This account describes other things associated with Jeremiah's being set at liberty. It contains more detail than 39:11-14.
40:1 Evidently after Jeremiah's release in Jerusalem Babylonian soldiers rounded him up when they saw him in the city streets supposing him to be a regular Judean. They took Jeremiah to Ramah, about five miles north of Jerusalem, along with the other chained Judean prisoners headed for exile. Ramah appears to have been a collection point for deportees before the long trip to Babylon.
40:2-3 In Ramah, Nebuzaradan learned that Jeremiah was among the captives about to be sent to Babylonia, so he released him again. The captain of the guard confirmed to Jeremiah that Yahweh had done to Jerusalem just as He had said He would because of the sins of His people. This pagan could see what Yahweh was doing even though Judah's leaders were spiritually blind.
40:4 Then Nebuzaradan freed the prophet from his shackles and gave him the choice of going to Babylon as a free man or staying in Canaan. If he went to Babylon, the captain promised to take care of him there. If he chose to stay in Canaan, he could live and move about wherever he chose.
40:5 As Jeremiah lingered, Nebuzaradan urged him to go back and remain with Gedaliah (cf. 39:14), whom Nebuchadnezzar had appointed governor over the cities of Judah, and the other remaining Judahites. Gedaliah was a part of the noble family of Shaphan.504Yet the choice was entirely up to the prophet; he had complete freedom to go wherever he wanted. Nebuzaradan also gave Jeremiah some provisions and a gift before he let him go.
"The courteous and humane treatment from the nation's enemy contrasts markedly with what Jeremiah had received from his own countrymen [cf. Matt. 13:57]."505
40:6 Jeremiah left Ramah and proceeded to Mizpah, two miles to the northwest, where he stayed with Gedaliah and some of the Judahites who were settling there. Mizpah became the center for Nebuchadnezzar's provincial government in Judah (cf. v. 8). Jerusalem was uninhabitable (cf. Lam. 2:13; 4:1), and Mizpah had been a political and religious center over the centuries (cf. Judg. 20:1-3; 1 Sam. 7:5-14; 10:17).506
