Jeremiah 40
New American Standard Bible
Jeremiah Remains in Judah
40 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after (A)Nebuzaradan captain of the bodyguard had released him from (B)Ramah, when he had taken him bound in (C)chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. 2 Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “The (D)Lord your God promised this disaster against this place; 3 and the Lord has brought it and done just as He promised. Because you people (E)sinned against the Lord and did not listen to His voice, this thing has happened to you. 4 But now, behold, I am (F)setting you free today from the chains that are on your hands. If [a]you would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will [b]look after you; but if [c]you would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, [d]do not come. Look, the (G)whole land is before you; go wherever it seems good and right for you to go.” 5 As [e]Jeremiah was still not going back, [f]he said, “Go on back then to (H)Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has (I)appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or else go anywhere it seems right for you to go.” So the captain of the bodyguard gave him a (J)ration and a (K)gift, and let him go. 6 Then Jeremiah went to (L)Mizpah to (M)Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.
7 (N)Now all the commanders of the forces that were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land, and that he had put him in charge of the men, women, and [g]children, those of the (O)poorest of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon. 8 So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with (P)Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, (Q)Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the (R)Netophathite, and (S)Jezaniah the son of the (T)Maacathite, both they and their men. 9 Then Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, (U)swore to them and to their men, saying, “(V)Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans; stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, so that it may go well for you. 10 Now as for me, behold, I am going to stay in Mizpah to (W)stand for you before the Chaldeans who come to us; but as for you, (X)gather wine, (Y)summer fruit, and oil, and put them in your storage vessels, and live in your cities that you have taken over.” 11 Likewise, also all the Jews who were in (Z)Moab and among the sons of (AA)Ammon and in (AB)Edom, and who were in all the other countries, heard that the king of Babylon had [h]left a remnant for Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan. 12 Then all the Jews (AC)returned from all the places to which they had been scattered and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruit in great abundance.
13 Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, 14 and said to him, “Are you well aware that Baalis the king of the sons of (AD)Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them. 15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “(AE)Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know! Why should he (AF)take your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the (AG)remnant of Judah would perish?” 16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “(AH)Do not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 40:4 Lit it is good in your eyes
- Jeremiah 40:4 Lit set my eyes on
- Jeremiah 40:4 Lit it is evil in your eyes
- Jeremiah 40:4 Lit refrain
- Jeremiah 40:5 Lit he
- Jeremiah 40:5 I.e., Nebuzaradan
- Jeremiah 40:7 Lit infants
- Jeremiah 40:11 Lit given
Jeremiah 40
Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah Stays in Judah
40 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan, captain of the guards, released him at Ramah.(A) When he found him, he was bound in chains with all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. 2 The captain of the guards took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God decreed this disaster on this place,(B) 3 and the Lord has fulfilled it. He has done just what he decreed. Because you people have sinned against the Lord(C) and have not obeyed him, this thing has happened. 4 Now pay attention: Today I am setting you free from the chains that were on your hands.(D) If it pleases you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will take care of you. But if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, go no farther.[a] Look—the whole land is in front of you.(E) Wherever it seems good and right for you to go, go there.” 5 When Jeremiah had not yet turned to go, Nebuzaradan said to him,[b] “Return[c] to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people or go wherever it seems right for you to go.” So the captain of the guards gave him a ration(F) and a gift(G) and released him. 6 Jeremiah therefore went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah,(H) and he stayed with him among the people who remained in the land.
Gedaliah Advises Peace
7 All the commanders of the armies that were in the countryside—they and their men—heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land. He had been put in charge of the men, women, and children from among the poorest of the land, who had not been deported to Babylon. 8 So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The commanders included Ishmael(I) son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men.
9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you.(J) 10 As for me, I am going to live in Mizpah to represent you[d] before the Chaldeans(K) who come to us. As for you, gather wine, summer fruit, and oil, place them in your storage jars, and live in the cities you have captured.”
11 When all the Judeans in Moab(L) and among the Ammonites and in(M) Edom and in all the other lands(N) also heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, over them, 12 they all returned from all the places where they had been banished(O) and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and harvested a great amount of wine and summer fruit.
13 Meanwhile, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies in the countryside came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and warned him, “Don’t you realize that Baalis, king of the Ammonites, has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah(P) to kill you?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam would not believe them. 15 Then Johanan son of Kareah suggested to Gedaliah in private at Mizpah, “Let me go kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah. No one will know it. Why should he kill you and allow all of Judah that has gathered around you to scatter and the remnant of Judah to perish?” (Q)
16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam responded to Johanan son of Kareah, “Don’t do that! What you’re saying about Ishmael is a lie.”
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