Jeremiah 39–43

¹In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, come hath Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his force unto Jerusalem, and they lay siege against it; ²in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth of the month, hath the city been broken up; ³and come in do all the heads of the king of Babylon, and they sit at the middle gate, Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, chief of the eunuchs, Nergal-Sharezer, chief of the Mages, and all the rest of the heads of the king of Babylon. ⁴And it cometh to pass, when Zedekiah king of Judah, and all the men of war, have seen them, that they flee and go forth by night from the city, the way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and he goeth forth the way of the plain. ⁵And the forces of the Chaldeans pursue after them, and overtake Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and they take him, and bring him up unto Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah, in the land of Hamath, and he speaketh with him—judgments. ⁶And the king of Babylon slaughtereth the sons of Zedekiah, in Riblah, before his eyes, yea, all the freemen of Judah hath the king of Babylon slaughtered. ⁷And the eyes of Zedekiah he hath blinded, and he bindeth him with brazen fetters, to bring him in to Babylon. ⁸And the house of the king, and the house of the people, have the Chaldeans burnt with fire, and the walls of Jerusalem they have broken down. ⁹And the remnant of the people who are left in the city, and those falling who have fallen to him, and the remnant of the people who are left, hath Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, removed to Babylon. ¹⁰And of the poor people, who have nothing, hath Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, left in the land of Judah, and he giveth to them vineyards and fields on the same day.

¹¹And Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon giveth a charge concerning Jeremiah, by the hand of Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, saying, ¹²‘Take him, and place thine eyes upon him, and do no evil thing to him, but as he speaketh unto thee, so do with him.’ ¹³And Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners sendeth, and Nebushazban, chief of the eunuchs, and Nergal-Sharezer, chief of the Mages, and all the chiefs of the king of Babylon; ¹⁴yea, they send and take Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and give him unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to carry him home, and he dwelleth in the midst of the people. ¹⁵And unto Jeremiah hath a word of Jehovah been—in his being detained in the court of the prison—saying: ¹⁶‘Go, and thou hast spoken to Ebed-Melech the Cushite, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: Lo, I am bringing in My words unto this city for evil, and not for good, and they have been before thee in that day. ¹⁷And I have delivered thee in that day—an affirmation of Jehovah—and thou art not given into the hand of the men of whose face thou art afraid, ¹⁸for I do certainly deliver thee, and by sword thou fallest not, and thy life hath been to thee for a spoil, for thou hast trusted in Me—an affirmation of Jehovah.’

Chapter 40

¹The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, after Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, hath sent him from Ramah, in his taking him—and he a prisoner in chains—in the midst of all the removal of Jerusalem and of Judah, who are removed to Babylon. ²And the chief of the executioners taketh Jeremiah, and saith unto him, ‘Jehovah thy God hath spoken this evil concerning this place, ³and Jehovah bringeth it in, and doth as He spake, because ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have not hearkened to His voice, even this thing hath been to you.

⁴‘And now, lo, I have loosed thee to-day from the chains that are on thy hand; if good in thine eyes to come with me to Babylon, come, and I keep mine eye upon thee: and if evil in thine eyes to come with me to Babylon, forbear; see, all the land is before thee, whither it be good, and whither it be right in thine eyes to go—go.’— ⁵and while he doth not reply—‘Or turn back unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him in the midst of the people, or whithersoever it is right in thine eyes to go—go.’ And the chief of the executioners giveth to him for the way, and a gift, and sendeth him away, ⁶and Jeremiah cometh in unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and dwelleth with him, in the midst of the people who are left in the land.

