Jeremiah 40 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Jeremiah Stays in Judah

1 The word ^H1697 which ^H834 came ^H1961 to Jeremiah ^H3414 from Yahweh ^H3068 after ^H310 Nebuzaradan ^H5018 captain ^H7227 of the bodyguard ^H2876 had released ^H7971 him from Ramah ^H7414, when he had taken ^H3947 him bound ^H631 in chains ^H246 among ^H8432 all ^H3605 the exiles ^H1546 of Jerusalem ^H3389 and Judah ^H3063 who were being exiled ^H1540 to Babylon ^H894.

2 And the captain ^H7227 of the bodyguard ^H2876 had taken ^H3947 Jeremiah ^H3414 and said ^H559 to him, “Yahweh ^H3068 your God ^H430 promised ^H1696 this ^H2088 calamity ^H7451 against ^H413 this ^H2088 place ^H4725; 3 and Yahweh ^H3068 has brought ^H935 it on and done ^H6213 just ^H834 as He promised ^H1696. Because ^H3588 you people sinned ^H2398 against Yahweh ^H3068 and did not listen ^H8085 to His voice ^H6963, therefore this ^H2088 thing ^H1697 has happened ^H1961 to you. 4 So now ^H6258, behold ^H2009, I am freeing ^H6605 you today ^H3117 from the chains ^H246 which ^H834 are on your hands ^H3027. If ^H518 it is good ^H2896 in your eyes ^H5869 to come ^H935 with me to Babylon ^H894, come ^H935 along, and I will set ^H7760 my eyes ^H5869 to look after ^H5921 you; but if ^H518 it [fn]is displeasing ^H7489 in your eyes ^H5869 to come ^H935 with me to Babylon ^H894, [fn]never ^H2308 mind ^H2308. Look ^H7200, the whole ^H3605 land ^H776 is before ^H6440 you; go ^H1980 wherever ^H8033 it seems good ^H2896 and right ^H3477 in your eyes ^H5869 to go ^H1980.” 5 But as [fn]Jeremiah had not yet ^H5750 set out to return ^H7725, [fn]he said, “Return ^H7725 then to Gedaliah ^H1436 the son ^H1121 of Ahikam ^H296, the son ^H1121 of Shaphan ^H8227, whom ^H834 the king ^H4428 of Babylon ^H894 has appointed ^H6485 over the cities ^H5892 of Judah ^H3063, and stay ^H3427 with him among ^H8432 the people ^H5971; or ^H176 else go ^H1980 anywhere ^H3605 that is right ^H3477 in your eyes ^H5869 to go ^H1980.” So the captain ^H7227 of the bodyguard ^H2876 gave ^H5414 him a ration ^H737 and a gift ^H4864 and let ^H7971 him go ^H7971. 6 Then Jeremiah ^H3414 went ^H935 to Mizpah ^H4709 to Gedaliah ^H1436 the son ^H1121 of Ahikam ^H296 and stayed ^H3427 with him among ^H8432 the people ^H5971 who remained ^H7604 in the land ^H776.

