The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

For yet he was not returned: therefore he said, Returne to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, the sonne of Shaphan, whom the King of Babel hath made gouernour ouer all the cities of Iudah, and dwell with him among the people, or goe wheresoeuer it pleaseth thee to goe. So the chiefe stewarde gaue him vitailes and a rewarde, and let him goe.

Then went Ieremiah vnto Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and dwelt there with him among the people that were left in the lande.

Nowe when all the captaines of the hoste, which were in the fieldes, euen they and their men heard, that the King of Babel had made Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam gouernour in the land, and that he had committed vnto him, men, and women, and children, and of the poore of the lande, that were not caried away captiue to Babel,

Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, euen Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, and Iohanan, and Ionathan the sonnes of Kareah, and Seraiah the sonne of Tanehumeth, and the sonnes of Ephai, the Netophathite, and Iezaniah the sonne of Maachathi, they and their men.

And Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, the sonne of Shaphan sware vnto them, and to their men, saying, Feare not to serue the Caldeans: dwell in the lande, and serue the King of Babel, and it shall be well with you.

As for me, Beholde, I will dwell at Mizpah to serue the Caldeans, which will come vnto vs: but you, gather you wine, and sommer fruites, and oyle, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities, that ye haue taken.

Likewise when all the Iewes that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the King of Babel had left a remnant of Iudah, and that he had set ouer them Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan,

Euen all the Iewes returned out of all places where they were driuen, and came to the land of Iudah to Gedaliah vnto Mizpah, and gathered wine and sommer fruites, very much.

Moreouer Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste, that were in the fieldes, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

And said vnto him, Knowest thou not that Baalis the King of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam beleeued them not.

Then Iohanan the sonne of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me goe, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it. Wherefore should he kill thee, that all the Iewes, which are gathered vnto thee, shoulde be scattered, and the remnant in Iudah perish?

But Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam said vnto Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, Thou shalt not doe this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.

But in the seuenth moneth came Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, the sonne of Elishama of the seede royall, and the princes of the King, and tenne men with him, vnto Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam to Mizpah, and there they did eate bread together in Mizpah.

Then arose Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah with these tenne men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan with the sword, and slewe him, whom the King of Babel had made gouernour ouer the lande.

Ishmael also slewe all the Iewes that were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and all the Caldeans that were found there, and the men of warre.

Now the second day that he had slaine Gedaliah, and no man knewe it,

There came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, euen fourescore men, hauing their beardes shauen, and their clothes rent and cut, with offerings and incense in their hands to offer in the house of the Lord.

And Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meete them, weeping as he went: and when he met them, he said vnto them, Come to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam.

And when they came into the middes of the citie, Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah slewe them, and cast them into the middes of the pit, he and the men that were with him.

But tenne men were founde among them, that saide vnto Ishmael, Slay vs not: for we haue treasures in the fielde, of wheate, and of barley, and of oyle, and of honie: so he stayed, and slew them not among their brethren.

Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast the dead bodies of the men (whom he had slayne because of Gedaliah) is it, which Asa the King had made because of Basha King of Israel, and Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slaine.

Then Ishmael caryed away captiue all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, euen the Kings daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzar-adan the chiefe steward had committed to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, and Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah caried them away captiue, and departed to goe ouer to the Ammonites.

But when Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste that were with him, heard of all the euill that Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah had done,

Then they all tooke their men, and went to fight with Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, and founde him by ye great waters that are in Gibeon.

Nowe when all the people whom Ishmael caryed away captiue, sawe Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste, that were with him, they were glad.

So all the people, that Ishmael had caryed away captiue from Mizpah, returned and came againe, and went vnto Iohanan the sonne of Kareah.

But Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, escaped from Iohanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.

Then tooke Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste that were with him, all the remnant of the people, whom Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah had caried away captiue from Mizpah, (after that he had slaine Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam) euen the strong men of warre, and the women, and the children, and the eunuches, whom hee had brought againe from Gibeon:

And they departed and dwelt in Geruth Chimham, which is by Beth-lehem, to goe and to enter into Egypt,

Because of the Caldeans: for they feared them, because Ishmael ye sonne of Nethaniah had slaine Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, whom the King of Babel made gouernour in the land.

Then all the captaines of the hoste, and Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and Iezaniah the sonne of Hoshaaiah, and all the people from the least vnto the most came,

And saide vnto Ieremiah the Prophete, Heare our prayer, we beseeche thee, and pray for vs vnto the Lord thy God, euen for all this remnant (for we are left, but a fewe of many, as thine eyes doe beholde)

That the Lord thy God may shewe vs the way wherein wee may walke, and the thing that we may doe.

Then Ieremiah the Prophet said vnto them, I haue heard you: behold, I will pray vnto ye Lord your God according to your wordes, and whatsoeuer thing the Lord shall answere you, I will declare it vnto you: I will keepe nothing backe from you.

