Jeremiah 39-40

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

The Fall of Jerusalem

39 In the ninth year of Zedeki′ah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadrez′zar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it; ² in the eleventh year of Zedeki′ah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. ³ When Jerusalem was taken,^[a] all the princes of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Ner′gal-share′zer, Sam′gar-ne′bo, Sar′sechim the Rab′saris, Ner′gal-share′zer the Rabmag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. ⁴ When Zedeki′ah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah. ⁵ But the army of the Chalde′ans pursued them, and overtook Zedeki′ah in the plains of Jericho; and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadrez′zar king of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath; and he passed sentence upon him. ⁶ The king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedeki′ah at Riblah before his eyes; and the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. ⁷ He put out the eyes of Zedeki′ah, and bound him in fetters to take him to Babylon. ⁸ The Chalde′ans burned the king’s house and the house of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. ⁹ Then Nebu′zarad′an, the captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained. ¹⁰ Nebu′zarad′an, the captain of the guard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

Jeremiah, Set Free, Remembers Ebed-melech

¹¹ Nebuchadrez′zar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebu′zarad′an, the captain of the guard, saying, ¹² “Take him, look after him well and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” ¹³ So Nebu′zarad′an the captain of the guard, Nebushaz′ban the Rab′saris, Ner′gal-share′zer the Rabmag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon ¹⁴ sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedali′ah the son of Ahi′kam, son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people.

¹⁵ The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard: ¹⁶ “Go, and say to E′bed-mel′ech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfil my words against this city for evil and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. ¹⁷ But I will deliver you on that day, says the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men 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 life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, says the Lord.’”

Jeremiah with Gedaliah the Governor

40 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebu′zarad′an the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took him 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, “The Lord your God pronounced this evil against this place; ³ the Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. 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 the chains on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well; but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go. ⁵ If you remain,^[b] then return to Gedali′ah the son of Ahi′kam, son of Shaphan, 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 Gedali′ah the son of Ahi′kam, at Mizpah, and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land.

⁷ When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedali′ah the son of Ahi′kam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon, ⁸ they went to Gedali′ah at Mizpah—Ish′mael the son of Nethani′ah, Joha′nan the son of Kare′ah, Serai′ah the son of Tanhu′meth, the sons of Ephai the Netoph′athite, Jezani′ah the son of the Ma-ac′athite, they and their men. ⁹ Gedali′ah the son of Ahi′kam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chalde′ans. Dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. ¹⁰ As for me, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand for you before the Chalde′ans who will come to us; but as for you, 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 Jews who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedali′ah the son of Ahi′kam, son of Shaphan, as governor over them, ¹² then all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedali′ah at Mizpah; and they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.

¹³ Now Joha′nan the son of Kare′ah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedali′ah at Mizpah ¹⁴ and said to him, “Do you know that Ba′alis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ish′mael the son of Nethani′ah to take your life?” But Gedali′ah the son of Ahi′kam would not believe them. ¹⁵ Then Joha′nan the son of Kare′ah spoke secretly to Gedali′ah at Mizpah, “Let me go and slay Ish′mael the son of Nethani′ah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered about you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish?” ¹⁶ But Gedali′ah the son of Ahi′kam said to Joha′nan the son of Kare′ah, “You shall not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ish′mael.”