Jeremiah 41

1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethanyah the son of Elishama', of the royal seed, and the chiefs of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedalyahu the son of Achikam to Mizpah; and they ate there bread together in Mizpah.

But it happened that in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, from the royal family, and some officers of the king, came—ten men were with him—to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. They ate food together there in Mizpah.

2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethanyah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedalyahu the son of Achikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and put to death him, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor over the land.

But Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him rose up and attacked Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, with the sword. Ishmael killed Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon had put in charge of the land.

3 And all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedalyahu, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, even the men of war, did Ishmael slay.

Then Ishmael killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah in Mizpah and the Chaldean fighting men found there.

4 And it came to pass on the second day after he had put Gedalyahu to death, while no man knew of it,

Then it was the second day after the killing of Gedaliah, but no one knew.

5 That there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, eighty men [in all], having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with meat-offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring the same to the house of the Lord.

Some men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria—eighty men who had shaved their beard, torn their clothes, and cut themselves—with food offerings and frankincense in their hands to go to Yahweh's house.

6 And Ishmael the son of Nethanyah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, going along and weeping: and it came to pass as he met them, that he said unto them, Come to Gedalyahu the son of Achikam.

So Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them as they went, walking and weeping. Then it happened that as he encountered them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam!”

7 And it happened, as they entered into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethanyah slaughtered them, [and cast them] into the midst of the cistern, he, and the men that were with him.

It came about that when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah slaughtered them and threw them into a pit, he and the men who were with him.

8 But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not; for we have some things hidden in the field, [such as] wheat, and barley, and oil, and honey. So he forbore, and slew them not in the midst of their brethren.

But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us, for there are provisions of ours in a field: Wheat and barley, oil and honey.” So he did not kill them with their other companions.

9 And the cistern wherein Ishmael cast all the corpses of the men, whom he had slain in company with Gedalyahu, is the same which king Assa had made on account of Ba'sha the king of Israel: this did Ishmael the son of Nethanyah fill with slain persons.

The cistern where Ishmael threw all the dead bodies that he had killed, was a large cistern that King Asa dug to make a defense against King Baasha of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it in with the dead.

10 Then did Ishmael carry away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, the king's daughters, and all the people that were remaining in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had entrusted to Gedalyahu the son of Achikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethanyah carried them away captive, and went off to pass over to the children of Ammon.

Next Ishmael captured all the other people who were in Mizpah, the king's daughters and all the people who were left in Mizpah whom Nebuzaradan the chief guard had assigned to Gedaliah son of Ahikam. So Ishmael son of Nethaniah captured them and went to cross over to the people of Ammon.

11 But when Jochanan the son of Kareach, and all the captains of the armies that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethanyah had done:

But Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders with him heard of all the harm that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done.

12 Then did they take all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethanyah, and found him by the great water[-pool] that is near Gib'on.

So they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They found him at the great pool of Gibeon.

13 And it came to pass, when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Jochanan the son of Kareach, and all the captains of the armies that were with him, that they were rejoiced.

Then it happened that when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders who were with him, they were very happy.

14 And all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned about and returned, and went unto Jochanan the son of Kareach.

So all the people whom Ishmael had captured at Mizpah turned around and went to Johanan son of Kareah.

15 But Ishmael the son of Nethanyah escaped with eight men from the presence of Jochanan, and he went to the children of 'Ammon.

But Ishmael son of Nethaniah fled with eight men from Johanan. He went to the people of Ammon.

16 Then took Jochanan the son of Kareach, and all the captains of the armies that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethanyah, from Mizpah, after he had slain Gedalyah the son of Achikam, the adult males, the men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gib'on;

Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders with him took from Mizpah all the people who had been rescued from Ishmael son of Nethaniah. This was after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Johanan and his companions took the strong men, the fighting men, the women and children, and the eunuchs who had been rescued at Gibeon.

17 And they went, and remained in Geruth-Kimham, which is by Beth-lechem, to go to enter into Egypt,

Then they went and stayed for a while in Geruth Kimham, which is near Bethlehem. They were going to go to Egypt

18 Because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them; because Ishmael the son of Nethanyah had slain Gedalyahu the son of Achikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor over the land.

because of the Chaldeans. They were afraid of them since Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had put in charge of the land.