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1. A message came to me from the Lord. It came after Nebuzaradan, the commander of the royal guard, had set me free at Ramah. I was being held by chains when he found me. I was among all of the prisoners from Jerusalem and Judah. We were being taken to Babylon.
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1. The word H1697 that H834 came H1961 to H413 Jeremiah H3414 from H4480 H854 the LORD H3068 , after that H310 Nebuzaradan H5018 the captain H7227 of the guard H2876 had let him go H7971 from H4480 Ramah H7414 , when he had taken H3947 him being bound H631 in chains H246 among H8432 all H3605 that were carried away captive H1546 of Jerusalem H3389 and Judah H3063 , which were carried away captive H1540 unto Babylon H894 .
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2. But the commander of the guard found me. He said to me, "The Lord your God ordered that this place be destroyed.
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2. And the captain H7227 of the guard H2876 took H3947 Jeremiah H3414 , and said H559 unto H413 him , The LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath pronounced H1696 H853 this H2063 evil H7451 upon H413 this H2088 place H4725 .
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3. And now he has brought it about. He has done exactly what he said he would do. All of these things have happened because you people sinned against the Lord. You didn't obey him.
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3. Now the LORD H3068 hath brought H935 it , and done H6213 according as H834 he hath said H1696 : because H3588 ye have sinned H2398 against the LORD H3068 , and have not H3808 obeyed H8085 his voice H6963 , therefore this H2088 thing H1697 is come H1961 upon you.
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4. But today I'm setting you free from the chains that are on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon if you want to. I'll take good care of you there. But if you don't want to come, then don't. The whole country lies in front of you. Go anywhere you want to."
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4. And now H6258 , behold H2009 , I loose H6605 thee this day H3117 from H4480 the chains H246 which H834 were upon H5921 thine hand H3027 . If H518 it seem good unto thee H2896 H5869 to come H935 with H854 me into Babylon H894 , come H935 ; and I will look well H7760 H853 H5869 unto H5921 thee : but if H518 it seem ill unto thee H7489 H5869 to come H935 with H854 me into Babylon H894 , forbear H2308 : behold H7200 , all H3605 the land H776 is before H6440 thee: whither H413 it seemeth H5869 good H2896 and convenient H3477 for thee to go H1980 , thither H8033 go H1980 .
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5. But before I turned to go, Nebuzaradan continued, "Go back to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. The king of Babylonia has appointed Gedaliah to be over the towns of Judah. Go and live with him among your people. Or go anywhere else you want to." Ahikam was the son of Shaphan. The commander gave me food and water. He also gave me a gift. Then he let me go.
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5. Now while he was not H3808 yet H5750 gone back H7725 , he said , Go back H7725 also to H413 Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 the son H1121 of Shaphan H8227 , whom H834 the king H4428 of Babylon H894 hath made governor H6485 over the cities H5892 of Judah H3063 , and dwell H3427 with H854 him among H8432 the people H5971 : or H176 go H1980 wheresoever H413 H3605 it seemeth H5869 convenient H3477 unto thee to go H1980 . So the captain H7227 of the guard H2876 gave H5414 him victuals H737 and a reward H4864 , and let him go H7971 .
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6. So I went to Mizpah to see Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. I stayed with him. I lived among the people who were left behind in the land.
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6. Then went H935 Jeremiah H3414 unto H413 Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 to Mizpah H4708 ; and dwelt H3427 with H854 him among H8432 the people H5971 that were left H7604 in the land H776 .
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7. Some of Judah's army officers and their men were still in the open country. They heard that the king of Babylonia had appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, as governor over Judah. He had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were still there. They were the poorest people in the land. They hadn't been taken to Babylon.
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7. Now when all H3605 the captains H8269 of the forces H2428 which H834 were in the fields H7704 , even they H1992 and their men H376 , heard H8085 that H3588 the king H4428 of Babylon H894 had made H853 Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 governor H6485 in the land H776 , and H3588 had committed H6485 unto H854 him men H376 , and women H802 , and children H2945 , and of the poor H4480 H1803 of the land H776 , of them that H4480 H834 were not H3808 carried away captive H1540 to Babylon H894 ;
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8. When the army officers and their men heard those things, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, came. So did Johanan and Jonathan, the sons of Kareah. Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth, also came. The sons of Ephai from Netophah came too. And so did Jaazaniah, the son of the Maacathite. All of their men came with them.
