Jeremiah 41

1 And it was don in the seuenthe monethe, Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, sone of Elisama, of the kingis seed, and the principal men of the kyng, and ten men with hym, camen to Godolie, the sone of Aicham, in Masphath; and thei eeten there looues togidere in Masphath.

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,

2 Forsothe Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, and the ten men that weren with hym, risiden vp, and killiden bi swerd Godolie, the sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan; and thei killiden hym, whom the kyng of Babiloyne hadde maad souereyn of the lond.

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!

3 Also Ismael killide alle the Jewis, that weren with Godolie in Masphath, and the Caldeis, that weren foundun there, and the men werriours.

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

4 Forsothe in the secounde dai, aftir that he hadde slayn Godolie, while no man wiste yit,

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

5 foure scoor men with schauen beerdis, and to-rent clothis, and pale men, camen fro Sichem, and fro Silo, and fro Samarie; and thei hadden yiftis and encense in the hond, for to offre in the hous of the Lord.

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].

6 Therfor Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, yede out of Masphath in to the metyng of hem; and he yede goynge and wepynge. Sotheli whanne he hadde met hem, he seide to hem, Come ye to Godolie, the sone of Aicham;

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!”

7 and whanne thei weren comun to the myddis of the citee, Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, killide hem aboute the myddis of the lake, he and the men that weren with hym `killiden hem.

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.

8 But ten men weren foundun among hem, that seiden to Ismael, Nyle thou sle vs, for we han tresour of wheete, and of barli, and of oile, and of hony, in the feeld. And he ceesside, and killide not hem with her britheren.

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.

9 Forsothe the lake in to which Ismael castide forth alle the careyns of men, whiche he killide for Godolie, is thilke lake, which kyng Asa made for Baasa, the kyng of Israel; Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, fillide that lake with slayn men.

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.

10 And Ismael ledde prisoneris alle the remenauntis of the puple, that weren in Mesphath, the douytris of the kyng, and al the puple that dwelliden in Masphath, whiche Nabusardan, the prince of chyualrie, hadde bitakun to kepyng to Godolie, the sone of Aicham. And Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, took hem, and yede to passe ouer to the sones of Amon.

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.

11 Forsothe Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriouris, that weren with hym, herden al the yuel, which Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, hadde do.

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.

12 And whanne thei hadden take alle men, thei yeden forth to fiyte ayens Ismael, the sone of Nathanye; and thei foundun hym at the many watris, that ben in Gabaon.

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

13 And whanne al the puple, that was with Ismael, hadden seyn Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriouris, that weren with hym, thei weren glad.

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

14 And al the puple, whom Ismael hadde take in Masphath, turnede ayen; and it turnede ayen, and yede to Johannan, the sone of Caree.

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

15 Forsothe Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, fledde with eiyte men fro the face of Johannan, and yede to the sones of Amon.

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

16 Therfor Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, that weren with hym, token alle the remenauntis of the comyn puple, whiche thei brouyten ayen fro Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, that weren of Masphat, aftir that he killide Godolie, the sone of Aicham; he took strong men to batel, and wymmen, and children, and geldyngis, whiche he hadde brouyt ayen fro Gabaon.

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.

17 And thei yeden, and saten beynge pilgryms in Canaan, which is bisidis Bethleem, that thei schulden go, and entre in to Egipt fro the face of Caldeis;

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

18 for thei dredden thilke Caldeis, for Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, hadde slayn Godolie, the sone of Aicham, whom the kyng Nabugodonosor hadde maad souereyn in the lond of Juda.

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.