3
Now the LORD has brought
it and done according as he had said; because ye have sinned against the LORD, and did not listen to his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.
4
And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which
were upon thine hand. If it seems good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seems ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land
is before thee; where it seems good and convenient for thee to go, go there.
5
Now while he had
not yet replied that he would go back,
the captain said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah and dwell with him among the people, or go wherever it seems convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward and sent him forth.
6
Then Jeremiah came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.
7
And all the princes of the army which
were in the field,
even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor over the land and had committed unto him the men and the women and the children and the poor of the land, those that were not carried away captive to Babylon;
8
then 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.
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.
10
As for me, behold, I dwell in Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us; but ye, gather ye the wine and the bread and the oil and put
them in your vessels and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.
11
Likewise when all the Jews that
were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and that
were in all the lands heard how the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan,
12
all these Jews returned out of all places where they were driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah in Mizpah, and gathered wine and much fruit.
13
Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah and all the princes of the armies that
were in the fields came to Gedaliah to Mizpah