The Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 40ירמיהו 40

הַדָּבָ֞ר אֲשֶׁר הָיָ֤ה אֶֽל יִרְמְיָ֨הוּ֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה אַחַ֣ר שַׁלַּ֣ח אֹת֗וֹ נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֛ן רַב טַבָּחִ֖ים מִן הָֽרָמָ֑ה בְּקַחְתּ֣וֹ אֹת֗וֹ וְהֽוּא אָס֤וּר בָּֽאזִקִּים֙ בְּת֨וֹךְ כָּל גָּל֤וּת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה הַמֻּגְלִ֖ים בָּבֶֽלָה

The word that came to Jeremiah from YHWH, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive to Babylon.

וַיִּקַּ֥ח רַב טַבָּחִ֖ים לְיִרְמְיָ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ דִּבֶּר֙ אֶת הָרָעָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֶל הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה

And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said to him, YHWH your God has pronounced this evil upon this place.

וַיָּבֵ֥א וַיַּ֛עַשׂ יְהוָ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֵּ֑ר כִּֽי חֲטָאתֶ֤ם לַֽיהוָה֙ וְלֹֽא שְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם בְּקוֹל֔וֹ וְהָיָ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם דבר הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה

Now YHWH has brought , and done according as he has said: because you have sinned against YHWH, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

וְעַתָּ֞ה הִנֵּ֧ה פִתַּחְתִּ֣יךָ הַיּ֗וֹם מִֽן הָאזִקִּים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל יָדֶךָ֒ אִם ט֨וֹב בְּעֵינֶ֜יךָ לָב֧וֹא אִתִּ֣י בָבֶ֗ל בֹּ֚א וְאָשִׂ֤ים אֶת עֵינִי֙ עָלֶ֔יךָ וְאִם רַ֧ע בְּעֵינֶ֛יךָ לָבֽוֹא אִתִּ֥י בָבֶ֖ל חֲדָ֑ל רְאֵה֙ כָּל הָאָ֣רֶץ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ אֶל ט֨וֹב וְאֶל הַיָּשָׁ֧ר בְּעֵינֶ֛יךָ לָלֶ֥כֶת שָׁ֖מָּה לֵֽךְ

And now, behold, I loose you this day from the chains which upon your hand. If it seem good to you to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well to you: but if it seem ill to you to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land before you: whither it seemeth good and convenient for you to go, thither go.

וְעוֹדֶ֣נּוּ לֹֽא יָשׁ֗וּב וְשֻׁ֡בָה אֶל גְּדַלְיָ֣ה בֶן אֲחִיקָ֣ם בֶּן שָׁפָ֡ן אֲשֶׁר֩ הִפְקִ֨יד מֶֽלֶךְ בָּבֶ֜ל בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה וְשֵׁ֤ב אִתּוֹ֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעָ֔ם א֠וֹ אֶל כָּל הַיָּשָׁ֧ר בְּעֵינֶ֛יךָ לָלֶ֖כֶת לֵ֑ךְ וַיִּתֶּן ל֧וֹ רַב טַבָּחִ֛ים אֲרֻחָ֥ה וּמַשְׂאֵ֖ת וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ

Now while he was not yet gone back, , Go back also 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 wheresoever it seemeth convenient to you to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.

וַיָּבֹ֧א יִרְמְיָ֛הוּ אֶל גְּדַלְיָ֥ה בֶן אֲחִיקָ֖ם הַמִּצְפָּ֑תָה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב אִתּוֹ֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעָ֔ם הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים בָּאָֽרֶץ

Then went Jeremiah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.

וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ כָל שָׂרֵ֨י הַחֲיָלִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה הֵ֚מָּה וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם כִּֽי הִפְקִ֧יד מֶֽלֶךְ בָּבֶ֛ל אֶת גְּדַלְיָ֥הוּ בֶן אֲחִיקָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכִ֣י הִפְקִ֣יד אִתּ֗וֹ אֲנָשִׁ֤ים וְנָשִׁים֙ וָטָ֔ף וּמִדַּלַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא הָגְל֖וּ בָּבֶֽלָה

Now when all the captains of the forces which in the fields, 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, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;

וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל גְּדַלְיָ֖ה הַמִּצְפָּ֑תָה וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן נְתַנְיָ֡הוּ וְיוֹחָנָ֣ן וְיוֹנָתָ֣ן בְּנֵֽי קָ֠רֵחַ וּשְׂרָיָ֨ה בֶן תַּנְחֻ֜מֶת וּבְנֵ֣י עופי עֵיפַ֣י הַנְּטֹפָתִ֗י וִֽיזַנְיָ֨הוּ֙ בֶּן הַמַּ֣עֲכָתִ֔י הֵ֖מָּה וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶֽם

Then 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.

וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע לָהֶ֜ם גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ בֶן אֲחִיקָ֤ם בֶּן שָׁפָן֙ וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר אַל תִּֽירְא֖וּ מֵעֲב֣וֹד הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑ים שְׁב֣וּ בָאָ֗רֶץ וְעִבְד֛וּ אֶת מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל וְיִיטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם

And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware to 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.

וַאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִ֤י יֹשֵׁב֙ בַּמִּצְפָּ֔ה לַֽעֲמֹד֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָבֹ֖אוּ אֵלֵ֑ינוּ וְאַתֶּ֡ם אִסְפוּ֩ יַ֨יִן וְקַ֜יִץ וְשֶׁ֗מֶן וְשִׂ֨מוּ֙ בִּכְלֵיכֶ֔ם וּשְׁב֖וּ בְּעָרֵיכֶ֥ם אֲשֶׁר תְּפַשְׂתֶּֽם

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

וְגַ֣ם כָּֽל הַיְּהוּדִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר בְּמוֹאָ֣ב וּבִבְנֵֽי עַמּ֨וֹן וּבֶאֱד֜וֹם וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר בְּכָל הָֽאֲרָצוֹת֙ שָֽׁמְע֔וּ כִּֽי נָתַ֧ן מֶֽלֶךְ בָּבֶ֛ל שְׁאֵרִ֖ית לִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וְכִי֙ הִפְקִ֣יד עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֶת גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן אֲחִיקָ֥ם בֶּן שָׁפָֽן

Likewise when all the Jews that in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that 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;

וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ כָל הַיְּהוּדִ֗ים מִכָּל הַמְּקֹמוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִדְּחוּ שָׁ֔ם וַיָּבֹ֧אוּ אֶֽרֶץ יְהוּדָ֛ה אֶל גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ הַמִּצְפָּ֑תָה וַיַּאַסְפ֛וּ יַ֥יִן וָקַ֖יִץ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד

Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.

וְיֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּן קָרֵ֔חַ וְכָל שָׂרֵ֥י הַחֲיָלִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה בָּ֥אוּ אֶל גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ הַמִּצְפָּֽתָה

Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו הֲיָדֹ֤עַ תֵּדַע֙ כִּ֞י בַּעֲלִ֣יס מֶ֣לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי עַמּ֗וֹן שָׁלַח֙ אֶת יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן נְתַנְיָ֔ה לְהַכֹּתְךָ֖ נָ֑פֶשׁ וְלֹא הֶאֱמִ֣ין לָהֶ֔ם גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן אֲחִיקָֽם

And said to him, Dost you certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay you? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.

וְיוֹחָנָ֣ן בֶּן קָרֵ֡חַ אָמַ֣ר אֶל גְּדַלְיָהוּ֩ בַסֵּ֨תֶר בַּמִּצְפָּ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר אֵ֤לְכָה נָּא֙ וְאַכֶּה֙ אֶת יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן נְתַנְיָ֔ה וְאִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע לָ֧מָּה יַכֶּ֣כָּה נֶּ֗פֶשׁ וְנָפֹ֨צוּ֙ כָּל יְהוּדָ֔ה הַנִּקְבָּצִ֣ים אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְאָבְדָ֖ה שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה

Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray you, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know : wherefore should he slay you, that all the Jews which are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר גְּדַלְיָ֤הוּ בֶן אֲחִיקָם֙ אֶל יוֹחָנָ֣ן בֶּן קָרֵ֔חַ אַֽל תעש תַּעֲשֵׂ֖ה אֶת הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי שֶׁ֛קֶר אַתָּ֥ה דֹבֵ֖ר אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל

But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, You shall not do this thing: for you speakest falsely of Ishmael.