Jeremiah 40

1The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were carried away captive to Babylon.Cross-references: Josh 18:25 · 1Sam 7:17 · Ps 68:6 · Ps 107:16 · Jer 31:15 · Jer 39:11 · +4 more

2The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “Yahweh your God pronounced this evil on this place;Cross-references: Deut 29:24 · 1Ki 9:8 · 2Chr 7:20 · Jer 22:8 · Lam 2:15

3and Yahweh has brought it, and done according as he spoke. Because you have sinned against Yahweh, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing has come on you.Cross-references: Deut 29:25 · Neh 9:28 · Neh 9:33 · Jer 50:7 · Dan 9:11 · Rom 2:5 · +1 more

4Now, behold, I release you today from the chains which are on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will take care of you; but if it seems bad to you to come with me into Babylon, don’t. Behold, all the land is before you. Where it seems good and right to you to go, go there.”Cross-references: Gen 13:9 · Gen 20:15 · Jer 39:11

5Now while he had not yet gone back, “Go back then,” he said, “to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell 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 present, and let him go.Cross-references: 2Ki 8:7 · 2Ki 22:12 · 2Ki 22:14 · 2Ki 25:22 · 2Chr 34:20 · Ezra 7:6 · +16 more

6Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.Cross-references: Josh 15:38 · Judg 20:1 · Judg 21:1 · 1Sam 7:5 · Jer 39:14

7Now when all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, women, children, and of the poorest of the land, of those who were not carried away captive to Babylon,Cross-references: 2Ki 25:4 · 2Ki 25:22 · Jer 39:4 · Jer 39:10 · Ezek 33:24 · Ezek 45:16

8then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men came to Gedaliah to Mizpah.Cross-references: Deut 3:14 · Josh 12:5 · 2Sam 10:6 · 2Sam 10:8 · 2Sam 23:28 · 2Sam 23:34 · +17 more

9Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.Cross-references: Gen 49:15 · 1Sam 20:16 · 2Ki 25:24 · Ps 37:3 · Ps 128:2 · Jer 27:11 · +1 more

10As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who will come to us; but you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.”Cross-references: Deut 1:38 · 2Sam 16:1 · Prov 22:29 · Isa 16:9 · Jer 35:19 · Jer 39:10 · +5 more

11Likewise when 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 of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan,Cross-references: Gen 36:8 · Num 22:1 · Num 25:1 · 1Sam 11:1 · 1Sam 12:12 · Isa 16:4 · +10 more

12then all the Jews returned out of all places where they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and gathered very much wine and summer fruits.Cross-references: Jer 43:5

13Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,Cross-references: Jer 40:8 · Jer 42:1

14and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam didn’t believe them.Cross-references: 1Sam 11:1 · 2Sam 10:1 · Prov 26:23 · Isa 26:10 · Jer 25:21 · Jer 40:8 · +7 more

15Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, “Please let me go, and I will kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man will know it. Why should he take your life, that all the Jews who are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish?”Cross-references: 1Sam 24:4 · 1Sam 26:8 · 2Sam 18:3 · 2Sam 21:17 · Job 31:31 · Jer 12:3 · +3 more

16But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you speak falsely of Ishmael.”Cross-references: Jer 41:2 · Matt 10:16 · Rom 3:8