Jeremiah 40:5-16

New International Version

⁵ However, before Jeremiah turned to go,^[a] Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah^(A) son of Ahikam,^(B) the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed^(C) over the towns^(D) of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.”^(E)

Then the commander gave him provisions and a present^(F) and let him go. ⁶ So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah^(G) and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

Gedaliah Assassinated^(H)

⁷ 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^(I) over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest^(J) in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, ⁸ they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah^(K)—Ishmael^(L) son of Nethaniah, Johanan^(M) and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,^(N) and Jaazaniah^[b] the son of the Maakathite,^(O) and their men. ⁹ Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve^(P) the Babylonians,^[c](Q)” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.^{(R) 10} I myself will stay at Mizpah^(S) to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine,^(T) summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars,^(U) and live in the towns you have taken over.”^(V)

¹¹ When all the Jews in Moab,^(W) Ammon, Edom^(X) and all the other countries^(Y) 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.^(Z) And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

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

¹⁵ Then Johanan^(AE) son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill^(AF) 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^(AG) and the remnant^(AH) of Judah to perish?”

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