Beginning

38 Then Shephatyah Ben Mattan, and Gedalyah Ben Pashchur, and Yuchal Ben Shelemyah, and Pashchur Ben Malkiyah, heard the Devarim that Yirmeyah had spoken unto kol HaAm, saying,

² Thus saith Hashem, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the cherev, by the ra’av, and by the dever; but he that goeth forth to the Kasdim (Chaldeans) shall live; for he shall have his nefesh for plunder, and shall live.

³ Thus saith Hashem, This city shall surely be given into the yad of the army of Melech Bavel, which shall capture it.

⁴ Therefore the sarim said unto HaMelech, Let now this ish be put to death; for thus he weakeneth the hands of the anshei hamilchamah that are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such devarim unto them; for this ish seeketh not the shalom of this people, but the hurt.

⁵ Then Tzidkiyah HaMelech said, Hinei, he is in your yad (hand, power); for HaMelech is not he that can do anything against you.

⁶ Then took they Yirmeyah, and cast him into the bor (pit, dungeon, cistern) of Malkiyah Ben Hammelech, that was in the Khatzer (courtyard) of the Guard; and they lowered Yirmeyah with ropes. And in the bor (pit) there was no mayim, but mud; so Yirmeyah sank in the mud.

⁷ Now when Eved-melech HaKushi (the Ethiopian), an ish saris (official) in the Bais HaMelech, heard that they had put Yirmeyah in the bor; HaMelech was then sitting in the Sha’ar Binyamin;

⁸ Eved-melech went forth out of the Bais HaMelech, and spoke to HaMelech saying,

⁹ Adoni HaMelech, these anashim have done ra’ah in all that they have done to Yirmeyah HaNavi, whom they have cast into the bor; and he is likely to die from hunger in the place where he is; for there is no more lechem in the Ir.

¹⁰ Then HaMelech commanded Eved-melech HaKushi (the Ethiopian), saying, Take from here shloshim anashim with thee, and lift up Yirmeyah HaNavi out of the bor (dungeon), before he dies.

¹¹ So Eved-melech took the anashim with him, and went into the Bais HaMelech under the Otzar (Treasury), and took from there old rags and old worn out clothes, and let them down by ropes into the bor to Yirmeyah.

¹² And Eved-melech HaKushi said unto Yirmeyah, Put now these old rags and worn out clothes under thine armpits under the ropes. And Yirmeyah did so.

¹³ So they drew up Yirmeyah with ropes, and lifted him up out of the bor; and Yirmeyah remained in the Khatzer (courtyard) of the Guard.

¹⁴ Then Tzidkiyah HaMelech sent, and took Yirmeyah HaNavi unto him into the third entrance that is in the Bais Hashem; and HaMelech said unto Yirmeyah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.

¹⁵ Then Yirmeyah said unto Tzidkiyah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? And if I give thee etzah, wilt thou not refuse to pay heed unto me?

¹⁶ So Tzidkiyah HaMelech swore secretly unto Yirmeyah, saying, As Hashem liveth, that made our very nefesh, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the yad of these anashim that seek thy nefesh.

¹⁷ Then said Yirmeyah unto Tzidkiyah, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Tzva’os Elohei Yisroel: If thou wilt assuredly surrender unto the sarim of Melech Bavel, then thy nefesh shall live, and this city shall not be burned down with eish; and thou shalt live, and thine Bais;

¹⁸ But if thou wilt not surrender unto the sarim of Melech Bavel, then shall this city be given into the yad of the Kasdim, and they shall burn it down with eish, and thou shalt not escape out of their yad.

¹⁹ And Tzidkiyah HaMelech said unto Yirmeyah, I am afraid of the Yehudim that are fallen as defectors to the Kasdim (Chaldeans), lest they deliver me into their yad, and they abuse me.

²⁰ But Yirmeyah said, They shall not deliver thee. Now obey the voice of Hashem, which I speak unto thee; so it shall be well unto thee, and thy nefesh shall live.

²¹ But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the davar that Hashem hath showed me:

²² And, hinei, all the nashim that are left in the Bais Melech Yehudah shall be brought forth to the sarim of Melech Bavel, and those nashim shall say, Thy close friends misled thee, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mud, and they desert thee.

²³ So they shall surrender all thy nashim and thy banim to the Kasdim (Chaldeans); and thou shalt not escape out of their yad, but shalt be captured by the yad Melech Bavel; and thou shalt cause this city to be burned down with eish.

²⁴ Then said Tzidkiyah unto Yirmeyah, Let no ish know of these devarim, and thou shalt not die.

²⁵ But if the sarim hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto HaMelech, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what HaMelech said unto thee;

²⁶ Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my techinnah (supplication) before HaMelech, that he would not cause me to return to Bais Yonatan, to die there.

