卫长给耶利米干粮和礼物,放他离去。 耶利米就到米斯巴的基大利那里,居住在留下来的人当中。

基大利管理犹大

躲在乡村的犹大将领和士兵听说巴比伦王委任亚希甘的儿子基大利管理犹大的穷人,就是没有被掳到巴比伦的男女妇孺, 便来到米斯巴见基大利。他们是尼探雅的儿子以实玛利、加利亚的儿子约哈难和约拿单、单户篾的儿子西莱雅、尼陀法人以斐的儿子们、玛迦人耶撒尼亚及他们的属下。 沙番的孙子、亚希甘的儿子基大利对他们起誓说:“你们不要怕臣服于迦勒底人,只管住在这里做巴比伦王的臣民,你们会平安无事。 10 至于我,我要留在米斯巴,代表你们与迦勒底人会面。你们要储备酒、夏天的果子和油,存放在器皿内,在你们所住的城邑生活。” 11 在摩押、亚扪、以东及各国的犹大人听说巴比伦王留下一些人,并委任沙番的孙子、亚希甘的儿子基大利管理他们, 12 便从各地回到犹大,去米斯巴见基大利。他们储备了大量的酒和夏天的果子。

13 加利亚的儿子约哈难和在乡村的众将领来到米斯巴见基大利, 14 对他说:“亚扪王巴利斯派尼探雅的儿子以实玛利来杀你,你知道吗?”亚希甘的儿子基大利却不相信他们的话。 15 后来,加利亚的儿子约哈难在米斯巴私下对基大利说:“让我去杀掉尼探雅的儿子以实玛利吧!没人会知道。何必让他来杀害你,以致汇集到你这里的犹大余民再度分散、灭亡呢?” 16 但亚希甘的儿子基大利说:“你不可杀他,你说他要杀我这件事不是真的。”

Jeremiah Freed

40 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah.(A) He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives(B) from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. When the commander(C) of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God decreed(D) this disaster(E) for this place.(F) And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned(G) against the Lord and did not obey(H) him. But today I am freeing(I) you from the chains(J) 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.”(K) However, before Jeremiah turned to go,[a] Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah(L) son of Ahikam,(M) the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed(N) over the towns(O) of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.”(P)

Then the commander gave him provisions and a present(Q) and let him go. So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah(R) and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

Gedaliah Assassinated(S)

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(T) over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest(U) in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah(V)—Ishmael(W) son of Nethaniah, Johanan(X) and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,(Y) and Jaazaniah[b] the son of the Maakathite,(Z) and their men. Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve(AA) the Babylonians,[c](AB)” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.(AC) 10 I myself will stay at Mizpah(AD) to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine,(AE) summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars,(AF) and live in the towns you have taken over.”(AG)

11 When all the Jews in Moab,(AH) Ammon, Edom(AI) and all the other countries(AJ) 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, 12 they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered.(AK) And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

13 Johanan(AL) son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah(AM) 14 and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites(AN) has sent Ishmael(AO) son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

15 Then Johanan(AP) son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill(AQ) 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(AR) and the remnant(AS) of Judah to perish?”

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

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 40:5 Or Jeremiah answered
  2. Jeremiah 40:8 Hebrew Jezaniah, a variant of Jaazaniah
  3. Jeremiah 40:9 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 10

40 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.

And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.

Now the Lord hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.

Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.

Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.

Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;

Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even 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 a Maachathite, they and their men.

And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.

11 Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;

12 Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.

13 Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

14 And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.

15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?

16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.