Jeremiah Stays with the Survivors

While Jeremiah was still under guard, the king of Babylon gave orders about him. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, was told to take care of Jeremiah, not harm him, and treat him as Jeremiah directed. Babylonian officers brought Jeremiah out and entrusted him to Gedaliah. So Jeremiah lived among the people.

At that time, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah for Ebedmelech the Ethiopian. God said the announced disaster for Jerusalem would happen, but Ebedmelech himself would be delivered. He would escape with his life because he had trusted in the Lord.

After this, at Ramah, Jeremiah was among the captives from Jerusalem and Judah, bound in chains. Nebuzaradan released him there. The captain said that the Lord had spoken this disaster against the place, and that it had come because the people had sinned and had not obeyed the Lord.

Then the captain of the guard gave Jeremiah a choice. He could come to Babylon, and the captain would care for him there. Or he could stay, with the whole land before him, and go wherever seemed good and right to him.

When Jeremiah had not yet gone back, the captain suggested that he return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor over the cities of Judah. He gave Jeremiah food and a gift and let him go. So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah at Mizpah and lived among the people left in the land.