The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah after Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him while he was bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah, who were being exiled to Babylon.

Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, Jehovah your God spoke this evil against this place.

And Jehovah has caused it to come to pass and done as He had spoken, because you have sinned against Jehovah and have not listened to His voice; therefore this thing has come upon you.

And now I release you today from the chains which are on your hands. If it is good in your sight to come to Babylon with me, come, and I will look after you; but if it is evil in your sight to come with me to Babylon, let it be so. See, all the land is before you; wherever it is good and right in your sight to go, there go.

While he had still not turned away, he said, Return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people; or go wherever it is right in your sight to go. And the captain of the bodyguard gave him an allowance of food and a present and let him go.

And Jeremiah came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam at Mizpah and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land.

And when all the captains of the forces that were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land and had committed to him men and women and little children and those of the poor of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon,

They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, that is, 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, they and their men.

And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the 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 be well with you.

Now as for me, I will dwell in Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who come to us; but you, gather wine and summer fruit and oil and put them in your holds, and dwell in your cities which you have taken.

And all the Jews who were in Moab and among the children of Ammon and in Edom and who were in all the lands also heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah and had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan.

And all the Jews 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.

And Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

And they said to him, Are you at all aware that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam would not believe them.

Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, Let me go and strike Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know. Why should he take your life and all the Jews who are gathered to you be scattered and the remnant of Judah perish?

But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, Do not do this thing, for you are speaking falsehood concerning Ishmael.