Jeremiah 40:5-12

However, before I turned to leave, Nebuzaradan added, “Have you thought about staying with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, grandson of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed governor over the towns of Judah? You could stay with him among the people or go anywhere else you think best.” With that, Nebuzaradan gave me a gift and ample provisions for my journey and let me go. I decided to stay with my people in the land of Judah, so I went to live near Gedaliah in Mizpah. There were still some Judean forces in the open country. Their captains heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor of Judah and made him responsible for everyone, including the poor, who had not been deported to Babylon. Those who came to Gedaliah at Mizpah included Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, they and their men. Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, grandson of Shaphan, reassured them and gave them his word that they need not be afraid to serve the Babylonians. “Stay in the land,” he said. “Serve the king of Babylon, and everything will be fine. I will stay here at Mizpah and represent you to the Babylonians on their official visits. Meanwhile, you can harvest the wine, the summer crops, and olive oil. Go ahead and store up the harvest and settle in the towns you have taken over.” Many people from Judah had fled to Moab, Ammon, Edom, or other countries. But when they learned that the Babylonian king had allowed the rest of the people in Judah to return and had named Gedaliah governor, they also returned to Judah from all the places where they had been scattered and reported to Gedaliah in Mizpah. The people harvested large amounts of wine and fruit.

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