²⁷ Then came all the sarim unto Yirmeyah, and questioned him; and he told them according to all these devarim that HaMelech had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter had not been overheard.

²⁸ So Yirmeyah abode in the Khatzer (courtyard) of the Guard until the day that Yerushalayim was captured; and he was there when Yerushalayim was taken.

39 In the ninth year of Tzidkiyah Melech Yehudah, in the tenth month, came Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel and all his army against Yerushalayim, and they besieged her.

² And in the eleventh year of Tzidkiyah, in the fourth month, the ninth yom of the month, the wall was broken through.

³ And all the sarim (princes) of Melech Bavel came in, and sat in the Middle Gate, even Nergal Sar-Etzer, Samgar-Nevo, Sar-Sechim, Rav Saris, Nergal Sar-Etzer, Rav-Mag, with all the remaining of the sarim of Melech Bavel.

⁴ And it came to pass, that when Tzidkiyah Melech Yehudah saw them, and all the anshei hamilchamah, then they fled, and went forth out of the Ir by lailah, by the derech of the Gan HaMelech, by the sha’ar between the two walls; and he headed toward the Aravah.

⁵ But the army of the Kasdim pursued after them, and overtook Tzidkiyah in the plains of Yericho; and when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel to Rivlah in Eretz Chamat, where he pronounced mishpatim upon him.

⁶ Then Melech Bavel slaughtered the Bnei Tzidkiyah in Rivlah before his eyes; also Melech Bavel slaughtered all the nobles of Yehudah.

⁷ Moreover he put out Tzidkiyah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze chains, to carry him to Babylon.

⁸ And the Kasdim burned the Bais HaMelech, and the bais haAm, with eish, and broke down the chomot Yerushalayim.

⁹ Then Nevuzar-Adan the captain of the imperial guard carried away into the Golus of Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that defected, that went over to him, with the rest of the people that remained.

¹⁰ But Nevuzaradan the captain of the imperial guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in Eretz Yehudah, and gave them kramim (vineyards) and fields at the same time.

¹¹ Now Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel gave charge concerning Yirmeyah to Nevuzar-Adan the captain of the imperial guard, saying,

¹² Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.

¹³ So Nevuzar-Adan the captain of the imperial guard sent, and Nebushazban, Rav-Saris, and Nergal Sar-Etzer, Rav-Mag, and all the officers of Melech Bavel;

¹⁴ Even they sent, and took Yirmeyah out of the Khatzer (courtyard) of the Guard, and committed him unto Gedalyah ben Achikam ben Shaphan, that he should carry him home; so he remained and dwelt among the people.

¹⁵ Now the Devar Hashem came unto Yirmeyah, while he was confined in the Khatzer (court) of the Guard, saying,

¹⁶ Go and tell Eved-Melech the Ethiopian (the one from Kush), saying, Thus saith Hashem Tzva’os Elohei Yisroel: Hineni, I am bringing My words upon this city for ra’ah, and not for tovah; and they shall be accomplished in yom hahu before thee.

¹⁷ But I will deliver thee in yom hahu, saith Hashem; and thou shalt not be given into the yad of the anashim of whom thou art afraid.

¹⁸ For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the cherev, but thy nefesh shall be unto thee for plunder; because thou hast put thy trust in Me, saith Hashem.

40 The Davar that came to Yirmeyah from Hashem, after Nevuzaradan the captain of the imperial guard had released him from Ramah, when he had found him bound in chains among all of Yerushalayim and Yehudah of the Golus, which were being carried away captive unto Babylon.

² And the captain of the imperial guard took Yirmeyah, and said unto him, Hashem Eloheicha hath pronounced this ra’ah upon this place.

³ Now Hashem hath brought it about, and done according as He hath said; because ye have sinned against Hashem, have not obeyed His voice, so Davar Hazeh is come upon you.

⁴ And now, hinei, I loose thee this yom from the chains which were upon thine yad. If it seem good in thy eyes 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; hinei, kol ha’aretz is before thee: where it seemeth tov and yashar there for thee to go, go there.

⁵ Now if you remain, he said, Go back also to Gedalyah ben Achikam ben Shaphan, whom Melech Bavel hath made governor over the cities of Yehudah, and dwell with him among the people; or go wheresoever it seemeth yashar unto thee to go. So the captain of the imperial guard gave him provision [of food] and a present, and let him go.

⁶ Then went Yirmeyah unto Gedalyah ben Achikam to Mitzpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in ha’aretz.

⁷ Now when all the officers of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their anashim, heard that Melech Bavel had made Gedalyah ben Achikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him anashim, and nashim, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to the Golus of Babylon;

⁸ Then they came to Gedalyah to Mitzpah, even Yishmael ben Netanyah, and Yochanan and Yonatan the Bnei Kareach, and Serayah ben Tanchumet, and the Bnei Ephai the Netophati, and Yezanyah ben HaMa’achati, they and their anashim.

