The wordהַדָּבָרthatאֲשֶׁרcameהָיָהto Jeremiahאֶל יִרְמְיָהוּfromמֵאֵתYHWHיְהוָהafterאַחַרNebuzaradanנְבוּזַרְאֲדָןthe chiefרַבof the guardטַבָּחִיםhad letשַׁלַּחhimאֹתוֹgoשַׁלַּחfrom Ramah,מִן הָרָמָהwhen he tookבְּקַחְתּוֹhim,אֹתוֹand he wasוְהוּאboundאָסוּרin fettersבָּאזִקִּיםamongבְּתוֹךְallכָּלthe exilesגָּלוּתof Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַםand Judahוִיהוּדָהwho were being carried into exileהַמֻּגְלִיםto Babylon.בָּבֶלָה
And the chiefוַ רַבof the guardטַבָּחִיםtookיִּקַּחJeremiahלְיִרְמְיָהוּand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,אֵלָיו“YHWHיְהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֶיךָspokeדִּבֶּרthis evilאֶת הָרָעָה הַזֹּאתagainst this place;אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה
and YHWHוַ יְהוָהhas brought itיָּבֵאand doneוַיַּעַשׂasכַּאֲשֶׁרhe spoke,דִּבֵּרbecauseכִּיyou sinnedחֲטָאתֶםagainst YHWHלַיהוָהand did notוְלֹאlistenשְׁמַעְתֶּםto his voice,בְּקוֹלוֹand this thingוְ הַדָּבָר הַזֶּהhas happenedהָיָהto you.לָכֶם
And now,וְעַתָּהlook,הִנֵּהI have freed youפִתַּחְתִּיךָtodayהַיּוֹםfrom the fettersמִן הָאזִקִּיםthat areאֲשֶׁרon your hands.עַל יָדֶךָIfאִםit is goodטוֹבin your eyesבְּעֵינֶיךָto comeלָבוֹאwith meאִתִּיto Babylon,בָבֶלcome,בֹּאand I will setוְאָשִׂיםmy eyesאֶת עֵינִיon you;עָלֶיךָbut ifוְאִםit is badרַעin your eyesבְּעֵינֶיךָto comeלָבוֹאwith meאִתִּיto Babylon,בָבֶלrefrain.חֲדָלSee,רְאֵהthe wholeכָּלlandהָאָרֶץis before you;לְפָנֶיךָtoאֶלwhere it is goodטוֹבand rightוְאֶל הַיָּשָׁרin your eyesבְּעֵינֶיךָto go,לָלֶכֶתthereשָׁמָּהgo.”לֵךְ
And as he had not yetוְעוֹדֶנּוּ לֹאturned back,יָשׁוּבhe said,“Go backוְשֻׁבָהto Gedaliahאֶל גְּדַלְיָהsonבֶןof Ahikamאֲחִיקָםsonבֶּןof Shaphan,שָׁפָןwhomאֲשֶׁרthe kingמֶלֶךְof Babylonבָּבֶלhas appointedהִפְקִידover the citiesבְּעָרֵיof Judah,יְהוּדָהand liveוְשֵׁבwith himאִתּוֹamongבְּתוֹךְthe people;הָעָםorאוֹwhereverאֶל כָּלit is rightהַיָּשָׁרin your eyesבְּעֵינֶיךָto go,לָלֶכֶתgo.”לֵךְAnd the chiefוַ רַבof the guardטַבָּחִיםgaveיִּתֶּןhimלוֹprovisionsאֲרֻחָהand a gift,וּמַשְׂאֵתand let him go.וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ
So Jeremiahוַ יִרְמְיָהוּwentיָּבֹאto Gedaliahאֶל גְּדַלְיָהsonבֶןof Ahikamאֲחִיקָםat Mizpah,הַמִּצְפָּתָהand he livedוַיֵּשֶׁבwith himאִתּוֹamongבְּתוֹךְthe peopleהָעָםwho were leftהַנִּשְׁאָרִיםin the land.בָּאָרֶץ
And allוַ כָלthe chiefsשָׂרֵיof the forcesהַחֲיָלִיםwho wereאֲשֶׁרin the field,בַּשָּׂדֶהtheyהֵמָּהand their men,וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶםheardיִּשְׁמְעוּthatכִּיthe kingמֶלֶךְof Babylonבָּבֶלhad appointedהִפְקִידGedaliahאֶת גְּדַלְיָהוּsonבֶןof Ahikamאֲחִיקָםin the land,בָּאָרֶץand thatוְכִיhe had entrustedהִפְקִידto himאִתּוֹmenאֲנָשִׁיםand womenוְנָשִׁיםand little ones,וָטָףand some of the poorוּמִדַּלַּתof the land,הָאָרֶץof those whoמֵאֲשֶׁרhad notלֹאbeen carried into exileהָגְלוּto Babylon;בָּבֶלָה
