1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah. He had taken Jeremiah when he was bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried away to Babylon.
2The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, "The LORD your God said this trouble would come on this place."
3Now the LORD has brought it, and has done just as he said. This happened to you because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey his voice.
4"And now, look, today I set you free from the chains on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will take good care of you. But if it seems bad to you to come with me to Babylon, then stay here. Look, all the land is before you. Go wherever it seems good and right to you to go."
5While Jeremiah had not yet turned to go, the captain said, "Then go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and live with him among the people. Or go wherever it seems right to you to go." So the captain of the guard gave him food and a gift, and let him go.
6Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.
7All the captains of the forces who were in the open country, both they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah son of Ahikam governor in the land. They heard that he had put in his care men, women and children, and some of the poor of the land who had not been carried away to Babylon.
8So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of a Maachathite, they and their men.
9Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, made a promise on oath to them and to their men. He said, "Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you."
10"As for me, look, I will live at Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans who come to us. But you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your jars, and live in the cities you have taken."
11In the same way, all the Jews who were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and in all the other countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, over them.
12So all those Jews came back from all the places where they had been driven. They came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered a great deal of wine and summer fruits.
13Then Johanan son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the open country, came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.
14They said to him, "Do you know for certain that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you?" But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah. He said, "Let me go, I beg you, and I will kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he kill you, so that all the Jews who have gathered to you are scattered, and the remnant in Judah dies?"
16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, "You shall not do this thing, for what you say about Ishmael is false."