Jeremiah 41

1 Ishmael was a member of the king’s family. He had been one of King Zedekiah’s important officials. In October of that year, he went to Mizpah with ten other men to [talk with] Gedaliah. While they were eating together,

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.

2 Ishmael and the other ten men jumped up, and with their swords they killed Gedaliah—the man whom the king of Babylon had appointed to be their governor!

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.

3 Ishmael [and the other men] also killed all the Jews and the soldiers from Babylonia who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah.

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.

4 The next day, before anyone had found out that Gedaliah had been murdered,

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

5 eighty men from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria [cities] came to worship at the temple of Yahweh [in Mizpah]. They had shaved off their beards and torn their clothes and cut themselves [to show that they were mourning]. And they had brought grain offerings and incense [to burn on the altar].

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.

6 Ishmael went out of the city to meet them, crying as he went. When he reached them, he said, “Come [and see what has happened to] Gedaliah!”

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.

7 But as soon as they had all entered the town, Ishmael and his men killed [most of] them and threw their corpses into a well.

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.

8 There were [only] ten of them whom they (spared/did not kill). They were not killed because they promised to Ishmael that [if he allowed them to remain alive, they would bring him] lots of wheat and barley and olive oil and honey that they had hidden.

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.

9 The well where Ishmael’s men had thrown the corpses of the men whom they had murdered was the deep well that King Asa’s [men] had dug [in order that they would have water in the city] if the army of King Baasha of Israel would surround the city. Ishmael’s men filled that well with corpses.

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,

10 Then Ishmael [and his men] captured the king’s daughters and some of the other people who had been left in Mizpah by Nebuzaradan in order that Gedaliah would take care of them. Ishmael and his men took those people and started back toward the Ammon area.

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.

11 But Johanan and all the other leaders of the Israeli soldiers who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia heard about what Ishmael [and his men] had done.

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,

12 So they [immediately] went with all their men to stop them. They caught up with them at the large pool near Gibeon [city].

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.

13 When all the people whom Ishmael and his men had captured saw Johanan and the soldiers who were with him, they [shouted] joyfully.

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.

14 So all those who had been captured in Mizpah escaped, and they started to help Johanan.

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.

15 But Ishmael and eight of his men escaped and fled to the Ammon area.

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

16 Then Johanan and the men who were with him [gathered together] all the people whom they had rescued at Gibeon. They included soldiers and women and children and some of the king’s palace officials. They were all people whom Ishmael [and his men] had captured after they had killed Gedaliah.

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;

17 They took them all to Geruth-Kimham [village] near Bethlehem. And they all prepared to go to Egypt.

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

18 They were worried about what the soldiers of Babylonia [would do to them when they found out] that Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, who had been appointed by the King of Babylonia to be their governor.

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.