1 God spoke to Jeremiah after the guard boss, Nebuzaradan, let him go at Ramah. He had chains before, with people from Judah and Jerusalem, who were taken to Babylon. ️➡️️ 2 The captain said to Jeremiah, “Your God said this bad time would come.” ♂️➡️️ 3 “He said it would come because you did not obey God. Now it came.” ⚠️➡️ 4 “Today I set you free. If you want to come with me to Babylon, come. I will care for you. If not, do not come. The land is open. Go where it is good for you.” ️ 5 “If you stay, go to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan. The king of Babylon made him leader here. Stay with him. Or go where you want.” Then the captain gave Jeremiah food and a gift and let him go. ➡️ 6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah at Mizpah and stayed with the people left in the land. ♂️ 7 Army leaders in the fields heard the king of Babylon made Gedaliah leader over the land and over the men, women, kids, and poor who stayed. 8 They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah; Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah; Seraiah son of Tanhumeth; the sons of Ephai the Netophathite; and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, with their men. ♂️♂️♂️ 9 Gedaliah said, “Do not be afraid. Work for the king of Babylon. Live in the land. It will be okay.” 10 “I will stay in Mizpah to meet the Babylon men. You gather wine, fruit, and oil. Put them in jars. Live in your towns.” ️ 11 The Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other lands heard the king of Babylon left some people and set Gedaliah as leader. 12 They came back to Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They gathered much fruit and wine. ♀️♂️➡️ 13 Johanan and the army leaders came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. ♂️♂️ 14 They said, “Baalis, the king of Ammon, sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you.” But Gedaliah did not believe them. ⚠️️❌ 15 Johanan spoke in secret to Gedaliah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael. No one will know. If he kills you, the people will run, and the last people left will die.” ⚔️ 16 But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “Do not do it. You speak a lie about Ishmael.” ✋❌