Jeremiah 40
New International Reader's Version
Jeremiah Is Set Free From His Chains
40 A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. It came after Nebuzaradan, the commander of the royal guard, had set him free at Ramah. Jeremiah was being held by chains when Nebuzaradan found him. Jeremiah was among all the prisoners from Jerusalem and Judah. They were being taken to Babylon. 2 But the commander of the guard found Jeremiah. The commander said to him, “The Lord your God ordered that this place be destroyed. 3 And now he has brought it about. He has done exactly what he said he would do. All these things have happened because you people sinned against the Lord. You didn’t obey him. 4 But today I’m setting you free from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon if you want to. I’ll take good care of you there. But if you don’t want to come, then don’t. The whole country lies in front of you. Go anywhere you want to.” 5 But before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan continued, “Go back to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. The king of Babylon has appointed Gedaliah to be over the towns of Judah. Go and live with him among your people. Or go anywhere else you want to.” Ahikam was the son of Shaphan.
The commander gave Jeremiah food and water. He also gave him a gift. Then he let Jeremiah go. 6 So Jeremiah went to Mizpah to see Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. Jeremiah stayed with him. Jeremiah lived among the people who were left behind in the land.
Gedaliah Is Murdered
7 Some of Judah’s army officers and their men were still in the open country. They heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor over Judah. Gedaliah was the son of Ahikam. The king had put Gedaliah in charge of the men, women and children who were still there. They were the poorest people in the land. They hadn’t been taken to Babylon. 8 When the army officers and their men heard these things, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, came. So did Johanan and Jonathan, the sons of Kareah. Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth, also came. The sons of Ephai from Netophah came too. And so did Jaazaniah, the son of the Maakathite. All their men came with them. 9 Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, made a promise. He made the promise to give hope to all these men. He spoke in a kind way to them. He said, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Babylonians. Make your homes in the land of Judah. Serve the king of Babylon. Then things will go well with you. 10 I myself will stay at Mizpah. I’ll speak for you to the officials of Babylon who come to us. But you must harvest the wine, summer fruit and olive oil. Put them in your jars. Store them up. And live in the towns you have taken over.”
11 All the Jews in Moab, Ammon and Edom heard what had happened. So did the Jews in all the other countries. They heard that the king of Babylon had left some people behind in Judah. They also heard that he had appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, as governor over them. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan. 12 When they heard these things, all of them came back to the land of Judah. They went to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They came from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested a large amount of wine and summer fruit.
13 Johanan and all the other army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Johanan was the son of Kareah. 14 The officers spoke to Gedaliah. They said, “Don’t you know that Baalis has sent someone to take your life? Baalis is the king of Ammon. He has sent Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah.” But Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, didn’t believe them.
15 Then Johanan, the son of Kareah, spoke in private to Gedaliah in Mizpah. He said, “Let me go and kill Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah. No one will know about it. Why should he take your life? Why should he cause all the Jews gathered around you to be scattered? Why should he cause the people who remain in Judah to die?”
16 But Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, spoke to Johanan, the son of Kareah. He said, “Don’t do an awful thing like that! What you are saying about Ishmael isn’t true.”
