Jeremiah 40:5–9

⁵However, before Jeremiah turned to go,^a Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah^p son of Ahikam,^q the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed^r over the towns^s of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.”^t

Then the commander gave him provisions and a present^u and let him go. ⁶So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah^v and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

Gedaliah Assassinated

40:7–9; 41:1–3pp—2Ki 25:22–26

⁷When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor^w over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest^x in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, ⁸they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah^y—Ishmael^z son of Nethaniah, Johanan^a and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,^b and Jaazaniah^b the son of the Maakathite,^c and their men. ⁹Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve^d the Babylonians,^ce” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.^f