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
40
Jeremiah Remains in Judah
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord #[ch. 39:14] after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from #Josh. 18:25 Ramah, when he took him #[Ps. 149:8]bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. 2The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, #[Deut. 29:24, 28]“The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. 3The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. #ch. 44:3, 23; Deut. 29:25; See Dan. 9:10-12Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you. 4Now, behold, I release you today from #[See ver. 1 above] the chains on your hands. #[ch. 39:12] If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, #[ch. 39:12] but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. #[Gen. 20:15]See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go. 5If you remain,#40:5 Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain then return to #See ch. 39:14 Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, #ch. 41:2whom 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. 6Then Jeremiah went to #[See ver. 5 above] Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at #ch. 41:6; Josh. 18:26 Mizpah, and lived with him #ch. 37:12; 39:14 among the people #ch. 39:10who were left in the land.
7 # For ver. 7-9, see 2 Kgs. 25:23, 24 When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that #ver. 5 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 #ch. 39:10; 2 Kgs. 25:12the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon, 8they went to Gedaliah at #[See ver. 6 above] Mizpah—#ver. 14, 15, 16; See ch. 41:1-3 Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, #ver. 13, 15, 16; ch. 42:1, 8 Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, #ch. 42:1Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 9Gedaliah 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, #ch. 38:20and it shall be well with you. 10As for me, I will dwell at #[See ver. 6 above] Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you, #[ver. 12]gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.” 11Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in #[Num. 22:1; 2 Sam. 8:2] Moab and among #1 Sam. 11:1; 12:12 the Ammonites and in #Gen. 36:8Edom 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, 12#[ch. 43:5] 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 #[ver. 10]gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.
13Now #ver. 8, 15, 16; ch. 42:1, 8 Johanan the son of Kareah and #ch. 41:11; 42:1all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of #[ch. 41:10]the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam would not believe them. 15Then 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, #[ch. 42:2]and the remnant of Judah would perish?” 16But 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.”
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