¹¹ But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke^(A) of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live^(B) there, declares the Lord.”’”

⁸ “‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish^(A) that nation with the sword,^(B) famine^(C) and plague,^(D) declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand.

² This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke^(A) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck.

⁹ Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague.^(A) But whoever goes out and surrenders^(B) to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.^(C)

¹⁰ ‘If you stay in this land,^(A) I will build^(B) you up and not tear you down; I will plant^(C) you and not uproot you,^(D) for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you.^{(E) 11} Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon,^(F) whom you now fear.^(G) Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you and will save^(H) you and deliver you from his hands.^(I)

⁹ Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve^(A) the Babylonians,^[a](B)” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.^{(C) 10} I myself will stay at Mizpah^(D) to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine,^(E) summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars,^(F) and live in the towns you have taken over.”^(G)

¹¹ When all the Jews in Moab,^(H) Ammon, Edom^(I) and all the other countries^(J) 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.^(K) And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

² “This is what the Lord says: ‘Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague,^(A) but whoever goes over to the Babylonians^[a] will live. They will escape with their lives; they will live.’^(B)

¹² I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke^(A) of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.^(B)