Then they said to Ieremiah, The Lord be a witnesse of trueth, and faith betweene vs, if we doe not, euen according to all things for ye which the Lord thy God shall send thee to vs.

Whether it be good or euill, we will obey the voyce of the Lord God, to whom we sende thee that it may be well with vs, when wee obey the voyce of the Lord our God.

And so after ten dayes came the word of the Lord vnto Ieremiah.

Then called he Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste, which were with him, and all ye people from ye least to the most,

And saide vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, vnto whom ye sent me to present your prayers before him,

If ye will dwell in this land, then I wil build you, and not destroy you, and I will plant you, and not roote you out: for I repent me of the euill that I haue done vnto you.

Feare not for the King of Babel, of whom ye are afraide: be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you, to saue you, and to deliuer you from his hand,

And I will graunt you mercie that he may haue compassion vpon you, and he shall cause you to dwell in your owne land.

But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither heare the voyce of the Lord your God,

Saying, Nay, but we will goe into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no warre, nor heare the sounde of the trumpet, nor haue hunger of bread, and there will we dwell,

(And nowe therefore heare the worde of the Lord, ye remnant of Iudah: thus sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, If ye set your faces to enter into Egypt, and goe to dwell there)

Then the sworde that ye feared, shall take you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, for the which ye care, shall there hang vpon you in Egypt, and there shall ye die.

And all the men that set their faces to enter into Egypt to dwell there, shall die by ye sword, by the famine and by the pestilence, and none of them shall remaine nor escape from the plague, that I will bring vpon them.

For thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, As mine anger and my wrath hath bene powred foorth vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem: so shall my wrath be powred foorth vpon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt, and ye shall be a detestation, and an astonishment, and a curse and a reproche, and ye shall see this place no more.

O ye remnant of Iudah, the Lord hath said concerning you, Goe not into Egypt: knowe certeinely that I haue admonished you this day.

Surely ye dissembled in your hearts When ye sent me vnto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for vs vnto the Lord our God, and declare vnto vs euen according vnto al that the Lord our God shall say, and we will doe it.

Therefore I haue this day declared it you, but you haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me vnto you.

Nowe therefore, knowe certeinely that ye shall die by the sworde, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to goe and dwell.

Nowe when Ieremiah had made an ende of speaking vnto ye whole people all the wordes of the Lord their God, for the which the Lord their God had sent him to them, euen all these wordes,

Then spake Azariah the sonne of Hoshaiah, and Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the proude men, saying vnto Ieremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Goe not into Egypt to dwell there,

But Baruch ye sonne of Neriah prouoketh thee against vs, for to deliuer vs into the hand of the Caldeans, that they might slay vs, and cary vs away captiues into Babel.

So Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste, and all the people obeied not the voyce of the Lord, to dwell in the lande of Iudah.

But Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste tooke all the remnant of Iudah, that were returned from al nations, whither they had bene driuen, to dwel in ye land of Iudah:

Euen men and women, and children, and the Kinges daughters, and euery person, that Nebuzar-adan the chiefe steward had left with Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, ye sonne of Shaphan, and Ieremiah the Prophet, and Baruch the sonne of Neriah.

So they came into the lande of Egypt: for they obeied not the voice of the Lord: thus came they to Tahpanhes.

Then came the worde of the Lord vnto Ieremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,

Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the claie in the bricke kill, which is at the entrie of Pharaohs house in Tanpanhes in ye sight of the men of Iudah,

And say vnto them, Thus sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, Beholde, I will sende and bring Nebuchad-nezzar the King of Babel my seruant, and will set his throne vpon these stones that I haue hid, and he shall spread his pauilion ouer them.

And when he shall come, he shall smite the land of Egypt: such as are appoynted for death, to death, and such as are for captiuitie, to captiuitie, and such as are for the sword to the sword.

And I wil kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burne them and carie them away captiues, and he shall aray himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepheard putteth on his garment, and shall depart from thence in peace.

He shall breake also ye images of Beth-shemesh, that is in the lande of Egypt, and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burne with fire.

The worde that came to Ieremiah concerning all the Iewes, which dwell in the lande of Egypt, and remained at Migdol and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the coutry of Pathros, saying,

Thus sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, Yee haue seene all the euill that I haue brought vpon Ierusalem, and vpon all the cities of Iudah: and beholde, this day they are desolate, and no man dwelleth therein,

Because of their wickednes which they haue comitted, to prouoke me to anger in that they went to burne incense, and to serue other gods, who they knew not, neither they nor you nor your fathers.

Howbeit I sent vnto you all my seruats the Prophets rising earely, and sending them, saying, Oh doe not this abominable thing that I hate.

But they would not heare nor incline their eare to turne from their wickednes, and to burne no more incense vnto other gods.

Wherefore my wrath, and mine anger was powred foorth and was kindled in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem, and they are desolate, and wasted, as appeareth this day.

