⁵When Jeremiah had not yet turned to go, Nebuzaradan said to him: “Return ^xto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people or go wherever you want to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him a ration ^yand a gift ^zand released him. ⁶Jeremiah therefore went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, ^aand he stayed with him among the people who remained in the land.

Gedaliah Advises Peace

⁷When all the commanders of the armies in the field—they and their men—heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women, and children from the poorest of the land who had not been deported to Babylon, ⁸they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The commanders included Ishmael ^bson of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men.

⁹Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you. ^c

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Footnotes

x40:5 reads But if not, run, return; Hb obscure

Cross references

y40:5 2Kg 25:30; Jr 52:34
z40:5 2Sm 11:8
a40:6 Jdg 20:1–3; 1Sm 7:5–16; Jr 41:1–16
b40:8 Jr 41:1, 9
c40:7–9 2Kg 25:22–24