1This is the message Jeremiah received from Yahweh after Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, released him from Ramah. Jeremiah had been bound in chains along with all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being led away to Babylon.
2The captain of the guard took Jeremiah aside and told him, "Yahweh your God announced that trouble would come to this place."
3"And now Yahweh has brought it about and done exactly what he said. This has happened to you because you sinned against Yahweh and did not obey him."
4"Look, today I am freeing you from the chains on your hands. If you want to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will take care of you. But if you don't want to come with me to Babylon, don't. The whole land is in front of you. Go wherever you think it is best and right to go."
5Before Jeremiah turned to leave, the captain added, "Or go back to Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed governor over the cities of Judah. Stay with him among the people, or go wherever you choose." Then the captain of the guard gave Jeremiah food and a gift, and let him go.
6So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, at Mizpah and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.
7When all the army commanders who were still in the countryside, along with their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, governor of the land and had put him in charge of the men, women, and children, and the poorest people of the land who had not been taken captive to Babylon,
8they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. These included Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, along with their men.
9Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, "Don't be afraid to serve the Babylonians. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and things will go well for you."
10"As for me, I will stay in Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us. But you should gather wine, summer fruits, and oil, store them in your jars, and live in the cities you have taken over."
11Similarly, when all the Jewish people who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, over them,
12then all the Jewish people returned from every place they had been scattered. They came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered a large amount of wine and summer fruits.
13Then Johanan, son of Kareah, and all the army commanders who were in the countryside came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.
14They said to him, "Do you 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.
15Then Johanan, son of Kareah, spoke to Gedaliah privately in Mizpah, saying, "Please let me go and kill Ishmael, son of Nethaniah. No one will know. Why should he take your life, causing all the Jewish people gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to be destroyed?"
16But Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, said to Johanan, son of Kareah, "Don't do that, because what you are saying about Ishmael is false."