and they cameוַיָּבֹאוּto Gedaliahאֶל גְּדַלְיָהat Mizpah:הַמִּצְפָּתָהIshmaelוְיִשְׁמָעֵאלsonבֶּןof Nethaniah,נְתַנְיָהוּand Johananוְיוֹחָנָןand Jonathan,וְיוֹנָתָןsonsבְּנֵיof Kareah,קָרֵחַand Seraiahוּשְׂרָיָהsonבֶןof Tanhumeth,תַּנְחֻמֶתand the sonsוּבְנֵיof Ephaiעֵיפַיthe Netophathite,הַנְּטֹפָתִיand Jezaniahוִיזַנְיָהוּsonבֶּןof the Maacathite,הַמַּעֲכָתִיtheyהֵמָּהand their men.וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶם
And Gedaliahוַ גְּדַלְיָהוּsonבֶןof Ahikamאֲחִיקָםsonבֶּןof Shaphanשָׁפָןsworeיִּשָּׁבַעto themלָהֶםand to their men,וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶםsaying,לֵאמֹר“Do notאַלfearתִּירְאוּto serveמֵעֲבוֹדthe Chaldeans.הַכַּשְׂדִּיםLiveשְׁבוּin the landבָאָרֶץand serveוְעִבְדוּthe kingאֶת מֶלֶךְof Babylon,בָּבֶלand it will go wellוְיִיטַבwith you.לָכֶם
As for me,וַאֲנִיlook, Iהִנְנִיam livingיֹשֵׁבat Mizpahבַּמִּצְפָּהto standלַעֲמֹדbeforeלִפְנֵיthe Chaldeansהַכַּשְׂדִּיםwhoאֲשֶׁרcomeיָבֹאוּto us;אֵלֵינוּbut you,וְאַתֶּםgatherאִסְפוּwineיַיִןand summer fruitוְקַיִץand oil,וְשֶׁמֶןand put themוְשִׂמוּin your vessels,בִּכְלֵיכֶםand liveוּשְׁבוּin your citiesבְּעָרֵיכֶםthatאֲשֶׁרyou have taken.”תְּפַשְׂתֶּם
Likewise, allוְגַם כָּלthe Jewsהַיְּהוּדִיםwho wereאֲשֶׁרin Moabבְּמוֹאָבand among the sonsוּבִבְנֵיof Ammonעַמּוֹןand in Edomוּבֶאֱדוֹםand who wereוַאֲשֶׁרin allבְּכָלthe lands,הָאֲרָצוֹתheardשָׁמְעוּthatכִּיthe kingמֶלֶךְof Babylonבָּבֶלhad givenנָתַןa remnantשְׁאֵרִיתto Judah,לִיהוּדָהand thatוְכִיhe had appointedהִפְקִידover themעֲלֵיהֶםGedaliahאֶת גְּדַלְיָהוּsonבֶּןof Ahikamאֲחִיקָםsonבֶּןof Shaphan.שָׁפָן
Then allוַ כָלthe Jewsהַיְּהוּדִיםreturnedיָּשֻׁבוּfrom allמִכָּלthe placesהַמְּקֹמוֹתwhereאֲשֶׁר שָׁםthey had been driven,נִדְּחוּand they cameוַיָּבֹאוּto the landאֶרֶץof Judah,יְהוּדָהto Gedaliahאֶל גְּדַלְיָהוּat Mizpah,הַמִּצְפָּתָהand they gatheredוַיַּאַסְפוּwineיַיִןand summer fruitוָקַיִץin great abundance.הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד
And Johananוְיוֹחָנָןsonבֶּןof Kareahקָרֵחַand allוְכָלthe chiefsשָׂרֵיof the forcesהַחֲיָלִיםwho wereאֲשֶׁרin the fieldבַּשָּׂדֶהcameבָּאוּto Gedaliahאֶל גְּדַלְיָהוּat Mizpah,הַמִּצְפָּתָה
and they saidוַיֹּאמְרוּto him,אֵלָיו“Do youהֲreally knowיָדֹעַ תֵּדַעthatכִּיBaalisבַּעֲלִיסkingמֶלֶךְof the sonsבְּנֵיof Ammonעַמּוֹןhas sentשָׁלַחIshmaelאֶת יִשְׁמָעֵאלsonבֶּןof Nethaniahנְתַנְיָהto strike youלְהַכֹּתְךָdead?”נָפֶשׁBut Gedaliahוְ גְּדַלְיָהוּsonבֶּןof Ahikamאֲחִיקָםdid notלֹאbelieveהֶאֱמִיןthem.לָהֶם
Then Johananוְיוֹחָנָןsonבֶּןof Kareahקָרֵחַsaidאָמַרto Gedaliahאֶל גְּדַלְיָהוּin secretבַסֵּתֶרat Mizpah,בַּמִּצְפָּהsaying,לֵאמֹר“Let me go,אֵלְכָהplease,נָּאand strikeוְאַכֶּהIshmaelאֶת יִשְׁמָעֵאלsonבֶּןof Nethaniah,נְתַנְיָהand no oneוְאִישׁ לֹאwill know.יֵדָעWhyלָמָּהshould he strike youיַכֶּכָּהdead,נֶּפֶשׁand allוְ כָּלJudahיְהוּדָהbe scattered,נָפֹצוּwho are gatheredהַנִּקְבָּצִיםto you,אֵלֶיךָand the remnantוְ שְׁאֵרִיתof Judahיְהוּדָהperish?”אָבְדָה
But Gedaliahוַ גְּדַלְיָהוּsonבֶןof Ahikamאֲחִיקָםsaidיֹּאמֶרto Johananאֶל יוֹחָנָןsonבֶּןof Kareah,קָרֵחַ“Do notאַלdoתַּעֲשֵׂהthis thing,אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּהforכִּיyouאַתָּהare speakingדֹבֵרfalsehoodשֶׁקֶרabout Ishmael.”אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל