^11 (A)But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the Lord.”’”

⁸ “‘“But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, ^(A)and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation ^(B)with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the Lord, until I have consumed it by his hand.

² Thus the Lord said to me: ^(A)“Make yourself straps and ^(B)yoke-bars, and put them on your neck.

⁹ He who stays in this city shall die ^(A)by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out and ^(B)surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you shall live ^(C)and shall have his life as a prize of war.

¹⁰ If you will remain in this land, ^(A)then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; ^(B)for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. ^11 (C)Do not fear the king of Babylon, ^(D)of whom you are afraid. ^(E)Do not fear him, declares the Lord, ^(F)for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand.

⁹ Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, ^(A)and it shall be well with you. ¹⁰ As for me, I will dwell at ^(B)Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you, ^(C)gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.” ¹¹ Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in ^(D)Moab and among ^(E)the Ammonites and in ^(F)Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as governor over them, ^12 (G)then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they ^(H)gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.

² “Thus says the Lord: ^(A)He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, ^(B)but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war, and live.

¹² To ^(A)Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: ^(B)“Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and ^(C)serve him and his people and live.