7 Then all ^H3605 the [fn]commanders ^H8269 of the military ^H2428 forces ^H2428 that were in the field ^H7704, they and their men ^H376, heard ^H8085 that the king ^H4428 of Babylon ^H894 had appointed ^H6485 Gedaliah ^H1436 the son ^H1121 of Ahikam ^H296 over the land ^H776 and that he had appointed ^H6485 him over the men ^H376, women ^H802, little ^H2945 ones ^H2945, and those of the poorest ^H1803 of the land ^H776 who ^H834 had not been exiled ^H1540 to Babylon ^H894. 8 So they came ^H935 to Gedaliah ^H1436 at Mizpah ^H4709, along with Ishmael ^H3458 the son ^H1121 of Nethaniah ^H5418, and Johanan ^H3076 and Jonathan ^H3083 the sons ^H1121 of Kareah ^H7143, and Seraiah ^H8304 the son ^H1121 of Tanhumeth ^H8576, and the sons ^H1121 of Ephai ^H5778 the Netophathite ^H5200, and Jezaniah ^H3153 the son ^H1121 of the Maacathite ^H4602, both they and their men ^H376. 9 Then Gedaliah ^H1436 the son ^H1121 of Ahikam ^H296, the son ^H1121 of Shaphan ^H8227, swore ^H7650 to them and to their men ^H376, saying ^H559, “Do not be ^H3372 afraid ^H3372 of serving ^H5647 the Chaldeans ^H3778; stay ^H3427 in the land ^H776 and serve ^H5647 the king ^H4428 of Babylon ^H894, that it may go ^H3190 well ^H3190 with you. 10 Now as for me, behold ^H2009, I am going to stay ^H3427 at Mizpah ^H4709 to stand ^H5975 for you before ^H6440 the Chaldeans ^H3778 who ^H834 come ^H935 to us; but as for you, gather ^H622 in ^H622 wine ^H3196 and summer ^H7019 fruit ^H7019 and oil ^H8081 and put ^H7760 them in your storage vessels ^H3627 and stay ^H3427 in your cities ^H5892 that you have seized ^H8610.” 11 And also ^H1571 all ^H3605 the Jews ^H3064, who ^H834 were in Moab ^H4124 and among the sons ^H1121 of Ammon ^H5983 and in Edom ^H123 and who ^H834 were in all ^H3605 the other lands ^H776, heard ^H8085 that the king ^H4428 of Babylon ^H894 had left ^H5414 a remnant ^H7611 for Judah ^H3063 and that he had appointed ^H6485 over ^H5921 them Gedaliah ^H1436 the son ^H1121 of Ahikam ^H296, the son ^H1121 of Shaphan ^H8227. 12 Then all ^H3605 the Jews ^H3064 returned ^H7725 from all ^H3605 the places ^H4725 to which ^H834 they had been banished ^H5080 and came ^H935 to the land ^H776 of Judah ^H3063, to Gedaliah ^H1436 at Mizpah ^H4709, and gathered ^H622 in ^H622 wine ^H3196 and summer ^H7019 fruit ^H7019 in great ^H3966 abundance ^H7235.

13 Now Johanan ^H3076 the son ^H1121 of Kareah ^H7143 and all ^H3605 the commanders ^H8269 of the military ^H2428 forces ^H2428 that were in the field ^H7704 came ^H935 to Gedaliah ^H1436 at Mizpah ^H4709 14 and said ^H559 to him, “Do you indeed ^H3045 know ^H3045 that Baalis ^H1185 the king ^H4428 of the sons ^H1121 of Ammon ^H5983 has sent ^H7971 Ishmael ^H3458 the son ^H1121 of Nethaniah ^H5418 to strike ^H5221 down ^H5221 your life ^H5315?” But Gedaliah ^H1436 the son ^H1121 of Ahikam ^H296 did not believe ^H539 them. 15 Then Johanan ^H3076 the son ^H1121 of Kareah ^H7143 spoke ^H559 secretly ^H5643 to Gedaliah ^H1436 in Mizpah ^H4709, saying ^H559, “Let me go ^H1980 and strike ^H5221 down ^H5221 Ishmael ^H3458 the son ^H1121 of Nethaniah ^H5418, and not a man ^H376 will know ^H3045! Why ^H4100 should he strike ^H5221 down ^H5221 your life ^H5315, so that all ^H3605 the Jews ^H3063 who are gathered ^H6908 to you would be scattered ^H6327 and the remnant ^H7611 of Judah ^H3063 would perish ^H6?” 16 But Gedaliah ^H1436 the son ^H1121 of Ahikam ^H296 said ^H559 to Johanan ^H3076 the son ^H1121 of Kareah ^H7143, “Do not do ^H6213 this ^H2088 thing ^H1697, for you are telling ^H1696 a lie ^H8267 about ^H413 Ishmael ^H3458.”