Jeremiah Remains in Judah
1 This is the word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him, bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah, who were taken captive to Babylon.
2 The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced this disaster on this place, 3 and the Lord has brought it about and has done according to what he spoke. Because you people have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore all of this has come upon you. 4 Now, I release you today from the chains which are on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will take care of you, but if it seems wrong to you to come with me into Babylon, then do not. All the land is before you. Where it seems good and right to you to go, there go.”
5 Now when Jeremiah had not yet gone back, Nebuzaradan said to him, “Go back then, to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, 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 right to you to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him food and a present and let him go. 6 Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.
Gedaliah Rules in Judah
7 Now all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, they and their men heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land and had committed to him men, women, children, and of the poorest of the land, of those who were not taken captive to Babylon. 8 So 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 the Maacathite, they and their men came to Gedaliah to Mizpah.
9 Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you. 10 As for me, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who will come to us, but you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.”
11 Likewise when all the Jews who were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and who 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 then all the Jews returned from all the places where they had been driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and gathered a large quantity of wine and summer fruits.
The Plot against Gedaliah
13 Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, 14 and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?”
But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them.
15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, “Please let me go, and I will kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know of it. Why should he take your life, that all the Jews who are gathered to you should be scattered and the remnant of Judah perish?”
16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “Do not do such a thing, for you speak falsely of Ishmael.”