Jeremiah 41

1 In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and one of the king’s chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and they ate a meal together there.

2 Then Ishmael 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, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the land.

3 Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Chaldean soldiers who were there.

4 On the second day after the murder of Gedaliah, when no one yet knew about it,

5 eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their garments, and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the house of the LORD.

6 And Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When Ishmael encountered the men, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.”

7 And when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern.

8 But ten of the men among them said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us, for we have hidden treasure in the field—wheat, barley, oil, and honey!” So he refrained from killing them with the others.

9 Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men he had struck down along with Gedaliah was a large one that King Asa had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.

10 Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people of Mizpah—the daughters of the king along with all the others who remained in Mizpah—over whom Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set off to cross over to the Ammonites.

11 When Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him heard of all the crimes that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed,

12 they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. And they found him near the great pool in Gibeon.

13 When all the people with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the army with him, they rejoiced,

14 and all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah.

15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and went to the Ammonites.

16 Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him took the whole remnant of the people from Mizpah whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam: the soldiers, women, children, and court officials he had brought back from Gibeon.

17 And they went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, near Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt

18 to escape the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of the Chaldeans because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.

1 ¶ Now it came to pass in the seventh month, [that] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.

2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the 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 Babylon had made governor over the land.

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

4 And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew [it],

5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, [even] fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring [them] to the house of the LORD.

6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.

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

8 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 forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

9 Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, [was] it which Asa the king had made for fear 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 captain of the guard 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 captains of the forces that [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 it came to pass, [that] when all the people which [were] with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that [were] with him, then they were glad.

14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, 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 Ammonites.

16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that [were] with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after [that] he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, [even] mighty 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 the habitation of 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 slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.

1 And it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the royal tribe, and the king's captains, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and did eat there together at Mizpah.

2 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah arose, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword to death, because the king of Babylon had set him over the land.

3 And all the Jews that were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and all the men of war, did Ishmael smite.

4 The next day, after Gedaliah was slain, and as yet no man knew,

5 And there came eighty men from Shechem, and from Shiloh, and from Samaria, having shaven off their beards, and rent their clothes, and rent themselves, and bearing meat offerings and incense, to bring into the house of the LORD.

6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, and went along weeping. And when he came to them, he said unto them: Ye shall come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.

7 And when they were come into the midst of the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the men that were with him, slew them by the well.

8 But there were ten. And they 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 desisted, and slew them not with the rest.

9 And the well wherein Ishmael cast the dead bodies which he slew, and Gedaliah, is the well which king Asa made against Baasha king of Israel; and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.

10 And the rest of the people that were at Mizpeh, even the king's daughters, did Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carry away captive with all the rest of the people that were at Mizpeh, over whom Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had set Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and he went and passed over to the children of Ammon.

11 And Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host that were with him, heard all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,

12 And they took all the men, and went to fight against Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and met him by the great river at Gibeon.

13 And when all the people that were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host that were with him, they were glad.

14 And all the people which Ishmael had led away from Mizpah turned again, and returned unto Johanan the son of Kareah.

15 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went unto the children of Ammon.

16 And Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host that were with him, took unto them all the remnant of the people which they had brought again from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah out of Mizpah, because Gedaliah the son of Ahikam was slain, even the men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, which they had brought again from Gibeon,

17 And they went and returned to Kimham the lodger, which dwelt by Bethlehem, to go into Egypt before the Chaldeans.

18 For they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had set over the land.