Jeremiah Stays with Gedaliah
1 The Lord spoke to me after Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, had set me free at Ramah. I had been taken there in chains, along with all the other people from Jerusalem and Judah who were being taken away as prisoners to Babylonia.
2 The commanding officer took me aside and said, “The Lord your God threatened this land with destruction, 3 and now he has done what he said he would. All this happened because your people sinned against the Lord and disobeyed him. 4 Now, I am taking the chains off your wrists and setting you free. If you want to go to Babylonia with me, you may do so, and I will take care of you. But if you don't want to go, you don't have to. You have the whole country to choose from, and you may go wherever you wish.”
5 When I did not answer, Nebuzaradan said, “Go back to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylonia has made governor of the towns of Judah. You may stay with him and live among the people, or you may go anywhere you think you should.” Then he gave me a present and some food to take with me, and let me go on my way. 6 I went to stay with Gedaliah in Mizpah and lived among the people who were left in the land.
Gedaliah, Governor of Judah
(2 Kings 25.22-24)7 Some of the Judean officers and soldiers had not surrendered. They heard that the king of Babylonia had made Gedaliah governor of the land and had placed him in charge of all those who had not been taken away to Babylonia—the poorest people in the land. 8 So Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophah, and Jezaniah from Maacah went with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah. 9 Gedaliah said to them, “I give you my word that there is no need for you to be afraid to surrender to the Babylonians. Settle in this land, serve the king of Babylonia, and all will go well with you. 10 I myself will stay in Mizpah and be your representative when the Babylonians come here. But you can gather and store up wine, fruit, and olive oil, and live in the villages you occupy.” 11 Meanwhile, all the Israelites who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other countries, heard that the king of Babylonia had allowed some Israelites to stay on in Judah and that he had made Gedaliah their governor. 12 So they left the places where they had been scattered, and returned to Judah. They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and there they gathered in large amounts of wine and fruit.
Gedaliah Is Murdered
(2 Kings 25.252 26)13 After this, Johanan and the leaders of the soldiers who had not surrendered came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and said to him, “Don't you know that King Baalis of Ammon has sent Ishmael to murder you?” But Gedaliah did not believe it. 15 Then Johanan said privately to him, “Let me go and kill Ishmael, and no one will know who did it. Why should he be allowed to murder you? That would cause all the Jews who have gathered around you to be scattered, and it would bring disaster on all the people who are left in Judah.”
16 But Gedaliah answered, “Don't do it! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true!”
Jeremija paliek Jūdejā
(2Ķēn 25:22–26)1 Šis ir vārds, ko Jeremija saņēma no Kunga pēc tam, kad sardzes vadonis Nebūzaradāns viņu atbrīvoja un ļāva iet, jo viņš bija iekalts važās, tāpat kā visi Jeruzālemes un Jūdas trimdinieki, ko aizveda trimdā uz Bābeli. 2 Sardzes vadonis ņēma Jeremiju un teica viņam: “Kungs, tavs Dievs, ir runājis par ļaunumu, kas būs šai vietai. 3 Viņš lika tam nākt, Kungs darīja, kā teica, jo jūs grēkojāt pret Kungu un nepaklausījāt viņa balsij – un jums notika šī lieta! 4 Redzi, šodien es tevi atbrīvoju no važām, kas ir ap tavām rokām! Ja tu vēlies nākt kopā ar mani uz Bābeli, tad nāc, un es rūpēšos par tevi! Bet, ja tu nevēlies kopā ar mani doties uz Bābeli, redzi, tavā priekšā ir visa zeme, ej turp, kurp tev tīk, un, kurp gribi iet, turp ej!” 5 Un, kamēr vēl Jeremija nebija aizgājis, viņš teica: “Vai arī atgriezies pie Cedekijas, Ahīkāma dēla, Šāfāna dēla, kuru Bābeles ķēniņš iecēla valdīt pār Jūdas pilsētām, un mīti tur pie viņa, pie savas tautas, vai arī ej visur, kurp gribi iet!” Un sardzes vadonis deva viņam uzturu un dāvanu un ļāva iet. 6 Un Jeremija gāja uz Micpu pie Cedekijas, Ahīkāma dēla, un mita pie viņa, pie tās tautas, kas bija palikusi tai zemē.
7 Un visi karaspēka virsnieki, kuri klaiņoja apkārt, – viņi un viņu vīri – padzirdēja, ka Bābeles ķēniņš iecēlis Gedaljāhu, Ahīkāma dēlu, valdīt pār vīriem, sievām, bērniem un zemes nabagiem, kuri nebija aizvesti trimdā uz Bābeli. 8 Un viņi nāca uz Micpu pie Gedaljāhu – Ismaēls, Netanjāhu dēls, Jehohānāns un Jonatāns, Kārēha dēli, Serāja, Tanhumeta dēls, nefopatieša Ēfaja dēli, un Jaazanja, maahietis, – viņi un viņu vīri. 9 Un Gedaljāhu, Ahīkāma dēls, Šāfāna dēls, zvērēja viņiem un viņu vīriem, sacīdams: “Nebaidieties no kalpības kaldiešiem! Dzīvojiet šajā zemē un vergojiet Bābeles ķēniņam, un jums būs labi! 10 Bet es, redzi, es mitīšu Micpā, lai stātos to kaldiešu priekšā, kuri nāks pie mums, bet jūs vāciet vīnu un vasaras augļus, un eļļu, lieciet tos savos traukos un dzīvojiet savās pilsētās, kurās esat apmetušies!” 11 Un arī visi jūdi, kuri bija Moābā, starp Amona dēliem, Edomā un visās zemēs, uzzināja, ka Bābeles ķēniņš dažus ir atstājis Jūdā un ka pār tiem viņš ir iecēlis Gedaljāhu, Ahīkāma dēlu, Šāfāna dēlu. 12 Un visi jūdi atgriezās no visām tām vietām, kur bija padzīti, un nāca uz Jūdas zemi pie Gedaljāhu, uz Micpu, un vāca tur jo daudz vīna un vasaras augļu.
13 Jehohānāns, Kārēha dēls, un visi karaspēka virsnieki, kuri klaiņoja apkārt, nāca uz Micpu pie Gedaljāhu. 14 Un viņš tam sacīja: “Vai tu zini, ka Baalīss, Amona dēlu ķēniņš, ir sūtījis Ismaēlu, Netanjas dēlu, tevi nogalēt!?” Bet Gedaljāhu, Ahīkāma dēls, neticēja viņam. 15 Un Jehohānāns, Kārēha dēls, Micpā slepeni Gedaljāhu teica: “Es tagad iešu un nositīšu Ismaēlu, Netanjas dēlu, un neviens to neuzzinās! Kādēļ lai viņš nogalē tevi!? Kādēļ jātiek pazudinātiem visiem jūdiem, kas ir sapulcējušies pie tevis? Kādēļ jāiet bojā Jūdas atlikumam?” 16 Bet Gedaljāhu, Ahīkāma dēls, teica Jehohānānam, Kārēha dēlam: “Nedari to, tu melo par Ismaēlu!”
