Jeremiah 40:7-9
New Catholic Bible
7 [a]When all the military leaders of the forces still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, as governor over the land and had placed in his care the men, women, and children who were the most destitute of all the people there who had not been carried off into exile to Babylon, 8 they went with their forces to Gedaliah in Mizpah: Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah; Johanan and Jonathan, the sons of Kareah; Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth; the sons of Ephai of Netophah; Jezaniah, the son of Beth-maacah.
9 Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore an oath to reassure them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Settle down in the land, serve the king of Babylon, and all will go well with you.
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- Jeremiah 40:7 It was not in the interests of the Chaldeans to allow anarchy, and therefore, they appointed a governor, Gedaliah, a Jew. A civil war broke out, and the governor was its first victim. Fearing the reaction of the Chaldeans, the people of Judah fled to Egypt. Jeremiah refused to take part in this exodus but was drawn against his will into this painful business.
