Old/New Testament
40 Jeremiah hath license to go whither he will. 6 He dwelleth with the people that remain with Gedaliah.
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord after that Nebuzaradan the chief steward 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 Babel.
2 [a]And the chief steward took Jeremiah and said unto him, The Lord thy God hath pronounced this plague upon this place.
3 Now the Lord hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have [b]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 on thine hands: if it please thee to come with me into Babel, come, and I will look well unto thee: but if it please thee not to come with me into Babel, [c]tarry still: behold, all the land is [d]before thee: whither it seemeth good, and convenient for thee to go, thither go.
5 For yet he was not returned: therefore he said, Return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babel hath made governor over all the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people, or go wheresoever it pleaseth thee to go. So the chief steward gave him vittles and a reward, and let him go.
6 Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, to [e]Mizpah, and dwelt there with him among the people that were left in the land.
7 Now when all the captains of the host, [f]which were in the fields, even they and their men heard, that the king of Babel had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and that he had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, that were not carried away captive to Babel,
8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even [g]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 Maachathi, they and their men.
9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan (A)sware unto them, and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babel, and it shall be well with you:
10 As for me, Behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to [h]serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but you, gather you wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities, that ye have [i]taken.
11 Likewise when all the Jews that were in [j]Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babel 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 where 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 host, that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
14 And said unto him, Knowest thou not that [k]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 kill 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 [l]not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.
41 2 Ishmael killeth Gedaliah guilefully, and many others with him. 11 Johanan followeth after Ishmael.
1 But in the [m]seventh month came Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama of the seed royal, and the princes of the [n]king, and ten men with him, unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and there they did [o]eat bread together in Mizpah.
2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah with these ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him whom the king of Babel had made governor over the land.
3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and all the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war.
4 Now the second day that he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it,
5 There came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent and cut, with [p]offerings and incense in their hands to offer in the house of the Lord.
6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping, as he went: and when he met them, he said unto them, Come [q]to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.
7 And when they came into the midst of the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he and the men that were with him.
8 But ten men were found among them, that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey: so he stayed, and slew them not among their brethren.
9 Now the [pit] wherein Ishmael had cast the dead bodies of the men (whom he had slain because of Gedaliah) is it, which Asa the king had [r]made because of Baasha king of Israel, and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.
10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the King’s daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the chief steward had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.
11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the [s]captains of the host that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,
12 Then they all took their men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.
13 Now when all the people whom Ishmael carried away captive, saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, that were with him, they were glad.
14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah, returned and came again, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.
15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the [t]Ammonites.
16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host that were with him, all the remnant of the people, whom Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had carried away captive from Mizpah, (after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam) even the strong men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon.
17 And they departed and dwelt in Geruth [u]Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go and to enter into Egypt,
18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they feared them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babel made governor in the land.
42 1 The captains ask counsel of Jeremiah what they ought to do. 7 He admonisheth the remnant of the people not to go into Egypt.
1 Then all the captains of the host, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least unto the most, came,
2 And said unto Jeremiah the Prophet, [v]Hear our prayer, we beseech thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant (for we are left, but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold)
3 That the Lord thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may [w]do.
4 Then Jeremiah the Prophet said unto them, I have heard you: behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words, and whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you: I will keep nothing back from you.
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, [x]The Lord be a witness of truth, and faith between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us.
6 Whether it be good or evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord God, to whom we send thee, that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.
7 ¶ [y]And so after ten days came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah.
8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, which were with him, and all the people from the least to the most,
9 And said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your prayers before him,
10 If ye will dwell in this land, then I will build you, and not destroy you, and I will plant you, and not root you out: for I [z]repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
11 Fear not for the king of Babel, of whom ye are afraid: be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you, to save you, and to deliver you [aa]from his hand,
12 And I will grant you mercy that he may have compassion upon you, and he shall cause you to [ab]dwell in your own land.
13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither hear the voice of the Lord your God,
14 Saying, Nay, but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread, and there will we dwell,
15 (And now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah: thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, If ye set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to dwell there,)
16 Then the sword that ye feared, [ac]shall take you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, for the which ye care, shall there hang upon you in Egypt, and there shall ye die.
17 And all the men that set their faces to enter into Egypt to dwell there, shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, and none of them shall remain, nor escape from the plague, that I will bring upon them.
18 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, As mine anger and my wrath hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem: so shall my wrath be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt, and ye shall be a detestation, and an astonishment, and a [ad]curse, and a reproach, and ye shall see this place no more.
19 O ye remnant of Judah, the Lord hath said concerning you, Go not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
20 Surely ye [ae]dissembled in your hearts when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God, and declare unto us even according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, and we will do it.
21 Therefore I have this day declared it you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor anything for the which he hath sent me unto you.
22 Now therefore, know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence [af]in the place whither ye desire to go and dwell.
4 1 He joineth exhortation with threatening, lest they, even as their fathers were be deprived of the rest offered unto them, 11 but that they endeavor to enter into it. 14 And so he beginneth to entreat of Christ’s Priesthood.
1 Let us fear therefore, lest at any time by forsaking the promise of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to be deprived.
2 [a]For unto us was the Gospel preached as also unto them: but the word that they heard, profited not them, because it was not [b]mixed with faith in those that heard it.
3 [c]For we which have believed, do enter into rest, as he said to the other, (A)As I have sworn in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, (B)And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter thereinto, and they to whom it was first preached, entered not therein for unbelief’s sake:
7 Again he appointed in David a certain day, by Today, after so long a time, saying, as it is said, (C)This day, if ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if [d]Jesus had given them rest, then would he not after this have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 [e]For he that is entered into his rest, hath also ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 [f]Let us study therefore to enter into that rest, lest [g]any man fall after the same example of disobedience.
12 [h]For the [i]word of God is [j]lively, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword, and entereth through, even unto the dividing asunder of the [k]soul and the [l]spirit, and of the joints, and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts, and the intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature, which is not manifest in [m]his sight: but all things are naked and open unto his eyes, with whom we have to do.
14 [n]Seeing then that we have a great high Priest, which is entered into heaven, even Jesus the Son of God, let us [o]hold fast our profession.
15 [p]For we have not an high Priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore go boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.