Therefore now thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, Wherfore commit ye this great euill against your soules, to cut off from you man and woman, childe and suckling out of Iudah, and leaue you none to remaine?

In that yee prouoke mee vnto wrath with the woorkes of your hands, burning incense vnto other Gods in the lande of Egypt whither yee be gone to dwell: that yee might bring destruction vnto your selues, and that ye might be a curse and a reproch among all nations of the earth.

Haue yee forgotten the wickednes of your fathers, and the wickednesse of the Kings of Iudah and the wickednesse of their wiues and your owne wickednes and the wickednes of your wiues, which they haue committed in the land of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem?

They are not humbled vnto this day, neither haue they feared nor walked in my lawe nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.

Therefore thus sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, Beholde, I will set my face against you to euill and to destroy all Iudah,

And I will take the remnant of Iudah, that haue set their faces to goe into the lande of Egypt there to dwell, and they shall all bee consumed and fall in the lande of Egypt: they shall euen bee consumed by the sworde and by the famine: they shall die from the least vnto the most, by the sworde, and by the famine, and they shall be a detestation and an astonishment and a curse and a reproche.

For I will visite them that dwel in the land of Egypt, as I haue visited Ierusalem, by ye sworde, by the famine, and by the pestilence,

So that none of the remnant of Iudah, which are gone into the lande of Egypt to dwell there, shall escape or remaine, that they shoulde returne into the land of Iudah to the which they haue a desire to returne to dwell there: for none shall returne, but such as shall escape.

Then all the men which knewe that their wiues had burnt incense vnto other gods and all the women that stoode by, a great multitude, euen all the people that dwelt in the lande of Egypt in Pathros, answered Ieremiah, saying,

The worde that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the Name of the Lord, wee will not heare it of thee,

But wee will doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth, as to burne incense vnto the Queene of heauen, and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her, as we haue done, both we and our fathers, our Kings and our princes in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem: for then had wee plentie of vitailes and were well and felt none euill.

But since wee left off to burne incense to the Queene of heauen, and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her, we haue had scarcenesse of all things, and haue beene consumed by the sworde and by the famine.

And when we burnt incense to ye Queene of heauen, and powred out drinke offerings vnto her, did wee make her cakes to make her glad, and powre out drinke offerings vnto her without our husbands?

Then said Ieremiah vnto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had giuen him that answere, saying,

Did not the Lord remember the incense, that yee burnt in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem, both you, and your fathers, your Kinges, and your princes, and the people of the land, and hath he not considered it?

So that the Lord could no longer forbeare, because of the wickednes of your inuentions, and because of the abominations, which ye haue committed: therefore is your lande desolate and an astonishment, and a curse and without inhabitant, as appeareth this day.

Because ye haue burnt incense and because ye haue sinned against the Lord, and haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord, nor walked in his Lawe, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies, therefore this plague is come vpon you, as appeareth this day.

Moreouer Ieremiah saide vnto all the people and to all the women, Heare the word of the Lord, all Iudah that are in the land of Egypt.

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wiues haue both spoken with your mouthes, and fulfilled with your hande, saying, We will performe our vowes that we haue vowed to burne incense to the Queene of heauen, and to powre out drinke offerings to her: yee will perfourme your vowes and doe the things that yee haue vowed.

Therefore heare the word of the Lord, all Iudah that dwel in the land of Egypt. Beholde, I haue sworne by my great Name, sayeth the Lord, that my Name shall no more be called vpon by the mouth of any man of Iudah, in all the lande of Egypt, saying, The Lord God liueth.

Behold, I wil watch ouer them for euil and not for good, and all men of Iudah that are in the land of Egypt, shalbe consumed by the sword, and by the famine, vntill they be vtterly destroied.

Yet a small nomber that escape the sworde, shall returne out of the lande of Egypt into the lande of Iudah: and all the remnant of Iudah that are gone into the lande of Egypt to dwell there, shall know whose words shall stad, mine or theirs.

And this shall be a signe vnto you, saith the Lord, whe I visit you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for euill.

Thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will giue Pharaoh Hophra King of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seeke his life: as I gaue Zedekiah King of Iudah into the hand of Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel his enemie, who also sought his life.

The worde that Ieremiah the Prophet spake vnto Baruch the sonne of Neriah, when he had written these woordes in a booke at the mouth of Ieremiah, in the fourth yeere of Iehoiakim the sonne of Iosiah King of Iudah, saying,

Thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel vnto thee, O Baruch,

Thou diddest say, Wo is me nowe: for the Lord hath laied sorrow vnto my sorrowe: I fainted in my mourning, and I can finde no rest.

Thus shalt thou say vnto him, The Lord sayeth thus, Behold, that which I haue built, will I destroy, and that which I haue planted, will I plucke vp, euen this whole lande.

And seekest thou great things for thy self? seeke them not: for beholde, I wil bring a plague vpon al flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life wil I giue thee for a pray in all places, whither thou goest.