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25 But in the seventh month[a] Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family,[b] came with ten of his men and murdered Gedaliah,[c] as well as the Judeans and Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 25:25 sn It is not altogether clear whether this is in the same year that Jerusalem fell or not. The wall was breached in the fourth month (= early July; Jer 39:2) and Nebuzaradan came and burned the palace, the temple, and many of the houses and tore down the wall in the fifth month (= early August; Jer 52:12). That would have left time between the fifth month and the seventh month (October) to gather in the harvest of grapes, dates and figs, and olives (Jer 40:12). However, many commentators feel that too much activity takes place in too short a time for this to have been in the same year and posit that it happened the following year or even five years later when a further deportation took place, possibly in retaliation for the murder of Gedaliah and the Babylonian garrison at Mizpah (Jer 52:30). The assassination of Gedaliah had momentous consequences and was commemorated in one of the post exilic fast days lamenting the fall of Jerusalem (Zech 8:19).
  2. 2 Kings 25:25 tn Heb “[was] from the seed of the kingdom.”
  3. 2 Kings 25:25 tn Heb “and they struck down Gedaliah and he died.”