Jeremiah 40

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, after that Nebuzar-adan the captain of the body-guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him, being bound in chains, among all the captivity of Jerusalem and Judah, that were carried away captive to Babylon.

This is the Lord's message that came to Jeremiah after Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard had released him at Ramah Nebuzaradan had discovered Jeremiah bound in chains along with all the prisoners from Jerusalem and Judah who were being taken into exile in Babylon.

2 And the captain of the body-guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, Jehovah thy God pronounced this evil upon this place,

When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah and he told him, “The Lord your God announced that disaster would come to this place,

3 and Jehovah hath brought [it about] and done according as he said; for ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have not hearkened unto his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

and now the Lord has made it happen—he has done just what he said he would. This happened to you people because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey what he said.

4 And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains that are upon thy hand. If it seem good in thy sight to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will keep mine eye upon thee; but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me to Babylon, forbear. See, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and right in thy sight to go, thither go.

But notice that now I'm removing the chains from your wrists and releasing you. If you want to come with me to Babylon then you can come, and I will look after you. But if you think it's a bad idea to come with me to Babylon, you don't have to go any farther. Look, you're free to go anywhere in the country. Go wherever is good for you—do what you think is right.”

5 And while he had not yet given answer; [he said, ] Yea, go back to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath appointed over the cities of Judah, and abide with him in the midst of the people; or go wheresoever it seemeth right in thy sight to go. And the captain of the body-guard gave him provisions and a present, and let him go.

Since Jeremiah didn't answer right away, Nebuzaradan went on, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan. He's been appointed as governor over Judah by the king of Babylon. You can stay with him with your people, or you can go anywhere you want.” The commander of the guard gave him a food allowance and some money and let him go.

6 And Jeremiah came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and abode with him among the people that remained in the land.

So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him with the people who were still left in the country.

7 And all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that had not been carried away captive to Babylon.

The Judean army commanders and their men who were still in field found out that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor of the country and had put him in charge of the poorest people of the country—the men, women, and children who hadn't been exiled to Babylon.

8 And they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah; even 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 a Maachathite, they and their men.

So they along with their men came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite.

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

Geladaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, made them a solemn promise, saying, “Don't worry about serving the Babylonians. Stay here in the country and serve the king of Babylon, and things will go well for you.

10 And as for me, behold, I dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans, who will come unto us; and ye, gather wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put [them] in your vessels, and dwell in your cities which ye have taken.

I myself will stay here in Mizpah to represent you to the Babylonians when they come to meet with us. You yourselves should get busy harvesting grapes and summer fruit and olive oil, storing them in jars, and living in the towns you have occupied.”

11 Likewise all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon and in Edom, and that were in all the lands, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;

Those people of Judea who were living in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left some people behind in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as their governor.

12 and all the Jews returned out of all the places whither they had been driven, and came to the land of Judah to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.

So they all came back from the different places where they'd been scattered and went to Gedaliah at Mizpah in Judah. They were able to harvest a large quantity of grapes and summer fruit.

13 And Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah unto Mizpah,

Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the men in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

14 and said unto him, Dost thou indeed know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to smite thee to death? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.

and told him, “Do you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you?” But Gedaliah didn't believe them.

15 And Johanan the son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will smite Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and no man shall know it: why should he take thy life, and all they of Judah who are gathered unto thee be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish?

Johanan went and talked privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,” he told him. “No one will find out. Why should he be allowed to kill you? All the people of Judah who have joined you would be scattered, so that even those who have survived here would be killed!”

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

But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “Don't do it! What you're saying about Ishmael isn't true.”