39 ¹ In the ninth year of Zedekiah^(A) king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege^(C) to it. ² And on the ninth day of the fourth^(D) month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall^(E) was broken through.^{(F) 3} Then all the officials^(G) of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. ⁴ When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls,^(H) and headed toward the Arabah.^[a](I)

⁵ But the Babylonian^[b] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah^(J) in the plains of Jericho. They captured^(K) him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah^(L) in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. ⁶ There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles^(M) of Judah. ⁷ Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes^(N) and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.^(O)

⁸ The Babylonians^[c] set fire^(P) to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls^(Q) of Jerusalem. ⁹ Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him,^(R) and the rest of the people.^{(S) 10} But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

¹¹ Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: ¹² “Take him and look after him; don’t harm^(T) him but do for him whatever he asks.” ¹³ So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers^(U) of the king of Babylon ¹⁴ sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard.^(V) They turned him over to Gedaliah^(W) son of Ahikam,^(X) the son of Shaphan,^(Y) to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.^(Z)

¹⁵ While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: ¹⁶ “Go and tell Ebed-Melek^(AA) the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words^(AB) against this city—words concerning disaster,^(AC) not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. ¹⁷ But I will rescue^(AD) you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. ¹⁸ I will save^(AE) you; you will not fall by the sword^(AF) but will escape with your life,^(AG) because you trust^(AH) in me, declares the Lord.’”

Jeremiah Freed

40 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah.^(AI) He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives^(AJ) from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. ² When the commander^(AK) of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God decreed^(AL) this disaster^(AM) for this place.^{(AN) 3} And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned^(AO) against the Lord and did not obey^(AP) him. ⁴ But today I am freeing^(AQ) you from the chains^(AR) on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”^{(AS) 5} However, before Jeremiah turned to go,^[d] Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah^(AT) son of Ahikam,^(AU) the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed^(AV) over the towns^(AW) of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.”^(AX)

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

Gedaliah Assassinated^(BA)

⁷ When 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^(BB) over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest^(BC) in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, ⁸ they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah^(BD)—Ishmael^(BE) son of Nethaniah, Johanan^(BF) and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,^(BG) and Jaazaniah^[e] the son of the Maakathite,^(BH) and their men. ⁹ Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve^(BI) the Babylonians,^[f](BJ)” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.^{(BK) 10} I myself will stay at Mizpah^(BL) to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine,^(BM) summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars,^(BN) and live in the towns you have taken over.”^(BO)

¹¹ When all the Jews in Moab,^(BP) Ammon, Edom^(BQ) and all the other countries^(BR) heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them, ¹² they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered.^(BS) And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

¹³ Johanan^(BT) son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah^{(BU) 14} and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites^(BV) has sent Ishmael^(BW) son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

¹⁵ Then Johanan^(BX) son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill^(BY) Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered^(BZ) and the remnant^(CA) of Judah to perish?”

¹⁶ But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan^(CB) son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”