1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had released him at Ramah. He was bound in chains among the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being taken to Babylon.

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 The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, 'The LORD your God foretold this calamity against this place.'

And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.

3 And now the LORD has brought it about and done as He said. Because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey His voice, this has happened to you.

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 But now, behold, I have freed you today from the chains that were on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, then come, and I will look after you. But if it seems bad to you to come with me to Babylon, then do not come. Look, the whole land is before you. Go to whatever place seems good and right to you.'

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 'If you prefer not to come with me,' he continued, 'then go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and stay with him among the people, or go anywhere it seems right to you.' Then the captain of the guard gave him food and a present and sent him on his way.

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 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

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 When all the army commanders who were in the countryside, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women, children, and the poor of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon,

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 they and their men came to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite.

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 Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan took an oath to reassure them and their men, saying, 'Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you.'

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, I will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us. But you must gather wine, summer fruit, and oil, store them in your containers, and live in the cities you have taken over.

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 When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other lands heard that the king of Babylon had allowed a remnant to remain in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan as governor over them,

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 all the Jews returned from all the places where they had been scattered. They came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

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 Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces in the countryside came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

14 They said to him, 'Do you know that Baalis, the king of Ammon, has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to assassinate you?' But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

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 Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah, saying, 'Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah. No one will know about it. Why should he take your life, causing all the Jews who have gathered to you to scatter and leaving the remnant of Judah to perish?'

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 son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, 'Do not do this thing. What you are saying about Ishmael is a lie.'

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.