2
The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him,
1"The LORD your God pronounced this disaster against this place.
3
The LORD has brought it about, and has done as he said.
2Because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you.
4
Now, behold, I release you today from
3the chains on your hands.
4If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well,
5but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come.
6See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go.
5
If you remain, then return to
7Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan,
8whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever you think it right to go." So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go.
6
Then Jeremiah went to
9Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at
10Mizpah, and lived with him
11among the people
12who were left in the land.
7
13When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that
14the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of
15the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon,
8
they went to Gedaliah at
16Mizpah--
17Ishmael the son of Nethaniah,
18Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,
19Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.
9
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, "Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon,
20and it shall be well with you.
10
As for me, I will dwell at
21Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you,
22gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken."
11
Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in
23Moab and among
24the Ammonites and in
25Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as governor over them,
12
26then 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 they
27gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.