The word which came to Armiya from Allah, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah, who were carried away captive to Babylon. 2The captain of the guard took Armiya, and said to him, Allah your God pronounced this evil on this place; 3and Allah has brought it, and done according as he spoke: because you have sinned against Allah, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come on you. 4Now, behold, I loose you this day from the chains which are on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will look after you; but if it seems ill to you to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before you; where it seems good and right to you to go, there go. 5Now while he was not yet gone back, Go back then, said he, to Gedaliah Ibn Ahikam, Ibn Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people; or go wherever it seems right to you to go. So the captain of the guard gave him food and a present, and let him go. 6Then Armiya went to Gedaliah Ibn Ahikam at Mizpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the land. 7Now when all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah Ibn Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, and women, and children, and the poorest of the land, of those who were not carried away captive to Babylon; 8then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, to wit, Ismail IbnNethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah Ibn Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 9Gedaliah Ibn Ahikam, Ibn Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying, Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 10As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who shall come to us: but you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken. 11Likewise when all the Jews who were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah Ibn Ahikam, Ibn Shaphan; 12then all the Jews returned out of all places where they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much. 13Moreover Johanan Ibn Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, 14and said to him, Do you know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon has sent Ismail Ibn Nethaniah to take your life? But Gedaliah Ibn Ahikam did not believe them. 15Then Johanan Ibn Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Please let me go, and I will kill Ismail Ibn Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: why should he take your life, that all the Jews who are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish? 16But Gedaliah Ibn Ahikam said to Johanan Ibn Kareah, You shall not do this thing; for you speak falsely of Ismail.