Jeremías 40
La Biblia de las Américas
Jeremías y el gobernador Gedalías
40 Palabra que vino a Jeremías de parte del Señor después que Nabuzaradán, capitán de la guardia, lo había dejado libre en Ramá(A), cuando lo había tomado estando él encadenado(B) entre todos los desterrados de Jerusalén y Judá que iban deportados a Babilonia(C). 2 Tomó, pues, el capitán de la guardia a Jeremías, y le dijo: El Señor tu Dios decretó esta calamidad contra este lugar(D), 3 y el Señor la ha traído y hecho tal como había dicho. Porque vosotros pecasteis contra el Señor y no escuchasteis su voz, por tanto os ha sucedido esto(E). 4 Mas ahora, he aquí, hoy te libro de las cadenas que están en tus manos(F). Si te parece bien[a] venir conmigo a Babilonia, ven, y yo te cuidaré[b]; pero si te parece mal[c] venir conmigo a Babilonia, no te preocupes[d]. Mira, toda la tierra está delante de ti; ve adonde mejor y más conveniente te parezca ir(G). 5 Como Jeremías aun no se volvía, le dijo: Vuelve a Gedalías(H), hijo de Ahicam, hijo de Safán, a quien el rey de Babilonia ha puesto para gobernar sobre las ciudades de Judá, y quédate con él en medio del pueblo(I); y si no, ve adonde te parezca más conveniente ir. Entonces el capitán de la guardia le dio una ración de alimentos(J) y un regalo, y lo dejó ir(K). 6 Jeremías fue entonces a Gedalías, hijo de Ahicam, en Mizpa(L), y se quedó con él en medio del pueblo(M) que había quedado en la tierra. 7 (N)Y todos los capitanes[e] de las tropas que estaban en el campo, ellos y sus hombres, oyeron que el rey de Babilonia había puesto a Gedalías, hijo de Ahicam, para gobernar la tierra, y que le había encomendado los hombres, mujeres y niños y los más pobres de la tierra(O) que no habían sido deportados a Babilonia. 8 Fueron, pues, a Gedalías en Mizpa, junto con Ismael, hijo de Netanías(P), y Johanán y Jonatán, hijos de Carea(Q), y Seraías, hijo de Tanhumet, y los hijos de Efai netofatita(R), y Jezanías(S), hijo de un maacateo, ellos y sus hombres(T). 9 Entonces Gedalías, hijo de Ahicam, hijo de Safán, les juró a ellos y a sus hombres, diciendo: No temáis servir a los caldeos; quedaos en la tierra y servid al rey de Babilonia, y os irá bien(U). 10 Y he aquí(V), por mi parte, yo me quedaré en Mizpa para estar en lugar vuestro(W) delante de los caldeos que vengan a nosotros; pero en cuanto a vosotros, recoged vino y frutos(X) de verano y aceite, y guardadlos[f] en vuestras vasijas, y habitad en vuestras ciudades que habéis tomado. 11 Asimismo todos los judíos que estaban en Moab(Y), y entre los hijos de Amón(Z), y en Edom(AA), y los que estaban en todos los demás países, oyeron que el rey de Babilonia había dejado un remanente en Judá y que había puesto para gobernar sobre ellos a Gedalías, hijo de Ahicam, hijo de Safán. 12 Entonces todos los judíos regresaron de todos los lugares adonde habían sido dispersados, y vinieron a la tierra de Judá(AB), a Gedalías en Mizpa, y recogieron vino y frutos de verano en gran abundancia.
13 Y Johanán, hijo de Carea, y todos los capitanes de las tropas que estaban en el campo vinieron a Gedalías en Mizpa, 14 y le dijeron: ¿Sabes que Baalis, rey de los hijos de Amón, ha enviado a Ismael, hijo de Netanías, para quitarte la vida? Pero Gedalías, hijo de Ahicam(AC), no les creyó. 15 Entonces Johanán, hijo de Carea, habló en secreto a Gedalías en Mizpa, diciendo: Déjame(AD) ir a matar a Ismael, hijo de Netanías, y nadie lo sabrá. ¿Por qué te ha de quitar la vida(AE) y se dispersen así todos los judíos que se han reunido en torno a ti, y perezca el remanente(AF) de Judá? 16 Pero Gedalías, hijo de Ahicam, dijo a Johanán, hijo de Carea: No hagas eso(AG), porque es mentira lo que dices de Ismael.
Footnotes
- Jeremías 40:4 Lit., Si está bien ante tus ojos
- Jeremías 40:4 Lit., y pondré en ti mis ojos
- Jeremías 40:4 Lit., si está mal ante tus ojos
- Jeremías 40:4 Lit., déjalo
- Jeremías 40:7 O, príncipes
- Jeremías 40:10 Lit., ponedlos
Jeremiah 40
King James Version
40 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.
2 And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.
3 Now the Lord hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.
4 And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.
5 Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.
6 Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.
7 Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;
8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.
9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.
11 Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;
12 Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.
13 Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
14 And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.
15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?
16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.
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