Jeremiah:40:1-41
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The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah ,
after that Nebuzar-adan the captain of the body-guard had let him go from Ramah ,
when he had taken him ,
being bound in chains ,
among all the captivity of Jerusalem and Judah ,
that were carried away captive to Babylon .
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And the captain of the body-guard took Jeremiah ,
and said unto him ,
Jehovah thy God pronounced this evil upon this place ,
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and Jehovah hath brought [
it about ]
and done according as he said ;
for ye have sinned against Jehovah ,
and have not hearkened unto his voice ,
therefore this thing is come upon you .
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And now ,
behold ,
I loose thee this day from the chains that are upon thy hand .
If it seem good in thy sight to come with me to Babylon ,
come ,
and I will keep mine eye upon thee ;
but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me to Babylon ,
forbear .
See ,
all the land is before thee :
whither it seemeth good and right in thy sight to go ,
thither go .
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And while he had not yet given answer ; [
he said ,]
Yea ,
go back to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan ,
whom the king of Babylon hath appointed over the cities of Judah ,
and abide with him in the midst of the people ;
or go wheresoever it seemeth right in thy sight to go .
And the captain of the body-guard gave him provisions and a present ,
and let him go .
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And Jeremiah came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah ,
and abode with him among the people that remained in the land .
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And all the captains of the forces that were in the fields ,
they and their men ,
heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land ,
and had committed unto him men ,
and women ,
and children ,
and of the poor of the land ,
of them that had not been carried away captive to Babylon .
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And they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah ;
even 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 a Maachathite ,
they and their men .
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And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore unto them and to their men ,
saying ,
Fear not to serve the Chaldeans :
dwell in the land ,
and serve the king of Babylon ,
and it shall be well with you .
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And as for me ,
behold ,
I dwell at Mizpah ,
to stand before the Chaldeans ,
who will come unto us ;
and ye ,
gather wine ,
and summer fruits ,
and oil ,
and put [
them ]
in your vessels ,
and dwell in your cities which ye have taken .
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Likewise all the Jews that were in Moab ,
and among the children of Ammon and in Edom ,
and that were in all the lands ,
heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah ,
and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan ;
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and all the Jews returned out of all the places whither they had been driven ,
and came to the land of Judah to Gedaliah ,
unto Mizpah ,
and gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance .
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And Johanan the son of Kareah ,
and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields ,
came to Gedaliah unto Mizpah ,
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and said unto him ,
Dost thou indeed know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to smite thee to death ?
But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not .
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And Johanan the son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly ,
saying ,
Let me go ,
I pray thee ,
and I will smite Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and no man shall know it :
why should he take thy life ,
and all they of Judah who are gathered unto thee be scattered ,
and the remnant of Judah perish ?
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But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah ,
Thou shalt not do this thing ;
for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael .