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¹ This is the worde that the Lorde spake vnto Ieremie, when Nabuzaradan the chiefe captayne had let hym go free from Ramath, whyther he had led hym bounde among all the prisoners that were caryed from Hierusalem and Iuda vnto Babylon.² The chiefe captaine called for Ieremie, and sayde vnto hym, The Lorde thy God spake mightily before of the misery vpon this place.³ Nowe the Lorde hath sent it and perfourmed it as he hath promised: for ye haue sinned agaynst the Lord, and haue not ben obedient vnto his voyce, therfore commeth this plague vpon you.⁴ Beholde, I loose the bandes from thy handes this day: yf thou wilt nowe go with me vnto Babylon, vp then, for I wyll see to thee, and prouide for thee: but yf thou wylt not go with me to Babylon, then remayne here: Beholde all the lande is at thy wyll, loke where thou thinkest conuenient and good for thee to abyde, there dwell.⁵ For as yet he was not gone backe agayne to Gedaliah: therfore he sayde to him, Go backe to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam, the sonne of Saphan, whom the kyng of Babylon hath made gouernour ouer the cities of Iuda, and dwell with hym among the people, or remayne where soeuer it please thee. So the chiefe captayne gaue him his expences with a rewarde, and let hym go.⁶ Then went Ieremie vnto Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam to Mispa, & dwelt there with hym among the people that were left in the lande.

⁷ Nowe whe the captaynes of the hoast of Iuda, which with their felowes were scattered abrode on euery syde in the lande, vnderstoode that the kyng of Babylon had made Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam gouernour in the lande, and that man, wyfe, and chylde, yea and the poore men in the lande that were not led captiue to Babylon, should be vnder his iurisdiction:⁸ They came to Gedaliah vnto Mispa, [Namely] Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah, Iohanan and Ionathan the sonnes of Careah, Sareah the sonne of Thanehumeth, the sonnes of Ephai the Netophatite, Iezaniah the sonne of Maachati, with their companions.⁹ And Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam, the sonne of Saphan, sware vnto them and their felowes in this maner: Be not afrayde to serue the Chaldees, dwel in the lande, and do the king of Babylon seruice, so shall ye prosper.¹⁰ Beholde I dwell at Mispa, to be an officer in the Chaldees behalfe, and to satisfie such as come to vs: therfore gather wine, corne, and oyle, & kepe them in your ware houses, and dwell in your cities that ye haue in kepyng.¹¹ Yea all the Iewes also that dwelt in Moab, vnder the Ammonites, Idumea, and in all the countreys, when they hearde that the kyng of Babylon had made Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam the sonne of Saphan, gouernour vpon all them that were left in Iuda:¹² All the Iewes [I say] returned out of all places where they were fled vnto, and came into the lande of Iuda to Gedaliah vnto Mispa, and gathered wine and other fruites, and that very much.¹³ Moreouer, Iohanan the sonne of Careah, and all the captaynes of the hoast that were scattered on euery syde in the lande, came to Gedaliah to Mispa, and sayde vnto hym:¹⁴ Knowest thou not that Baalis the kyng of the Ammonites hath sent Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam beleued them not.¹⁵ Then sayde Iohanan the sonne of Careah vnto Gedaliah in Mispa these wordes secretely, Let me go I pray thee, and I wyll slay Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah, so that no body shall knowe it: Wherfore wyll he kyll thee, that all the Iewes which resort vnto thee myght be scattered, and the remnaunt in Iuda perishe.¹⁶ And Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam sayde to Iohanan the sonne of Careah, Thou shalt not do it: for they are but lyes that thou sayest of Ismael.