וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע לָהֶ֤ם גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם אַל־תִּֽירְא֖וּ מֵעַבְדֵ֣י הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑ים שְׁב֣וּ בָאָ֗רֶץ וְעִבְד֛וּ אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל וְיִטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם׃ (ס)
At sumumpa si Gedalias sa kanila at sa kanilang mga tauhan, at sinabi niya sa kanila: “Huwag kayong matakot sa mga lingkod ng mga Caldeo; manirahan kayo sa lupain at paglingkuran ninyo ang hari ng Babilonia, at mapapabuti kayo.”
From David to Destruction
Gedaliah is appointed by the Nevuchadnetzar-led Babylonian Empire to govern the few Jews who were permitted to remain in Eretz Yisrael after the Churban Beit HaMikdash. He tells this remnant not to fear the servants of the Chaldeans, settle in the land, and serve the king of Babylonia, and he guarantees that “all will be well” with them (Melachim II 25:24 and Yirmiyahu 41:9). Yishmael ben Netaniah views Gedaliah ben Achikam as a traitor who disgracefully capitulates to the evil Nevuchadnetzar.