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 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.