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.”
Currently Selected:
Jeremiah 40: LEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2010 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
Jeremiah 40
40
Jeremiah Stays with Gedaliah
1The LORD spoke to me after Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, had set me free at Ramah. I had been taken there in chains, along with all the other people from Jerusalem and Judah who were being taken away as prisoners to Babylonia.
2The commanding officer took me aside and said, “The LORD your God threatened this land with destruction, 3and now he has done what he said he would. All this happened because your people sinned against the LORD and disobeyed him. 4Now, I am taking the chains off your wrists and setting you free. If you want to go to Babylonia with me, you may do so, and I will take care of you. But if you don't want to go, you don't have to. You have the whole country to choose from, and you may go wherever you wish.”
5When I did not answer,#40.5 When I did not answer; or Then, before he left. Nebuzaradan said, “Go back to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylonia has made governor of the towns of Judah. You may stay with him and live among the people, or you may go anywhere you think you should.” Then he gave me a present and some food to take with me, and let me go on my way. 6I went to stay with Gedaliah in Mizpah and lived among the people who were left in the land.
Gedaliah, Governor of Judah
(2 Kgs 25.22–24)
7 #
2 Kgs 25.22–24
Some of the Judean officers and soldiers had not surrendered. They heard that the king of Babylonia had made Gedaliah governor of the land and had placed him in charge of all those who had not been taken away to Babylonia — the poorest people in the land. 8So Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophah, and Jezaniah from Maacah went with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah. 9Gedaliah said to them, “I give you my word that there is no need for you to be afraid to surrender to the Babylonians. Settle down in this land, serve the king of Babylonia, and all will go well with you. 10I myself will stay in Mizpah and be your representative when the Babylonians come here. But you can gather and store up wine, fruit, and olive oil, and live in the villages you occupy.” 11Meanwhile, all the Israelites who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other countries, heard that the king of Babylonia had allowed some Israelites to stay on in Judah and that he had made Gedaliah their governor. 12So they left the places where they had been scattered, and returned to Judah. They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and there they gathered in large amounts of wine and fruit.
Gedaliah is Murdered
(2 Kgs 25.25–26)
13After this, Johanan and the leaders of the soldiers who had not surrendered came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14and said to him, “Don't you know that King Baalis of Ammon has sent Ishmael to murder you?” But Gedaliah did not believe it. 15Then Johanan said privately to him, “Let me go and kill Ishmael, and no one will know who did it. Why should he be allowed to murder you? That would cause all the Jews who have gathered round you to be scattered, and it would bring disaster on all the people who are left in Judah.”
16But Gedaliah answered, “Don't do it! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true!”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.