rsv Jeremiah:40:1-41 SEEK
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The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebu '
zarad '
an the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah ,
when he took him bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon .
*
The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him , "
The LORD your God pronounced this evil against this place ;
*
the LORD has brought it about ,
and has done as he said .
Because you sinned against the LORD ,
and did not obey his voice ,
this thing has come upon you .
*
Now ,
behold ,
I release you today from the chains on your hands .
If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon ,
come ,
and I will look after you well ;
but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon ,
do not come .
See ,
the whole land is before you ;
go wherever you think it good and right to go .
*
If you remain ,
then return to Gedali '
ah the son of Ahi '
kam ,
son of Shaphan ,
whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah ,
and dwell with him among the people ;
or go wherever you think it right to go ."
So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present ,
and let him go .
*
Then Jeremiah went to Gedali '
ah the son of Ahi '
kam ,
at Mizpah ,
and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land .
*
When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedali '
ah the son of Ahi '
kam governor in the land ,
and had committed to him men ,
women ,
and children ,
those of the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon ,
*
they went to Gedali '
ah at Mizpah--Ish '
mael the son of Nethani '
ah ,
Joha '
nan the son of Kare '
ah ,
Serai '
ah the son of Tanhu '
meth ,
the sons of Ephai the Netoph '
athite ,
Jezani '
ah the son of the Ma-ac '
athite ,
they and their men .
*
Gedali '
ah the son of Ahi '
kam ,
son of Shaphan ,
swore to them and their men ,
saying , "
Do not be afraid to serve the Chalde '
ans .
Dwell in the land ,
and serve the king of Babylon ,
and it shall be well with you .
*
As for me ,
I will dwell at Mizpah ,
to stand for you before the Chalde '
ans who will come to us ;
but as for you ,
gather wine and summer fruits and oil ,
and store them in your vessels ,
and dwell in your cities that you have taken ."
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Likewise ,
when all the Jews who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedali '
ah the son of Ahi '
kam ,
son of Shaphan ,
as governor over them ,
*
then all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah ,
to Gedali '
ah at Mizpah ;
and they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance .
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Now Joha '
nan the son of Kare '
ah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedali '
ah at Mizpah
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and said to him , "
Do you know that Ba '
alis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ish '
mael the son of Nethani '
ah to take your life ?"
But Gedali '
ah the son of Ahi '
kam would not believe them .
*
Then Joha '
nan the son of Kare '
ah spoke secretly to Gedali '
ah at Mizpah , "
Let me go and slay Ish '
mael the son of Nethani '
ah ,
and no one will know it .
Why should he take your life ,
so that all the Jews who are gathered about you would be scattered ,
and the remnant of Judah would perish ?"
*
But Gedali '
ah the son of Ahi '
kam said to Joha '
nan the son of Kare '
ah , "
You shall not do this thing ,
for you are speaking falsely of Ish '
mael ."
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