¹⁴ sent and took Jeremiah from ^(A)the court of the guard. They entrusted him to ^(B)Gedaliah the son of ^(C)Ahikam, son of ^(D)Shaphan, that he should take him home. So ^(E)he lived among the people.

²⁸ And Jeremiah remained ^(A)in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.

²⁴ But the hand of ^(A)Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death.

Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah

²² And over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed ^(A)Gedaliah the son of ^(B)Ahikam, son of Shaphan, governor. ^23 (C)Now when all the captains and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at ^(D)Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite. ²⁴ And Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid because of the Chaldean officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.” ^25 (E)But in the seventh month, ^(F)Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down Gedaliah and put him to death along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.

¹² And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and ^(A)Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and ^(B)Achbor the son of ^(C)Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying,

Jeremiah Remains in Judah

40 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord ^(A)after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from ^(B)Ramah, when he took him ^(C)bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. ² The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, ^(D)“The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. ³ The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. ^(E)Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you. ⁴ Now, behold, I release you today from ^(F)the chains on your hands. ^(G)If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, ^(H)but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. ^(I)See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go. ⁵ If you remain,^[a] then return to ^(J)Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, ^(K)whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever you think it right to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go. ⁶ Then Jeremiah went to ^(L)Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at ^(M)Mizpah, and lived with him ^(N)among the people ^(O)who were left in the land.

^7 (P)When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that ^(Q)the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of ^(R)the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon, ⁸ they went to Gedaliah at ^(S)Mizpah—^(T)Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, ^(U)Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, ^(V)Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 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, ^(W)and it shall be well with you. ¹⁰ As for me, I will dwell at ^(X)Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you, ^(Y)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 ^(Z)Moab and among ^(AA)the Ammonites and in ^(AB)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 (AC)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 ^(AD)gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.

¹³ Now ^(AE)Johanan the son of Kareah and ^(AF)all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah ¹⁴ and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of ^(AG)the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam would not believe them. ¹⁵ Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, “Please let me go and strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered about you would be scattered, ^(AH)and the remnant of Judah would perish?” ¹⁶ But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ishmael.”

Gedaliah Murdered

41 ^(AI)In the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at ^(AJ)Mizpah. As they ^(AK)ate bread together there at Mizpah, ^2 (AL)Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him, ^(AM)whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor in the land. ³ Ishmael also struck down all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at ^(AN)Mizpah, and the Chaldean soldiers who happened to be there.

¹⁵ The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah ^(A)while he was shut up in the court of the guard:

¹³ Then they drew Jeremiah up with ^(A)ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the ^(B)court of the guard.

²¹ So King Zedekiah gave orders, and they committed Jeremiah to ^(A)the court of the guard. And a loaf of bread was given him daily from the bakers' street, ^(B)until all the bread of the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in ^(C)the court of the guard.