Jeremiah 40
40
Jeremiah Decides to Remain in the Land
1The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh after Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard,#Hebrew “guards” had let him go from Ramah, where he had been taken#Literally “at his taking him bound in chains in the midst of all the exiles#Hebrew “exile” of Jerusalem and Judah who were being deported to Babylon. 2And the captain of the guard#Hebrew “guards” took Jeremiah and said to him, “Yahweh your God threatened this disaster to this place, 3and now he has brought it about,#Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and Yahweh has done just as#Literally “as that” he threatened. Because you sinned against Yahweh and did not listen to his voice, so this thing has happened to you. 4And so then look, I have released you today#Literally “the day” from the chains that were on your hands.#Hebrew “hand” If it is good in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, then come, and I will take care of you.#Literally “I will place my eye on you” But if it is bad in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, then refrain. Look, the whole land is before you.#Literally “to the face of you” To wherever it is good and right in your eyes to go, then go there.” 5While he still had not turned back, Nebuzaradan added, “Return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed in an official position over the towns of Judah, and stay with him in the midst of the people. Or to wherever it is right in your eyes to go, then go there.”#Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation Then the captain of the guard#Hebrew “guards” gave him an allowance of provisions and a present, and let him go. 6So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah and stayed with him in the midst of the people who were left in the land.
The Assassination of Gedaliah
7When all the commanders of the armies who were in the open country and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam in an official position in the land, and that he had put him in charge of#Literally “he had appointed to him” men, and women, and little children, and of the poor of the land, of all those who had not been deported to Babylon, 8then they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, and Jehonathan the son 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. 9And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their men, saying,#Literally “to say” “You must not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you. 10As for me,#Literally “And I” look, I am staying at Mizpah to represent you before#Literally “to the face of” the Chaldeans who come to us. But you, gather wine and summer fruit and oil, and put them in your vessels, and live in your towns that you have seized.” 11And also all the Judeans who were in Moab, and among the Ammonites,#Literally “sons of Ammon” and in Edom, and who were in all the lands, when they heard that the king of Babylon had given a remnant to Judah and that he had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, in an official position over them, 12then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they were scattered. And they came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and they gathered wine and summer fruit that yielded in great abundance.#Literally “very numerous”
13And Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies who were in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14and said to him, “Are you at all aware#Literally “know you know” that Baalis, the king of the Ammonites,#Literally “sons of Ammon” has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, to kill you?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam would not believe them. 15Then Johanan the son of Kareah said to Gedaliah in secrecy at Mizpah, saying,#Literally “to say” “Please let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and nobody#Literally “not a man” will know. Why should he kill you, so that all of Judah who are gathered to you will be scattered, and the remnant of Judah will perish?” 16But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You must not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”
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Jeremiah 40: LEB
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Jeremiah 40
40
Jeremiah’s release
1Jeremiah received the LORD’s word after Nebuzaradan the captain of the special guard had released him from Ramah. He had been bound in chains there along with all the other detainees from Jerusalem and Judah who were being sent off to Babylon. 2The captain of the special guard located Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God declared that a great disaster would overtake this place. 3Now the LORD has made it happen. He has done just as he warned because all of you have sinned against the LORD and haven’t obeyed him. That’s why this has happened to you. 4But I’m setting you free from the chains on your hands. If you would like, come with me to Babylon, and I’ll take care of you. If you would rather not come with me, that’s fine too. Now, the whole land lies before you; go wherever you want. 5If you decide to remain here,#40.5 Heb uncertain stay with Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son and Shaphan’s grandson—the Babylonian appointee in charge of the cities of Judah. Stay with him and the people he rules or go wherever you want.” Then the captain of the special guard gave him ample provisions and let him go. 6Jeremiah went to Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son at Mizpah, and he stayed with him and the people who remained in the land.
Gedaliah’s provisional government
7Some of the army officers and their troops were still hiding out in the countryside when they heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son, over the region, responsible for the men, women, and children who were the poorest in the land and who hadn’t been deported to Babylon. 8So they went out to meet Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael, Nethaniah’s son; Johanan and Jonathan, Kareah’s sons; Seraiah son of Tanhumeth; the sons of Ephai the Netophathite; Jezaniah son of the Maacathite; and their troops. 9Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son and Shaphan’s grandson, firmly assured them all: “Don’t be afraid of serving the Babylonians. Remain in the land, serve the king of Babylon, and all will go well for you. 10But me? I will stay at Mizpah so I can speak on your behalf when the Babylonians arrive. But you? Settle down in the towns you have taken; harvest the grapes, the summer fruits and figs, and then store them in your containers.”
11In the same way, all the Judeans living in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and in other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a few people in the land and that he had put Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son and Shaphan’s grandson, in charge of them. 12So they left the places where they had been scattered and returned to the land, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. There they gathered large amounts of grapes and summer fruits.
13Johanan, Kareah’s son, and all the army officers in the countryside approached Gedaliah at Mizpah 14and said to him, “Are you aware that King Baalis of Ammon has sent Ishmael, Nethaniah’s son, to kill you?” But Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son, wouldn’t believe them. 15Still Johanan, Kareah’s son, met with Gedaliah secretly at Mizpah and said to him, “Let me go and kill Ishmael, Nethaniah’s son; no one needs to knows about this matter. Otherwise, he’ll kill you, and all the Judeans who have gathered around you will be scattered, and the few who are left will perish.”
16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam told Johanan, Kareah’s son, “Don’t do such a thing, for what you are saying about Ishmael is wrong.”
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