Jeremiah 40:1-5

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. ²Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “The ^(D)Lord your God promised this disaster against this place; ³and 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. ⁴But 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.” ⁵As ^[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.

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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 40:1-5

New King James Version

Jeremiah with Gedaliah the Governor^(A)

40 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord ^(B)after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among all who were carried away captive from Jerusalem and Judah, who were carried away captive to Babylon.

²And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah and ^(C)said to him: “The Lord your God has pronounced this doom on this place. ³Now the Lord has brought it, and has done just as He said. ^(D)Because you people have sinned against the Lord, and not obeyed His voice, therefore this thing has come upon you. ⁴And now look, I free you this day from the chains that ^[a]were on your hand. ^(E)If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. But if it seems wrong for you to come with me to Babylon, remain here. See, ^(F)all the land is before you; wherever it seems good and convenient for you to go, go there.”

⁵Now while Jeremiah had not yet gone back, Nebuzaradan said, “Go back to ^(G)Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ^(H)whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever it seems convenient for you to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him rations and a gift and let him go.

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