41
1 Now
in the seventh
month, Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah,
the son
of Elishama, of
the royal
offspring and one
of the chief
officers of the
king, and ten
men with him,
came to Gedaliah
the son of Ahikam
to Mizpah; and
there they ate
bread together in
Mizpah.
2 Then
Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah arose,
and the ten
men who were
with him, and
struck Gedaliah
the son of Ahikam
the son of
Shaphan with the
sword and killed
him, whom the king
of Babylon had
made governor over
the land.
3 Ishmael
also killed all
the Jews who
were with Gedaliah
at Mizpah, and
the Chaldean men
of war who
were found there.
4 The
second day after
he had killed
Gedaliah, and no
man knew it,
5 men came
from Shechem, from
Shiloh, and from
Samaria, even
eighty men, having their
beards shaved and
their clothes torn,
and having cut themselves,
with meal
offerings and
frankincense in
their hand,
to bring them to
the LORD’s house.
6 Ishmael
the son of
Nethaniah went out
from Mizpah to
meet them, weeping
all along as
he went, and
as he met
them, he said
to them, “Come
to Gedaliah the
son of Ahikam.”
7 It
was so, when
they came into
the middle of
the city, that
Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah
killed them,
and cast them into
the middle of
the pit, he, and
the men who
were with him.
8 But
ten men were found
among those
who said to
Ishmael, “Don’t kill
us; for we
have stores hidden
in the field,
of wheat, and
of barley, and
of oil, and
of honey.”
So he stopped,
and didn’t kill
them among
their brothers.
9 Now
the pit in which
Ishmael cast all
the dead bodies
of the men
whom he had
killed, by the
side of
Gedaliah (this was
that which Asa the
king had made
for fear of
Baasha king of
Israel), Ishmael
the son of
Nethaniah filled
it with those
who were killed.
10 Then
Ishmael carried
away captive all
of the people
who were left
in Mizpah, even
the king’s
daughters, and all
the people who
remained in Mizpah,
whom Nebuzaradan
the captain of
the guard had
committed to
Gedaliah the son
of Ahikam. Ishmael
the son of
Nethaniah carried
them away captive,
and departed to
go over to
the children of
Ammon.
11 But
when Johanan the
son of Kareah,
and all the
captains of the
forces who were
with him, heard
of all the
evil that Ishmael
the son of
Nethaniah had done,
12 then
they took all
the men, and
went to fight
with Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah,
and found him
by the great
waters that are
in Gibeon.
13 Now
when all the
people who were
with Ishmael saw
Johanan the son
of Kareah, and
all the captains
of the forces
who were with
him, then they
were glad.
14 So
all the people
who Ishmael had
carried away
captive from
Mizpah turned
about and came
back, and went
to Johanan the
son of Kareah.
15 But Ishmael
the son of
Nethaniah escaped
from Johanan with
eight men, and
went to the
children of Ammon.
16 Then
Johanan the son
of Kareah and
all the captains
of the forces
who were with
him took all
the remnant of
the people whom
he had recovered
from Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah,
from Mizpah, after
he had killed
Gedaliah the son
of Ahikam—the men
of war, with
the women, the
children, and the
eunuchs, whom he
had brought back
from Gibeon.
17 They
departed and lived
in Geruth Chimham,
which is by
Bethlehem, to go
to enter into Egypt
18 because
of the Chaldeans;
for they were
afraid of them,
because Ishmael
the son of
Nethaniah had
killed Gedaliah
the son of Ahikam,
whom the king
of Babylon made
governor over the
land.