Jeremiah 41

1 And it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama of the seed royal and chiefs of the king, and ten men with him, came in, unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, at Mizpah, —and they did there eat bread together in Mizpah.

In the seventh month of the year, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, a member of the royal family and one of the king's chief officers, came with ten of his men to see Gedaliah at Mizpah. While they were eating to have a meal together,

2 Then arose Ishmael son of Nethaniah—and the ten men who were with him and they smote Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan—with the sword and slew him whom the king of Babylon had set in charge, over the land.

suddenly Ishmael and his ten men got up and attacked Gedaliah, killing him—the one appointed by the king of Babylon as the country's governor.

3 And Ishmael smote, all the Jews who were with him even with Gedaliah in Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there the men of war.

Ishamel also killed all the other Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with the Babylonian soldiers there.

4 And it came to pass, on the second day, after he had slain Gedaliah, not, a man, knowing it,

The day after Gedaliah had been murdered and before anyone knew about it,

5 that men came in from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, —eighty men, with beards shaven and clothes rent who also had cut themselves, with a meal-offering and frankincense in their hand, to bring them into the house of Yahweh.

a group of eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves. They were carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the Lord's Temple.

6 Then went forth Ishmael son of Nethaniah to meet them out of Mizpah, weeping all along as he went, —and it came to pass when he fell in with them, that he said unto them, Come ye in unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam.

Ishmael came out to meet them from Mizpah, weeping as he went along. When Ishmael met the men, he said, “Come and see what's happened to Gedaliah son of Ahikam!”

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

But when they arrived in town, Ishmael and his men killed most of them and threw their bodies into a cistern.

8 But, ten men, were found among them, who said unto Ishmael—Do not put us to death, for we have secret treasures in the field, wheat and barley and oil and honey, So he forbare and put them not to death in the midst of their brethren.

But ten of them pleaded with Ishmael, “Don't kill us! We've got some good things hidden in the fields—wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey.” So Ishmael didn't kill them along with the others.

9 Now the pit whereinto Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had smitten, was a large pit which King Asa had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel, —the same, did Ishmael son of Nethaniah fill with the slain,

(The cistern where Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men he'd killed, including Gedaliah, was a large one that King Asa had dug because of the threat of attack by Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael filled it with bodies.)

10 Then did Ishmael take captive all the remnant of the people that was in Mizpah, —the daughters of the king, and all the people that were left remaining in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners had committed unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, —yea Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive, and departed to pass over unto the sons of Ammon.

Then Ishmael took all the people left in Mizpah prisoner, including the daughters of the king, as well as everyone else living there. These were the people that Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard had put under the care of Gedaliah. Ishmael took them prisoner and left to go to the Ammonites.

11 But when Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him heard of all the wickedness which Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done,

Johanan and all the army commanders of the armies with him found out about all of Ishmael's crimes.

12 then took they all the men, and went their way to fight with Ishmael son of Nethaniah, —and found him near the many waters which were in Gibeon.

So they assembled all their men and went to attack Ishmael. They caught up with him near the large pool in Gibeon.

13 And it came to pass, when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, then were they glad.

When Ishmael's prisoners saw Johanan and all the army commanders with him, they were happy.

14 So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive out of Mizpah, compassed about, and returned and went their way unto Johanan son of Kareah.

All those that Ishmael had taken prisoner at Mizpah turned around and ran back to Johanan.

15 But, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, escaped with eight men, from the face of Johanan, —and departed unto the sons of Ammon.

Ishmael and eight of his men managed to escape from Johanan and get away to the Ammonites.

16 Then did Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him take all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah out of Mizpah, after he had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam, —mighty men, men of war, and women and children and eunuchs, whom he had recovered out of Gibeon;

Then Johanan and all the army commanders with him took charge of the survivors from Mizpah he'd rescued from Ishmael in Gibeon—the soldiers, women, children, and court officials that Ishmael had taken prisoner after he'd killed Gedaliah.

17 and they departed, and dwelt in the khan of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem, —that they might go to enter Egypt;

They set off for Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem and stayed there, before leaving for Egypt

18 because of the Chaldeans, for they were afraid of them, —because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had set in charge over the land.

to get away from the Babylonians. They were afraid of what the Babylonians would do because Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah, the governor of the country appointed by the king of Babylon.