41 2 Ishmael killeth Gedaliah guilefully, and many others with him. 11 Johanan followeth after Ishmael.

But in the [a]seventh month came Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama of the seed royal, and the princes of the [b]king, and ten men with him, unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and there they did [c]eat bread together in Mizpah.

Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah with these ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him whom the king of Babel had made governor over the land.

Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and all the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war.

Now the second day that he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it,

There came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent and cut, with [d]offerings and incense in their hands to offer in the house of the Lord.

And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping, as he went: and when he met them, he said unto them, Come [e]to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.

And when they came into the midst of the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he and the men that were with him.

But ten men were found among them, that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey: so he stayed, and slew them not among their brethren.

Now the [pit] wherein Ishmael had cast the dead bodies of the men (whom he had slain because of Gedaliah) is it, which Asa the king had [f]made because of Baasha king of Israel, and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.

10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the King’s daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the chief steward had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.

11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the [g]captains of the host that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,

12 Then they all took their 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 whom Ishmael carried away captive, saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, that were with him, they were glad.

14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah, returned and came again, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.

15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the [h]Ammonites.

16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host that were with him, all the remnant of the people, whom Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had carried away captive from Mizpah, (after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam) even the strong men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon.

17 And they departed and dwelt in Geruth [i]Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go and to enter into Egypt,

18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they feared them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babel made governor in the land.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 41:1 The city was destroyed in the fourth month: and in the seventh month, which contained part of September, and part of October, was the governor Gedaliah slain.
  2. Jeremiah 41:1 Meaning, Zedekiah.
  3. Jeremiah 41:1 They did eat together as familiar friends.
  4. Jeremiah 41:5 For they thought that the Temple had not been destroyed and therefore came up to the feast of Tabernacles: but hearing of the burning thereof in the way, they showed these signs of sorrow.
  5. Jeremiah 41:6 For his death was kept secret, and he feigned that he lament for the destruction of Jerusalem, and the Temple: but after slew them when they seemed to favor Gedaliah.
  6. Jeremiah 41:9 Asa fortified Mizpah for fear of the enemy, and cast ditches and trenches, 1 Kings 15:22.
  7. Jeremiah 41:11 Which had been captains under Zedekiah.
  8. Jeremiah 41:15 For Baalis the king of the Ammonites was the cause of this murder.
  9. Jeremiah 41:17 Which place David of old had given to Chimham the son of Barzillai the Gileadite, 2 Sam. 19:38.

41 In the seventh month Ishmael(A) son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king’s officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there, Ishmael(B) son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword,(C) killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed(D) as governor over the land.(E) Ishmael also killed all the men of Judah who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian[a] soldiers who were there.

The day after Gedaliah’s assassination, before anyone knew about it, eighty men who had shaved off their beards,(F) torn their clothes(G) and cut(H) themselves came from Shechem,(I) Shiloh(J) and Samaria,(K) bringing grain offerings and incense(L) with them to the house of the Lord.(M) Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping(N) as he went. When he met them, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.”(O) When they went into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern.(P) But ten of them said to Ishmael, “Don’t kill us! We have wheat and barley, olive oil and honey, hidden in a field.”(Q) So he let them alone and did not kill them with the others. Now the cistern where he threw all the bodies of the men he had killed along with Gedaliah was the one King Asa(R) had made as part of his defense(S) against Baasha(T) king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the dead.

10 Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people(U) who were in Mizpah—the king’s daughters(V) along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.(W)

11 When Johanan(X) son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, 12 they took all their men and went to fight(Y) Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the great pool(Z) in Gibeon. 13 When all the people(AA) Ishmael had with him saw Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were with him, they were glad. 14 All the people Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah(AB) turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped(AC) from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites.

Flight to Egypt

16 Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers(AD) who were with him led away all the people of Mizpah who had survived,(AE) whom Johanan had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah son of Ahikam—the soldiers, women, children and court officials he had recovered from Gibeon. 17 And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham(AF) near Bethlehem(AG) on their way to Egypt(AH) 18 to escape the Babylonians.[b] They were afraid(AI) of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah(AJ) son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 41:3 Or Chaldean
  2. Jeremiah 41:18 Or Chaldeans