1The word that came to Yirmeyahu from יהוה after Neḇuzaraḏan, chief of the guard, had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among all the exiles from Yerushalayim and Yehuḏah, who were being exiled to Baḇel.

2And the chief of the guard took Yirmeyahu and said to him, “יהוה your Elohim has spoken this evil on this place.

3“And יהוה has brought it on, and has done, as He has said. Because you have sinned against יהוה, and did not obey His voice, therefore this matter has come upon you.

4“And now, see, I loosen you today from the chains that were on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me to Baḇel, come, and I shall look after you. But if it seems wrong for you to come with me to Baḇel, remain here. See, all the land is before you, go wherever it seems good and right for you to go.”

5And before he replied, Neḇuzaraḏan said, “Or go back to Geḏalyah son of Aḥiqam, son of Shaphan, whom the sovereign of Baḇel has made governor over the cities of Yehuḏah, and dwell with him among the people, or go wherever it seems right for you to go.” And the chief of the guard gave him provisions and a gift and let him go.

6So Yirmeyahu went to Geḏalyah son of Aḥiqam, to Mitspah, and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land.

7And all the commanders of the armies who were in the fields, they and their men, heard that the sovereign of Baḇel had made Geḏalyahu son of Aḥiqam governor in the land, and had put him in charge of the men, and women, and children, and the poor of the land who had not been exiled to Baḇel.

8So they came to Geḏalyah at Mitspah – Yishma‛ĕl the son of Nethanyahu, and Yoḥanan and Yonathan the sons of Qarĕaḥ, and Serayah the son of Tanḥumeth, and the sons of Ophai the Netophathite and Yezanyahu the son of a Ma‛aḵathite, they and their men.

9And Geḏalyahu son of Aḥiqam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the sovereign of Baḇel, and it shall be well with you.

10“And I, see, I am dwelling at Mitspah, to serve the Chaldeans who come to us. But you, gather wine and summer fruit and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities which you have taken.”

11Also, when all the Yehuḏim who were in Mo’aḇ, and among the Ammonites, and in Eḏom, and who were in all the lands, heard that the sovereign of Baḇel had left a remnant of Yehuḏah, and that he had set over them Geḏalyahu son of Aḥiqam, son of Shaphan,

12then all the Yehuḏim returned from all the places where they had been driven, and came to the land of Yehuḏah, to Geḏalyahu at Mitspah, and gathered wine and summer fruit in large quantities.

13And Yoḥanan son of Qarĕaḥ and all the commanders of the army that were in the fields came to Geḏalyahu at Mitspah,

14and they said to him, “Do you know that Ba‛alis sovereign of the Ammonites has sent Yishma‛ĕl son of Nethanyah to take your life?” But Geḏalyahu son of Aḥiqam would not believe them.

15Then Yoḥanan son of Qarĕaḥ spoke secretly to Geḏalyahu in Mitspah, saying, “Please let me go and smite Yishma‛ĕl son of Nethanyah, without anyone knowing it. Why should he murder you, and so let all the Yehuḏim who are gathered to you be scattered, and the remnant in Yehuḏah perish?”

16But Geḏalyahu son of Aḥiqam said to Yoḥanan son of Qarĕaḥ, “Do not do this matter, for what you are saying about Yishma‛ĕl is not true.”