¶ The word¹ that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after² that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah³, when he had taken him being bound⁴ in chains⁵ among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.

And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD⁶ thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.

Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because⁷ ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand⁸. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee:⁹ but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the¹⁰ land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.

Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back¹¹ also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam¹² the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go¹³ wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him¹⁴ victuals and a reward¹⁵, and let him go.

Then¹⁶ went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah¹⁷; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.

¶ Now when all the¹⁹ captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor²⁰ of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;

Then they came²¹ to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even²² Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan²³ and Jonathan²⁴ the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite²⁵, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite²⁶, they and their men.

And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware²⁷ unto them and to their men, saying, Fear²⁸ not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

¶ As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to serve²⁹ the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather³⁰ ye wine, and summer³¹ fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.

Likewise when all the Jews³² that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;

Even all the Jews returned³³ out of all places whither they were driven³⁴, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah³⁵, and gathered wine and summer fruits³⁶ very much.

Moreover Johanan³⁸ the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites³⁹ hath sent Ishmael⁴⁰ the son of Nethaniah to slay thee?⁴¹ But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.

Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let⁴² me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore⁴³ should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?

But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt⁴⁴ not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.