1. The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, after Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, hath sent him from Ramah, in his taking him--and he a prisoner in chains--in the midst of all the removal of Jerusalem and of Judah, who areremoved to Babylon.
2. And the chief of the executioners taketh Jeremiah, and saith unto him, `Jehovah thy God hath spoken this evil concerning this place,
3. and Jehovah bringeth [it] in, and doth as He spake, because ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have not hearkened to His voice, even this thing hath been to you.
4. `And now, lo, I have loosed thee to-day from the chains that [are] on thy hand; if good in thine eyes to come with me [to] Babylon, come, and I keep mine eye upon thee: and if evil in thine eyes to come with me to Babylon, forbear; see, allthe land [is] before thee, whither [it be] good, and whither [it be] right in thine eyes to go--go.' --
5. and while he doth not reply--`Or turn back unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him in the midst of the people, or whithersoever it is right in thine eyes to go--go.' And the chief of the executioners giveth to him for the way, and a gift, and sendeth him away,
6. and Jeremiah cometh in unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and dwelleth with him, in the midst of the people who are left in the land.
7. And all the heads of the forces that [are] in the field hear, they and their men, that the king of Babylon hath appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land, and that he hath charged him [with] men, and women, and infants, and of the poor of the land, of those who have not been removed to Babylon;