Jeremias 40

¹ The worde which came to Ieremiah from the Lorde after that Nebuzar-adan the chiefe stewarde had let him goe from Ramath, when hee had taken him being bound in chaines among all that were caried away captiue of Ierusalem & Iudah, which were caried away captiue vnto Babel.

² From (Jeremiah 40:2-42:7) it seems to be as a parenthesis and separated matter and there this story begins again and this vision is declared what it was.And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said to him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.

³ Now the LORD hath brought [it], and done according as he hath said: because ye haveGod moved this infidel to speak this to declare the great blindness and obstinacy of the Jews who could not feel that which this heathen man confessed.sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

⁴ And nowe beholde, I loose thee this day from the chaines which were on thine handes, if it please thee to come with me into Babel, come, and I will looke well vnto thee: but if it please thee not to come with mee into Babel, tarie still: beholde, all the lande is before thee: whither it seemeth good, and conuenient for thee to goe, thither goe.

⁵ For yet he was not returned: therefore he said, Returne to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, the sonne of Shaphan, whom the King of Babel hath made gouernour ouer all the cities of Iudah, and dwell with him among the people, or goe wheresoeuer it pleaseth thee to goe. So the chiefe stewarde gaue him vitailes and a rewarde, and let him goe.

⁶ Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam toWhich was a city of Judah.Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.

⁷ Now when all the captains of the forcesWhich were scattered abroad for fear of the Chaldeans.who [were] in the fields, [even] they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;

⁸ Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, evenWho was of the king's blood and later slew him, (Jer_41:2).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 sonne of Ahikam, the sonne of Shaphan sware vnto them, and to their men, saying, Feare not to serue the Caldeans: dwell in the lande, and serue the King of Babel, and it shall be well with you.

¹⁰ As for me, Beholde, I will dwell at Mizpah to serue the Caldeans, which will come vnto vs: but you, gather you wine, and sommer fruites, and oyle, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities, that ye haue taken.

¹¹ Likewise when all the Jews that [were] inWhich were fed also for fear of the Chaldeans.Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that [were] in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;

¹² Euen all the Iewes returned out of all places where they were driuen, and came to the land of Iudah to Gedaliah vnto Mizpah, and gathered wine and sommer fruites, very much.

¹³ Moreouer Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste, that were in the fieldes, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

¹⁴ And said to him, Dost thou certainly know thatFor under the colour of entertaining Ishmael, he sought only to make them destroy one another.Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.

¹⁵ Then Iohanan the sonne of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me goe, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it. Wherefore should he kill thee, that all the Iewes, which are gathered vnto thee, shoulde be scattered, and the remnant in Iudah perish?

¹⁶ But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shaltThus the godly who think no harm to others are soonest deceived and never lack such as conspire their destruction.not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.