⁷And all the heads of the forces that are in the field hear, they and their men, that the king of Babylon hath appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land, and that he hath charged him with men, and women, and infants, and of the poor of the land, of those who have not been removed to Babylon; ⁸and they come in unto Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, and Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maachathite, they and their men. ⁹And swear to them doth Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, and to their men, saying, ‘Be not afraid of serving the Chaldeans, abide in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it is well for you; ¹⁰and I, lo, I am dwelling in Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who are come in unto us, and ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruit, and oil, and put in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.’ ¹¹And also all the Jews who are in Moab, and among the sons of Ammon, and in Edom, and who are in all the lands, have heard that the king of Babylon hath given a remnant to Judah, and that he hath appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, ¹²and all the Jews from all the places whither they have been driven, turn back and enter the land of Judah, unto Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and they gather wine and summer fruit—very much. ¹³And Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces that are in the field, have come in unto Gedaliah to Mizpah, ¹⁴and they say unto him, ‘Dost thou really know that Baalis king of the sons of Ammon hath sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to smite thy soul?’ And Gedaliah son of Ahikam hath not given to them credence. ¹⁵And Johanan son of Kareah hath spoken unto Gedaliah in secret, in Mizpah, saying, ‘Let me go, I pray thee, and I smite Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one doth know; why doth he smite thy soul? and scattered have been all Judah who are gathered unto thee, and perished hath the remnant of Judah.’ ¹⁶And Gedaliah son of Ahikam saith unto Johanan son of Kareah, ‘Thou dost not do this thing, for falsehood thou art speaking concerning Ishmael.’

Chapter 41

¹And it cometh to pass, in the seventh month, come hath Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and of the chiefs of the king, and ten men with him, unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and they eat there bread together in Mizpah. ²And Ishmael son of Nethaniah riseth, and the ten men who have been with him, and they smite Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and he putteth him to death whom the king of Babylon hath appointed over the land. ³And all the Jews who have been with him, with Gedaliah, in Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who have been found there—the men of war—hath Ishmael smitten. ⁴And it cometh to pass, on the second day of the putting of Gedaliah to death, (and no one hath known,) ⁵that men come in from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria—eighty men—with shaven beards, and rent garments, and cutting themselves, and an offering and frankincense in their hand, to bring in to the house of Jehovah. ⁶And Ishmael son of Nethaniah goeth forth to meet them, from Mizpah, going on and weeping, and it cometh to pass, at meeting them, that he saith unto them, ‘Come in unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam.’ ⁷And it cometh to pass, at their coming in unto the midst of the city, that Ishmael son of Nethaniah doth slaughter them, at the midst of the pit, he and the men who are with him. ⁸And ten men have been found among them, and they say unto Ishmael, ‘Do not put us to death, for we have things hidden in the field—wheat, and barley, and oil, and honey.’ And he forbeareth, and hath not put them to death in the midst of their brethren. ⁹And the pit whither Ishmael hath cast all the carcases of the men whom he hath smitten along with Gedaliah, is that which the king Asa made because of Baasha king of Israel—it hath Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled with the pierced. ¹⁰And Ishmael taketh captive all the remnant of the people who are in Mizpah, the daughters of the king, and all the people who are left in Mizpah, whom Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, hath committed to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, and Ishmael son of Nethaniah taketh them captive, and goeth to pass over unto the sons of Ammon.

¹¹And hear doth Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces that are with him, of all the evil that Ishmael son of Nethaniah hath done, ¹²and they take all the men, and go to fight with Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and they find him at the great waters that are in Gibeon. ¹³And it cometh to pass, when all the people who are with Ishmael see Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces who are with him, that they rejoice. ¹⁴And all the people whom Ishmael hath taken captive from Mizpah turn round, yea, they turn back, and go unto Johanan son of Kareah. ¹⁵And Ishmael son of Nethaniah hath escaped, with eight men, from the presence of Johanan, and he goeth unto the sons of Ammon. ¹⁶And Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces who are with him, take all the remnant of the people whom he hath brought back from Ishmael son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah—after he had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam—mighty ones, men of war, and women, and infants, and eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon, ¹⁷and they go and abide in the habitations of Chimham, that are near Beth-Lehem, to go to enter Egypt, ¹⁸from the presence of the Chaldeans, for they have been afraid…