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8. Then they came H935 to H413 Gedaliah H1436 to Mizpah H4708 , even Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah H5418 , and Johanan H3110 and Jonathan H3129 the sons H1121 of Kareah H7143 , and Seraiah H8304 the son H1121 of Tanhumeth H8576 , and the sons H1121 of Ephai H5778 the Netophathite H5200 , and Jezaniah H3153 the son H1121 of a Maachathite H4602 , they H1992 and their men H376 .
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9. Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to give hope to all of those men. He spoke in a kind way to them. He said, "Don't be afraid to serve the Babylonians. Settle down in the land of Judah. Serve the king of Babylonia. Then things will go well with you.
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9. And Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 the son H1121 of Shaphan H8227 swore H7650 unto them and to their men H376 , saying H559 , Fear H3372 not H408 to serve H4480 H5647 the Chaldeans H3778 : dwell H3427 in the land H776 , and serve H5647 H853 the king H4428 of Babylon H894 , and it shall be well H3190 with you.
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10. I myself will stay at Mizpah. I'll speak for you to the officials of Babylonia who come to us. But you must harvest the wine, summer fruit and olive oil. Put them in your jars. Store them up. And live in the towns you have taken over."
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10. As for me H589 , behold H2009 , I will dwell H3427 at Mizpah H4709 to serve H5975 H6440 the Chaldeans H3778 , which H834 will come H935 unto H413 us : but ye H859 , gather H622 ye wine H3196 , and summer fruits H7019 , and oil H8081 , and put H7760 them in your vessels H3627 , and dwell H3427 in your cities H5892 that H834 ye have taken H8610 .
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11. All of the Jews in Moab, Ammon and Edom heard what had happened. So did the Jews in all of the other countries. They heard that the king of Babylonia had left some people behind in Judah. They also heard that he had appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, as governor over them. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan.
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11. Likewise H1571 when all H3605 the Jews H3064 that H834 were in Moab H4124 , and among the Ammonites H1121 H5983 , and in Edom H123 , and that H834 were in all H3605 the countries H776 , heard H8085 that H3588 the king H4428 of Babylon H894 had left H5414 a remnant H7611 of Judah H3063 , and that H3588 he had set H6485 over H5921 them H853 Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 the son H1121 of Shaphan H8227 ;
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12. When they heard those things, all of them came back to the land of Judah. They went to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They came from all of the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested a large amount of wine and summer fruit.
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12. Even all H3605 the Jews H3064 returned H7725 out of all H4480 H3605 places H4725 whither H834 H8033 they were driven H5080 , and came H935 to the land H776 of Judah H3063 , to H413 Gedaliah H1436 , unto Mizpah H4708 , and gathered H622 wine H3196 and summer fruits H7019 very H3966 much H7335 .
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13. Johanan and all of the other army officers who were still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Johanan was the son of Kareah.
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13. Moreover Johanan H3110 the son H1121 of Kareah H7143 , and all H3605 the captains H8269 of the forces H2428 that H834 were in the fields H7704 , came H935 to H413 Gedaliah H1436 to Mizpah H4708 ,
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14. The officers said to Gedaliah, "Don't you know that Baalis, the king of Ammon, has sent someone to take your life? It's Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah." But Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, didn't believe them.
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14. And said H559 unto H413 him , Dost thou certainly know H3045 H3045 that H3588 Baalis H1185 the king H4428 of the Ammonites H1121 H5983 hath sent H7971 H853 Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah H5418 to slay H5221 H5315 thee? But Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 believed H539 them not H3808 .
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15. Then Johanan, the son of Kareah, spoke in private to Gedaliah in Mizpah. He said, "Let me go and kill Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah. No one will know about it. Why should he take your life? Why should he cause all of the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered? Why should he cause the people who remain in Judah to die?"
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15. Then Johanan H3110 the son H1121 of Kareah H7143 spoke H559 to H413 Gedaliah H1436 in Mizpah H4709 secretly H5643 , saying H559 , Let me go H1980 , I pray thee H4994 , and I will slay H5221 H853 Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah H5418 , and no H3808 man H376 shall know H3045 it : wherefore H4100 should he slay H5221 H5315 thee , that all H3605 the Jews H3063 which are gathered H6908 unto H413 thee should be scattered H6327 , and the remnant H7611 in Judah H3063 perish H6 ?
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16. But Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, spoke to Johanan, the son of Kareah. He said, "Don't do an awful thing like that! What you are saying about Ishmael isn't true."
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16. But Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 said H559 unto H413 Johanan H3110 the son H1121 of Kareah H7143 , Thou shalt not H408 do H6213 H853 this H2088 thing H1697 : for H3588 thou H859 speakest H1696 falsely H8267 of H413 Ishmael H3458 .
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