Chapter 41

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, came¹ unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat⁴ bread together in Mizpah.

Then arose⁴ Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote⁵⁵ Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew⁵⁵ him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor⁵² over the land.

Ishmael also slew⁵² all the Jews that were with him, [even] with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found⁸ there, [and] the men of war.

And it came to pass the second day after he had slain⁵³ Gedaliah, and no man knew¹ [it],

That there came⁴ certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, [even] fourscore men, having their beards shaven,³⁰ and their clothes rent,⁷ and having cut¹⁰⁹ themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring⁵³ [them] to the house of the LORD.

And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth⁴ from Mizpah to meet² them, weeping⁶ all along² as he went:⁶ and it came to pass, as he met² them, he said⁴ unto them, Come³ to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.

And it was [so], when they came² into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew⁴ them, [and cast them] into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that [were] with him.

But ten men were found⁸ among them that said⁴ unto Ishmael, Slay⁵⁵ us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare,⁴ and slew⁵² them not among their brethren.

Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast⁵² all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain⁵² because of Gedaliah, [was] it which Asa the king had made¹ for fear of Baasha king of Israel: [and] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled¹⁴ it with [them that were] slain.

Then Ishmael carried away captive⁴ all the residue of the people that [were] in Mizpah, [even] the king's daughters, and all the people that remained¹² in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed⁵² to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive,⁴ and departed⁴ to go over² to the Ammonites. ⁵⁹⁸³

But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that [were] with him, heard⁴ of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,¹

Then they took⁴ all the men, and went⁴ to fight⁹ with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found⁴ him by the great waters that [are] in Gibeon.

Now it came to pass, [that] when all the people which [were] with Ishmael saw² Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that [were] with him, then they were glad.⁴

So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive¹ from Mizpah cast about⁴ and returned,⁴ and went⁴ unto Johanan the son of Kareah.

But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped⁸ from Johanan with eight men, and went⁴ to the Ammonites. ⁵⁹⁸³

Then took⁴ 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 recovered⁵² from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after [that] he had slain⁵² Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, [even] mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again⁵² from Gibeon:

And they departed,⁴ and dwelt⁴ in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go² to enter into² Egypt,

Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid¹ of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain⁵² Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor⁵² in the land.