The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan
the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took
him bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and
Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. The captain of the guard
took Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God pronounced this
disaster against this place. The LORD has brought it about, and has
done as he said. Because you sinned against the LORD and did not
obey his voice, this thing has come upon you. Now, behold, I
release you today from the chains on your hands. If it seems good
to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you
well, but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do
not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think
it good and right to go. If you remain, then return to Gedaliah the
son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed
governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the
people. Or go wherever you think it right to go.” So the captain of
the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him
go. Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah,
and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.
When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their
men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son
of Ahikam governor in the land and had committed to him men, women,
and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been
taken into exile to Babylon, they went to Gedaliah at
Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah,
Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,
Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. Gedaliah
the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men,
saying, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land
and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. As
for me, I will dwell at Mizpah, to represent you before the
Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you, gather wine and
summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in
your cities that you have taken.” Likewise, when all the Judeans
who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other
lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah
and had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as
governor over them, then all the Judeans returned from all the
places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah,
to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and summer fruits in
great abundance.
Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces
in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 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
would not believe them. Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke
secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, “Please let me go and strike down
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should
he take your life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered about
you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish?” But
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You
shall not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ishmael.”
