Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah Is Freed at Ramah

1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had sent him from Ramah, when he took him bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. 2The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God spoke this disaster against this place. 3And the LORD has brought it and done just as he spoke, because you sinned against the LORD and did not listen to his voice. Therefore this thing has come upon you. 4And now, look, I release you today from the chains that are on your hands. If it is good in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will set my eyes upon you. But if it is evil in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, refrain. See, the whole land is before you. Wherever it is good and right in your eyes to go, go there.” 5While Jeremiah had not yet turned away, Nebuzaradan said, “Return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and live with him among the people. Or go wherever it is right in your eyes to go.” Then the captain of the guard gave him provisions and a gift and sent him away. 6Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.

Gedaliah Governs the Remnant

7When all the commanders of the armies who were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land and had entrusted to him men, women, little children, and some of the poor of the land who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, 8they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 9Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not fear serving the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you. 10As for me, look, I will live at Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who come to us. But you, gather wine, summer fruit, and oil, put them in your vessels, and live in your cities that you have taken.” 11Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in Moab, among the children of Ammon, in Edom, and in all the lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, 12then all the Judeans returned from all the places where they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They gathered wine and summer fruit in very great abundance.

Johanan Warns Gedaliah

13Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies who were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis king of the children of Ammon has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to strike your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them. 15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, saying, “Please let me go and strike Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know. Why should he strike your life, so that all the Judeans gathered to you are scattered and the remnant of Judah perishes?” 16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do this thing, for you are speaking falsehood concerning Ishmael.”