CHAPTER 41
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.
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.
Ishmael
also killed
all
the Jews
who
were
with
Gedaliah
at Mizpah,
as well as the Chaldean
soldiers
who
were there.
eighty
men
who had shaved off
their beards,
torn
their garments,
and cut themselves
came
from Shechem,
Shiloh,
and Samaria,
carrying
grain offerings
and incense
to bring
to the temple
of the LORD.
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.”
And when they came
into
the city,
Ishmael
son
of Nethaniah
and the men
with him
slaughtered them
and threw them into
a cistern.
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.
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.
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
the 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.
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,
they took
all
their men
and went
to fight
Ishmael
son
of Nethaniah.
And they found
him
near
the great
pool
in Gibeon.
When all
the people
with
Ishmael
saw
Johanan
son
of Kareah
and all
the commanders
of the army
with him,
they rejoiced,
and all
the people
whom
Ishmael
had taken captive
at
Mizpah
turned
and
went over to
Johanan
son
of Kareah.
But Ishmael
son
of Nethaniah
and eight
of his men
escaped
from
Johanan
and went
to
the Ammonites.
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.
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.