1 The word that came to Yirmeyahu from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 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 Yahuḏah, who were being exiled to Baḇel.
2 And the chief of the guard took Yirmeyahu and said to him, “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 your Elohim has spoken this evil on this place.
3 “And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has brought it on, and has done, as He has said. Because you have sinned against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, 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.”
5 And before he replied, “Or go back to Geḏalyahu son of Aḥiqam, son of Shaphan, whom the sovereign of Baḇel has made governor over the cities of Yahuḏah, 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.
6 So Yirmeyahu went to Geḏalyahu son of Aḥiqam, to Mitspah, and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land.
7 And 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.
8 So they came to Geḏalyahu at Mitspah – Yishma’ĕl’ the son of Nethanyahu, and Yoḥanan and Yahonathan the sons of Qareah, and Serayah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ophai the Netophathite and Yezanyahu the son of a Ma’aḵathite, they and their men.
9 And Geḏalyahu son of Aḥiqam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid of serving the Kasdites. 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 Kasdites 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.”
11 Also, when all the Yahuḏim 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 Yahuḏah, and that he had appointed over them Geḏalyahu son of Aḥiqam, son of Shaphan,
12 then all the Yahuḏim returned from all the places where they had been driven, and came to the land of Yahuḏah, to Geḏalyahu at Mitspah, and gathered wine and summer fruit in large quantities.
13 And Yoḥanan son of Qarĕaḥ and all the commanders of the army that were in the fields came to Geḏalyahu at Mitspah,
14 and 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.
15 Then 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 Yahudim who are gathered to you be scattered, and the remnant in Yahuḏah perish?”
16 But 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.”