⁹ And Gedalyah ben Achikam ben Shaphan swore an oath unto them and to their anashim, saying, Fear not to serve the Kasdim (Chaldeans); dwell in the land, and serve Melech Bavel, and it shall be well with you.

¹⁰ As for me, hineni, I will dwell at Mitzpah, to serve the Kasdim (Chaldeans), which will come unto us; but ye, gather ye yayin, and kayitz (summer fruit), and shemen, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your towns that ye took over.

¹¹ Likewise when kol HaYehudim that were in Moav, and among the Bnei Ammon, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that Melech Bavel had left a she’erit (remnant) of Yehudah, and that he had set over them Gedalyah ben Achikam ben Shaphan,

¹² Then kol HaYehudim returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to Eretz Yehudah, to Gedalyah, unto Mitzpah, and gathered yayin and kayitz very much.

¹³ Moreover Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedalyah to Mitzpah,

¹⁴ And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis Melech Bnei Ammon hath sent Yishmael ben Netanyah to slay thee? But Gedalyah ben Achikam believed them not.

¹⁵ Then Yochanan ben Kareach spoke to Gedalyah in Mitzpah baseter (secretly) saying, Let me go, and I will slay Yishmael ben Netanyah, and no man shall know it. Why should he slay thee, that all the Yehudim which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the she’erit in Yehudah perish?

¹⁶ But Gedalyah ben Achikam said unto Yochanan ben Kareach, Thou shalt not do this thing; for thou speakest sheker of Yishmael.

41 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Yishmael ben Netanyah ben Elishama, who was zera hameluchah, and the officers of HaMelech, even ten anashim with him, came unto Gedalyah ben Achikam to Mitzpah; and there they did eat lechem together in Mitzpah.

² Then arose Yishmael ben Netanyah, and the ten anashim that were with him, and struck down Gedalyah ben Achikam ben Shaphan with the cherev, and killed him, whom Melech Bavel had made governor over ha’aretz.

³ Yishmael also killed kol haYehudim that were with him, even with Gedalyah, at Mitzpah, and the Kasdim (Chaldeans) that were found there, and the anshei hamilchamah (men of war).

⁴ It came to pass on the second day after he had slain Gedalyah and no man knew it,

⁵ That there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Shomron, even 80 men, their beards shaven, their clothes torn, having cut themselves, with minchah and incense in their hand, to bring them to the Beis Hashem.

⁶ And Yishmael ben Netanyah went forth from Mitzpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went; and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedalyah ben Achikam.

⁷ And it was so, when they came into the midst of the Ir, that Yishmael ben Netanyah slaughtered them, and cast them into the midst of the cistern, he, and the anashim that were with him.

⁸ But ten anashim were found among them that said unto Yishmael, Slay us not, for we have hidden in the sadeh, chittim, se’orim, shemen, devash. So he forbore, killed them not among the others.

⁹ Now the cistern wherein Yishmael had cast all the pigrei ha’anashim (dead bodies of the men), whom he had slain because of Gedalyah, was the same cistern which Asa HaMelech had made for defense against Ba’asha Melech Yisroel: and Yishmael ben Netanyah filled it with them that were slain.

¹⁰ Then Yishmael carried away captive all the she’erit of the people that were in Mitzpah, even the banot hamelech, and kol HaAm that remained in Mitzpah, whom Nevuzaradan the captain of the imperial guard had committed to Gedalyah ben Achikam; and Yishmael ben Netanyah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Bnei Ammon.

¹¹ When Yochanan ben Kareach with all the officers of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil Yishmael ben Netanyah had done,

¹² Then they took kol ha’anashim, and went to fight with Yishmael ben Netanyah, and found him by the mayim rabbim that are in Giveon.

¹³ Now it came to pass, that when kol haAm which were with Yishmael saw Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.

¹⁴ So kol haAm that Yishmael had carried away captive from Mitzpah turned and went over to Yochanan ben Kareach.

¹⁵ But Yishmael ben Netanyah escaped from Yochanan with eight anashim, and went over to the Bnei Ammon.

¹⁶ Then took Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces that were with him, all the she’erit haAm whom he had recovered from Yishmael ben Netanyah, from Mitzpah, after that he had slain Gedalyah ben Achikam, even gevarim anshei hamilchamah, and the nashim, and the children, and the sarisim, whom he had brought from Giveon;

¹⁷ And they departed, and dwelt in the Gerut Kimham, which is near Beit-Lechem, intending to go to Mitzrayim,

¹⁸ Because of the Kasdim (Chaldeans); for they were afraid of them, because Yishmael ben Netanyah had slain Gedalyah ben Achikam, whom Melech Bavel made governor in ha’aretz.