Jeremiah 39:11-40:5

English Standard Version

The Lord Delivers Jeremiah

¹¹ Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying, ^12 (A)“Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” ¹³ So ^(B)Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, ^(C)and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon ¹⁴ sent and took Jeremiah from ^(D)the court of the guard. They entrusted him to ^(E)Gedaliah the son of ^(F)Ahikam, son of ^(G)Shaphan, that he should take him home. So ^(H)he lived among the people.

¹⁵ The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah ^(I)while he was shut up in the court of the guard: ¹⁶ “Go, and say to ^(J)Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ^(K)Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and ^(L)not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. ¹⁷ But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men ^(M)of whom you are afraid. ¹⁸ For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your ^(N)life as a prize of war, ^(O)because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.’”

Jeremiah Remains in Judah

40 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord ^(P)after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from ^(Q)Ramah, when he took him ^(R)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, ^(S)“The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. ³ The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. ^(T)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 ^(U)the chains on your hands. ^(V)If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, ^(W)but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. ^(X)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 ^(Y)Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, ^(Z)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.