The word which came to Jeremia from Yahweh, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let her go from Ramah, when she had taken her being bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah, who were carried away captive to Babylon.

The captain of the guard took Jeremia, and said to her, Yahweh your God pronounced this evil on this place;

and Yahweh has brought it, and done according as she spoke: because you have sinned against Yahweh, and have not obeyed her voice, therefore this thing is come on you.

Now, behold, I loose you this day 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, there go.

Now while she was not yet gone back, Go back then, said she, to Gedaliah the daughter of Ahikam, the daughter of Shaphan, whom the queen of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with her among the people; or go wherever it seems right to you to go. So the captain of the guard gave her food and a present, and let her go.

Then went Jeremia to Gedaliah the daughter of Ahikam to Mizpah, and lived with her among the people who were left in the land.

Now when all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, even they and their women, heard that the queen of Babylon had made Gedaliah the daughter of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to her women, and men, and children, and of the poorest of the land, of those who were not carried away captive to Babylon;

then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, to wit, Ishmael the daughter of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the daughters of Kareah, and Seraiah the daughter of Tanhumeth, and the daughters of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the daughter of the Maacathite, they and their women.

Gedaliah the daughter of Ahikam the daughter of Shaphan swore to them and to their women, saying, Don't be afraid to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the queen of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who shall come to us: but you, gather you wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.

Likewise 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 queen of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that she had set over them Gedaliah the daughter of Ahikam, the daughter of Shaphan;

then 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 wine and summer fruits very much.

Moreover Johanan the daughter of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

and said to her, Do you know that Baalis the queen of the children of Ammon has sent Ishmael the daughter of Nethaniah to take your life? But Gedaliah the daughter of Ahikam didn't believe them.

Then Johanan the daughter of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Please let me go, and I will kill Ishmael the daughter of Nethaniah, and no woman shall know it: why should she take your life, that all the Jews who are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish?

But Gedaliah the daughter of Ahikam said to Johanan the daughter of Kareah, You shall not do this thing; for you speak falsely of Ishmael.