Jeremiah 40 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Jeremiah Stays in Judah

(2Ki 25:22–26 )

The word^H1697 which^H834 came^H1961 to Jeremiah^H3414 from Yahweh^H3068 after^H310 Nebuzaradan^H5018 captain^H7227 of the bodyguard^H2876 had released^H7971 him from Ramah^H7414, when he had taken^H3947 him bound^H631 in chains^H246 among^H8432 all^H3605 the exiles^H1546 of Jerusalem^H3389 and Judah^H3063 who were being exiled^H1540 to Babylon^H894.

Jer 40:2

Jer 40:2And the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “Yahweh your God promised this calamity against this place;

Jer 40:3

Jer 40:3and Yahweh has brought it on and done just as He promised. Because you people sinned against Yahweh and did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you.

Jer 40:4

Jer 40:4“So now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains which are on your hands. If it is good in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will set my eyes to look after you; but if it [fn]is displeasing in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, [fn]never mind. Look, the whole land is before you; go wherever it seems good and right in your eyes to go.”

Jer 40:5

Jer 40:5But as [fn]Jeremiah had not yet set out to return, [fn]he said, “Return then to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or else go anywhere that is right in your eyes to go.” So the captain of the bodyguard gave him a ration and a gift and let him go.

Jer 40:6

Jer 40:6Then Jeremiah went to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and stayed with him among the people who remained in the land.

Jer 40:7

Then all^H3605 the [fn]commanders^H8269 of the military^H2428 forces^H2428 that were in the field^H7704, they and their men^H376, heard^H8085 that the king^H4428 of Babylon^H894 had appointed^H6485 Gedaliah^H1436 the son^H1121 of Ahikam^H296 over the land^H776 and that he had appointed^H6485 him over the men^H376, women^H802, little^H2945 ones^H2945, and those of the poorest^H1803 of the land^H776 who^H834 had not been exiled^H1540 to Babylon^H894.

Jer 40:8

Jer 40:8So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with 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 the Maacathite, both they and their men.

Jer 40:9

Jer 40:9Then Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their men, saying, “Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans; stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, that it may go well with you.

Jer 40:10

Jer 40:10“Now as for me, behold, I am going to stay at Mizpah to stand for you before the Chaldeans who come to us; but as for you, gather in wine and summer fruit and oil and put them in your storage vessels and stay in your cities that you have seized.”

Jer 40:11

Jer 40:11And also all the Jews, who were in Moab and among the sons of Ammon and in Edom and who were in all the other lands, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan.

Jer 40:12

Jer 40:12Then all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been banished and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered in wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

Jer 40:13

Now Johanan^H3076 the son^H1121 of Kareah^H7143 and all^H3605 the commanders^H8269 of the military^H2428 forces^H2428 that were in the field^H7704 came^H935 to Gedaliah^H1436 at Mizpah^H4709

Jer 40:14

Jer 40:14and said to him, “Do you indeed know that Baalis the king of the sons of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to strike down your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them.

Jer 40:15

Jer 40:15Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “Let me go and strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and not a man will know! Why should he strike down your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the remnant of Judah would perish?”

Jer 40:16