HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1074
J EREMIA H 4 0
5 But the Babylonian* troops chased them
and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho.
They captured him and took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was at Riblah
in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah.
6 The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as
he slaughtered his sons at Riblah. The king of
Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7 Then he gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes and
bound him in bronze chains to lead him away
to Babylon.
8 Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned Jerusalem, including the royal palace and the houses
of the people, and they tore down the walls of
the city. 9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the
guard, took as exiles to Babylon the rest of the
people who remained in the city, those who
had defected to him, and everyone else who
remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan allowed some of
the poorest people to stay behind in the land
of Judah, and he assigned them to care for the
vineyards and fields.
Jeremiah Remains in Judah
11 King Nebuchadnezzar had told Nebuzaradan,
the captain of the guard, to find Jeremiah. 12 “See
that he isn’t hurt,” he said. “Look after him well,
and give him anything he wants.” 13 So Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard; Nebushazban, a chief officer; Nergal-sharezer, the king’s
adviser; and the other officers of Babylon’s king
14 sent messengers to bring Jeremiah out of the
prison. They put him under the care of Gedaliah
son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, who
took him back to his home. So Jeremiah stayed
in Judah among his own people.
15 The Lord had given the following message
to Jeremiah while he was still in prison: 16 “Say
to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,* ‘This is what
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I have
threatened. I will send disaster, not prosperity.
You will see its destruction, 17 but I will rescue
you from those you fear so much. 18 Because you
trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward.
I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the Lord,
have spoken!’”
40
The Lord gave a message to Jeremiah
after Nebuzaradan, the captain of the
guard, had released him at Ramah. He had
found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the
other captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were
being sent to exile in Babylon.
2 The captain of the guard called for Jeremiah
and said, “The Lord your God has brought this
disaster on this land, 3 just as he said he would.
For these people have sinned against the Lord
and disobeyed him. That is why it happened.
4 But I am going to take off your chains and let
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you go. If you want to come with me to Babylon,
you are welcome. I will see that you are well
cared for. But if you don’t want to come, you
may stay here. The whole land is before you—go
wherever you like. 5 If you decide to stay, then
return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam and grandson
of Shaphan. He has been appointed governor of
Judah by the king of Babylon. Stay there with
the people he rules. But it’s up to you; go wherever you like.”
Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard,
gave Jeremiah some food and money and let
him go. 6 So Jeremiah returned to Gedaliah son
of Ahikam at Mizpah, and he lived in Judah with
the few who were still left in the land.
Gedaliah Governs in Judah
7 The leaders of the Judean military groups in
the countryside heard that the king of Babylon
had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the poor people who were left behind
in Judah—the men, women, and children who
hadn’t been exiled to Babylon. 8 So they went to
see 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, Jezaniah son of
the Maacathite, and all their men.
9 Gedaliah vowed to them that the Babylonians* meant them no harm. “Don’t be afraid
to serve them. Live in the land and serve the
king of Babylon, and all will go well for you,”
he promised. 10 “As for me, I will stay at Mizpah
to represent you before the Babylonians who
come to meet with us. Settle in the towns you
have taken, and live off the land. Harvest the
grapes and summer fruits and olives, and store
them away.”
11 When the Judeans in Moab, Ammon, Edom,
and the other nearby countries heard that the
king of Babylon had left a few people in Judah
and that Gedaliah was the governor, 12 they
began to return to Judah from the places to
which they had fled. They stopped at Mizpah
to meet with Gedaliah and then went into the
Judean countryside to gather a great harvest of
grapes and other crops.
A Plot against Gedaliah
13 Soon after this, Johanan son of Kareah and
the other military leaders came to Gedaliah at
Mizpah. 14 They said to him, “Did you know that
Baalis, king of Ammon, has sent Ishmael son
of Nethaniah to assassinate you?” But Gedaliah
refused to believe them.
15 Later Johanan had a private conference
with Gedaliah and volunteered to kill Ishmael
secretly. “Why should we let him come and murder you?” Johanan asked. “What will happen
then to the Judeans who have returned? Why
39:5 Or Chaldean; similarly in 39:8. 39:16 Hebrew the
Cushite. 40:9 Or Chaldeans; also in 40:10.