Jeremiah 40:1-6

1The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord after 1Nebuzaradan captain of the bodyguard had released him from 2Ramah, when he had taken him bound in 3chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. 2Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “The 4Lord your God promised this calamity against this place; 3and the Lord has brought it on and done just as He promised. Because you people 5sinned against the Lord and did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you. 4But now, behold, I am 6freeing you today from the chains which are on your hands. If 7you would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will 8look after you; but if 9you would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, 10never mind. Look, the 11whole land is before you; go wherever it seems good and right for you to go.” 5As 12Jeremiah was still not going back, 13he said, “Go on back then to 14Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has 15appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or else go anywhere it seems right for you to go.” So the captain of the bodyguard gave him a 16ration and a 17gift and let him go. 6Then Jeremiah went to 18Mizpah to 19Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.