King James Version

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan, the chief of the executioners, had sent him from Ramah when he took him and he was bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried away to Babylon. 2 And the chief of the eunuchs took Jeremiah and said to him, "The Lord your God has spoken this evil concerning this place." 3 And the LORD brought and did as He had spoken, for you have sinned against the LORD and did not listen to His voice, and this thing shall be for you a sign. 4 And now, behold, I have opened to you today from the shackles that are upon you; if it is good in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will set my eyes upon you; and if it is bad in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, refrain. See, all the land is before you; choose what is good and right in your eyes to go there. 5 And still, he will not return and will turn back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed over the cities of Judah, and he will stay with him among the people, or to whatever is right in your eyes to go; and he gave to him a great feast of butchers and provisions, and he sent him away. 6 And Jeremiah came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and he sat with him among the people who remained in the land. 7 And all the leaders of the soldiers who were in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land, and that he had appointed with him men and women and children and the poorest of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon. 8 And they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Sariah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephi the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maachathite, they and their men. 9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying, "Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be good for you." 10 And I, behold, I am sitting at Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who will come to us, and you gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels and dwell in your cities which you have taken. 11 And all the Jews who were in Moab and among the children of Ammon and in Edom and who were in all the countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan. 12 And all the Jews who were in all the places where they had been scattered returned and came to the land of Judah to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and they gathered a great deal of wine and summer fruits. 13 And Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. 14 And they said to me, "Do you not know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you, but Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them." 15 And Johanan the son of Kareah said to Gedaliah in secret at Mizpah, saying, "Let me go now and strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man will know why he should strike down a soul, and all the Jews who are gathered to you will be scattered, and the remnant of Judah will perish." 16 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, "Do not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely concerning Ishmael."