Jeremiah 40 The word which came from the Lord to Jeremias after Nabusardan the chief cook, he who was of Rama, had dismissed him: When the chief cook found him in chains in the midst of the captives of Juda who were to be carried to Babylon,

Thomson⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ The word which came from the Lord to Jeremias after Nabusardan the chief cook, he who was of Rama, had dismissed him: When the chief cook found him in chains in the midst of the captives of Juda who were to be carried to Babylon, ² he took him and said to him, The Lord thy God hath denounced all these evils against this place, ³ and the Lord hath done them, because you sinned against him and did not hearken to his voice. ⁴ Behold I have loosed thee from the chains which were on thy hands. If it seemeth good to thee to go with me to Babylon, I will have an eye over thee. But if not, Go thy way. ⁵ Return to Godolias son of Achikam son of Saphan whom the king of Babylon hath set over the land of Juda and dwell with him among the people in the land of Juda. Go whithersoever it seemeth best in thine eyes to go. So the chief cook gave him gifts and dismissed him; ⁶ and he went to Godolias to Massepha and dwelt among his people who were left in the land. ⁷ Now when all the generals of the army in the country, both they and their men heard that the king of Babylon had set Godolias over the land, and had committed to him the men and their wives whom he had not removed to Babylon, ⁸ there came to Godolias, at Massepha, Ismael son of Nathanias and Joanan son of Karae and Saraias son of Thanaemeth and the sons of Jophe the Netophathite and Ezonias son of Mochathi, they and their men; ⁹ and Godolias sword to them and their men, saying, Be not afraid of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be better for you. ¹⁰ As for me, behold I reside before you, at Massepha to meet the Chaldeans who may come against you. But as for you, collect wine and summer fruits and oil and lay them up in your vessels and dwell in the cities which you have taken possession of. ¹¹ All the Jews also who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and those in Idumea and in all that country, when they heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Juda and had set Godolias son of Achikam over them, ¹² came to Godolias into the land of Juda to Massepha, and collected wine and summer fruits in great abundance, and oil. ¹³ And Joanan son of Karae and all the generals of the army who were in the country came to Godolias to Massepha ¹⁴ and said to him, Dost thou know that Beleissa king of the Ammonites hath sent Ismael to thee, to take thy life. ¹⁵ But Godolias did not believe them. And when Joanan said privately to Godolias at Massepha, "Let me, I pray thee, go and smite Ismael and let none know it; lest he kill thee; and all Juda who are gathered to thee, be dispersed and the remnant of Juda perish." ¹⁶ Godolias said to Joanan, Thou must not do this: for what thou sayest of Ismael is false.