Jeremiah being fet free by Nebuzaradan, goeth to Gedaliah. 7 The difperfed Jews repair unto him, 13 Ipmael's Confpi

racy.

Ver. 1 THE Wode that Nebuzaradan had let him go
go from Ramath, when he had taken him being bound in
Chains among all which were carried away Captive into
Babylon.

HE Word which came to Jeremiah from the

2 And the Captain of the Guard took Jeremiah, and faid unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this Evil upon this Place.

3 Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath faid: becaufe ye have finned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his Voice, therefore this Thing is come upon you.

4 And now, behold, I loofe thee this Day from the Chains which were upon thine Hand: If it feem good unto thee to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look well unto thee: but if it feem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold all the Land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.

5 Now while he was not yet gone back, he faid, Go back alfo to Gedaliah, whom the King of Babylon hath made Governour over the Cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the People: or go where foever it feemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the Captain of the Guard gave him Victuals and a Reward, and let him go.

6 Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah to Mifpah, and dwelt with him among the People, that were left in the Land.

7 Now when all the Captains of the Forces which were in the Fields, even they and their Men heard that the King of Babylon had made Gedaliah Governour in the Land, and had committed unto him Men and Women, and Children, and of the Poor of the Land of them that were not carried away Captive to Babylon:

8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ifhmael,

and

1

and Johanan, and Jonathan, and Seraiah, and the Sons of Ephai tand Jezaniah, they and their Men.

9 And Gedaliah fware unto them, and their Men, faying, Fear not to ferve the Chaldeans: dwell in the Land, and ferve the King of Babylon, and it fhall be well with you.

10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to ferve the Chaldeans: which will come unto us, but ye, gather ye Wine, and Summer Fruits, and Oyl, and put them in your Veffels, and dwell in your Cities that ye have taken.

11 Likewife when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the Countries, heard that the King of Babylon had left a Remnant of Judah, and that he had fet over them Gedaliah.

12 Even all the Jews returned out of all Places, whither they were driven, and came to the Land of Judah, to Gedaliah unto Mifpah, and gathered Wine and Summer Fruits very much.

13 Moreover, Johanan and all the Captains of the Forces that were in the Fields, came to Gedaliah.

14 And faid unto him, Doft thou certainly know, that Baalis the King of the Ammonites hath fent Ishmael to flay thee; But Gedaliah believed them not.

15 Then Johanan fpake to Gedaliah fecretly, faying, Let me go I pray thee, and I will flay Ifhmael, and no Man fhall know it. Wherefore fhould he flay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee, fhould be scattered, and the Remnant of Judah perish?

16 But Gedaliah faid unto Johanan, Thou shalt not do this Thing, for thou speakeft falfly of Ifhmael,

CHA P. XLI.

Ifhmael treacherously killeth Gedaliah and others. 11 Johanan recovereth the Captives, and mindeth to flee into Egypt.

Ver. 1.

W

Now it came to pafs in the feventh Month,

that Ifhmael, and the Princes of the King, eyen ten Men with him, came unto Gedaliah, and there they did eat Bread together in Mizpah.

2 Then arose Ifhmael, and the ten Men that were with him, and fmote Gedaliah with the Sword, and flew him

whom

whom the King of Babylon had made Governour over the Land.

3 Ishmael alfo flew all the Jews that were with him, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the Men of War. 4 And it came to pass the second Day, after he had flain Gedaliah, and no Man knew it.

5 That there came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, fourfcore Men having their Beards fhaven, and their Cloaths Rent, and having cut themfelves, with Offerings and Incenfe in their Hand, to bring them to the House of the LORD..

6 And Ifhmael went forth to meet them, weeping all 2long as he went: and it came to pass as he met them, he faid unto them, Come to Gedaliah.

7 And it was fo when they came into the midst of the City, that Ishmael flew them, and caft them into the midft of the Pit.

8 But ten Men were found among them, that said unto Ifhmael, Slay us not: for we have Treafures in the Field: fo he flew them not.

2 Now the Pit wherein Ifhmael had caft all the dead Bodies of the Men (whom he had flain) was it, which Aa had made for Fear of Baafha King of Ifrael; and Ifhmael filled it with them that were flain.

io Then Ifhmael carried away Captive all the Refidue of the People, that were in Mizpah, even the King's Daugh ters, and all the People that remain'd in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan had committed to Gedaliah, and Ifhmael carried them away Captive, and departed to go over to the Ammo

nites.

11 But when Johanan, and all the Captains of the Forces that were with him, heard of all the Evil that Ifhmael had done.

12 Then they took all the Men, and went to fight with Ifhmael, and found him by the great Waters that are in Gibeon.

13 Now it came to pafs, that when all the People that were with Ishmael faw Johanan, and all that were with him, then they were glad.

14 So all the People that Ifhmael had carried away Cap tive from Mizpah, caft about, and returned, and went unto Johanan.

15 But Ifhmael efcaped with eight Men, and went to the Ammonites.

16 Then took Johanan, and all the Captains of the Forces that were with him, all the Remnant of the People whom he had recovered from Ishmael, even mighty Men of War, and the Women, and the Children, and the Eunuchs whom he had brought again from Gibeon.

17 And they departed, and dwelt in the Habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,

18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ifhmael had flain Gedaliah, whom the King of Babylon made Governour in the Land.

CHAP. XLII.

1 Johanan defireth Jeremiah to enquire of God, promising Obedience. 7 Jeremiah's Anfwer 19. Their Hypocrify reproved.

Ver. I

near.

T1

HEN all the Captains of the Forces, and Joha-
HEN
nan, and Jezaniah, and all the People came

2 And faid unto Jeremiah the Prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our Supplication be accepted before thee, and PRAY for us unto the LORD thy GOD, even for all this Remnant.

3 That the LORD thy GOD may fhew us the Way wherein we may walk, and the Thing that we may do.

4 Then Jeremiah faid unto them, I have heard you: behold I will pray unto the LORD your God, according to your Words, and it fhall come to pafs, that whatsoever Thing the LORD fhall anfwer you, I will declare it unto you: I will keep nothing back from you.

5 Then they faid to Jeremiah, the LORD be a true and faithful Witnefs between us, if we do not even according to all Things for the which the LORD thy GOD fhall fend thee to us.

6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the Voice of the LORD our GoD, to whom we fend thee, that it may be well with us, when we obey the Voice of the LORD our GOD.

7 And it came to pafs after ten Days, that the Word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.

8 Then called he Johanan, and all the Captains of the Forces which were with him, and all the People.

9 And faid unto them, Thus faith the LORD, the GoD of Ifrael, unto whom ye fent me to prefent your Supplication before him.

10 If ye ftill abide in this Land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the Evil that I have done unto you.

11 Be not afraid of the King of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid: be not afraid of him, faith the LORD, for I am with you to fave you, and to deliver you from his Hand.

12 And I will fhew Mercies unto you, that he may have Mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own Land.

13 But if ye fay, We will not dwell in this Land, neither obey the VOICE of the LORD your God.

14 Saying, No, but we will go into the Land of Egypt, where we shall fee no War, nor hear the Sound of the Trumpet, nor have Hunger of Bread, and there will we dwell.

15 (And now therefore hear the Word of the LORD, ye Remnant of Judah, Thus faith the LORD of Hofts, the GoD of Ifrael, If ye wholly fet your felves to enter into Egypt, and go to fojourn there :)

16 Then it fhall come to pafs, that the Sword which ye feared, shall overtake you in the Land of Egypt, and the Famine whereof ye were afraid, fhall follow clofe after you there in Egypt, and there ye fhall die.

17 So it fhall be with all the Men that fet their Faces to go into Egypt to fojourn there, they shall die by the Sword, by the Famine, and by the Peftilence: and none of them fhall remain, or escape from the Evil that I will bring upon

them.

18 For thus faith the LORD of Hofts, the God of Ifrael, As mine Anger and my Fury hath been poured forth upon the Inhabitants of Jerufalem: fo fhall my Fury be poured forth upon you, when ye fhall enter into Egypt: and ye fhall be an Execration and Aftonishment, and a Curfe, and a Reproach, and ye fhall fee this Place no more.

19 The LORD hath faid concerning you, O ye Remnant of Judah, Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this Day.

20 For