Jeremiah, being set free by Nebuzar-adan, goeth to Gedaliah.

1 ¶ The wordº that² came² to² Jeremiahº from²² the LORD,º after¹ that² Nebuzaradanº the captainº of the guardº had let him goºª from² Ramah,º when he had takenºª him being boundºª in chainsº amongº all² that were carried away captiveº of Jerusalemº and Judah,º which were carried away captiveºª unto Babylon.º 2 And the captainº of the guardº tookºª Jeremiah,º and saidºª unto² him, The LORDº thy Godº hath pronouncedºª² this² evilº upon² this² place.º 3 Now the LORDº hath broughtºª [it], and doneºª according as² he hath said:ºª because² ye have sinnedºª against the LORD,º and have not² obeyedºª his voice,º therefore this² thingº is come² upon you. 4 And now,² behold,² I looseºª thee this dayº from² the chainsº which² [were] upon² thine hand.º If² it seem good¹¹ unto thee²² to comeºª with² me into Babylon,º come;ºª and I will look wellººª² unto² thee: but if² it seem ill¹ª¹ unto thee²² to comeºª with² me into Babylon,º forbear:ºª behold,ºª all² the landº [is] beforeº thee: whither² it seemeth¹² goodº and convenientº¹ for thee to go,¹ª² thither² go.¹ª² 5 Now while he was not² yet² gone back,ºª [he said], Go backºª also to² Gedaliahº the sonº of Ahikamº the sonº of Shaphan,º whom² the kingº of Babylonº hath made governorºª over the citiesº of Judah,º and dwellºª with² him amongº the people:º or² go¹ª² wheresoever²² it seemeth² convenientº¹ unto thee to go.¹ª² So the captainº of the guardº gaveºª him victualsº and a reward,º and let him go.ºª 6 Then wentºª Jeremiahº unto² Gedaliahº the sonº of Ahikamº to Mizpah;º and dweltºª with² him amongº the peopleº that were leftºª in the land.º

The dispersed Jews repair unto him.

7 ¶ Now when all² the captainsº of the forcesº which² [were] in the fields,º [even] they² and their men,¹² heardºª that² the kingº of Babylonº had made² Gedaliahº the sonº of Ahikamº governorºª in the land,º and² had committedºª unto² him men,¹² and women,º and children,º and of the poorº² of the land,º of them that²² were not² carried away captiveºª to Babylon;º 8 Then they cameºª to² Gedaliahº to Mizpah,º even Ishmaelº the sonº of Nethaniah,º and Johananº and Jonathanº the sonsº of Kareah,º and Seraiahº the sonº of Tanhumeth,º and the sonsº of Ephaiº the Netophathite,º and Jezaniahº the sonº of a Maachathite,º they² and their men.¹² 9 And Gedaliahº the sonº of Ahikamº the sonº of Shaphanº swareºª unto them and to their men,¹² saying,ºª Fearºª not² to serveºª² the Chaldeans:º dwell² in¹ª the land,º and serveºª² the kingº of Babylon,º and it shall be wellºª with you. 10 As for me,² behold,² I will dwellºª at Mizpahº to serveººª the Chaldeans,º which² will comeºª unto² us: but ye,² gatherºª ye wine,º and summer fruits,º and oil,º and putºª [them] in your vessels,º and dwellºª in your citiesº that² ye have taken.ºª 11 Likewise² when all² the Jewsº that² [were] in Moab,º and among the Ammonites,º² and in Edom,º and that² [were] in all² the countries,º heardºª that² the kingº of Babylonº had leftºª a remnantº of Judah,º and that² he had setºª over² them² Gedaliahº the sonº of Ahikamº the sonº of Shaphan;º 12 Even all² the Jewsº returned² out¹ª of all²² placesº whither²² they were driven,ºª and cameºª to the landº of Judah,º to² Gedaliah,º unto Mizpah,º and gatheredºª wineº and summer fruitsº veryº much.¹ª²

Johanan revealing Ishmael's conspiracy is not believed.

13 ¶ Moreover Johananº the sonº of Kareah,º and all² the captainsº of the forcesº that² [were] in the fields,º cameºª to² Gedaliahº to Mizpah,º 14 And saidºª unto² him, Dost thou certainly¹ª knowºª that² Baalisº the kingº of the Ammonitesºº hath sentºª² Ishmaelº the sonº of Nethaniahº to slayººª thee? But Gedaliahº the sonº of Ahikamº believedºª them not.² 15 Then Johananº the sonº of Kareahº spakeºª to² Gedaliahº in Mizpahº secretly,º saying,ºª Let me go,¹ª² I pray thee,² and I will slayºª² Ishmaelº the sonº of Nethaniah,º and no² manº shall knowºª [it]: wherefore² should he slayººª thee, that all² the Jews¹² which are gatheredºª unto² thee should be scattered,ºª and the remnantº in Judahº perish?ºª 16 But Gedaliahº the sonº of Ahikamº saidºª unto² Johananº the sonº of Kareah,º Thou shalt not² doºª² this² thing:º for² thou² speakestºª falselyº of² Ishmael.º