1The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took him — and he was bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried away into exile to Babylon.
2The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “Yahweh your God pronounced this disaster against this place.
3And Yahweh brought it about and did just as he had spoken, because you sinned against Yahweh and did not obey his voice; and so this thing has happened to you.
4And now, behold, I have freed you today from the chains that are on your hand. If it is good in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will keep my eye on you; but if it is bad in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, refrain. See, all the land is before you; wherever it is good and right in your eyes to go, go there.
5While he was still not turning back, [he said,] “Then go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people; or go anywhere it is right in your eyes to go.” And the captain of the guard gave him an allowance and a present, and let him go.
6So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and dwelt with him among the people who remained in the land.
7When all the commanders of the forces who were in the open country, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land, and that he had put in his charge men and women and children, and the poorest of the land, those who had not been carried into exile to Babylon,
8they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah — Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite — they and their men.
9And Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their men, saying, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.
10As for me, behold, I am dwelling at Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who come to us; but you, gather wine and summer fruit and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken over.”
11Likewise all the Judeans who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom, and those who were in all the lands, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan.
12So 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 gathered wine and summer fruit in great abundance.
13Now Johanan son of Kareah, and all the commanders of the forces who were in the open country, came to Gedaliah at Mizpah,
14and said to him, “Do you really know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to strike you down — to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, saying, “Let me go and strike down Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know. Why should he take your life, so that all Judah who are gathered to you would be scattered and the remnant of Judah would perish?”
16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do this thing, for what you are saying about Ishmael is false.”
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