September 25, 2026, Jeremiah 40:1-16
September 25, 2026, Jeremiah 40:1-16
40 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan the captain
of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took him bound in
chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled
to Babylon. 2 The captain of the guard took
Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your
God pronounced this disaster against this place. 3 The Lord has brought it about, and has
done as he said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice,
this thing has come upon you. 4 Now, behold, I
release you today from the chains on your hands. If it seems good to
you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, but
if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. See, the
whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go. 5 If
you remain,[a] then return
to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of
Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the
people. Or go wherever you think it right to go.” So the captain of the guard
gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go. 6 Then
Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah, and lived
with him among the people who were left in the land.
7 When all the captains of the forces in the open country and
their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam governor in the land and had committed to him men, women, and children,
those of the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to
Babylon, 8 they went to Gedaliah
at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah,
Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, Jezaniah
the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 9 Gedaliah
the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and 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. 10 As
for me, I will dwell at Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who
will come to us. But as for you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil,
and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have
taken.” 11 Likewise, when all the Judeans who were
in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other lands
heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as governor over them, 12 then
all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and
came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine
and summer fruits in great abundance.
13 Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders
of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and
said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam
would not believe them. 15 Then Johanan the son of
Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, “Please let me go and strike down
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your
life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered about you would be scattered, and
the remnant of Judah would perish?” 16 But Gedaliah
the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this
thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ishmael.”
Can a good person fail to see evil in others? Have you
experienced this personally? Have you walked away from a situation involving
another, only to find out later that this person was indeed guilty of evil
actions? How did that make you feel? Ask God for discernment and listen to the
Holy Spirit daily.
Debbie Walker
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