Jeremiah 41

1In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, of royal descent and one of the king's princes, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and there they ate bread together in Mizpah.

2Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan with the sword, killing him—the one the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.

3Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war.

4It happened on the second day after killing Gedaliah, and no man knew.

5Eighty men came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria with shaved beards, torn garments, and gashes on themselves, grain offerings and frankincense in hand to bring them to Yahweh's house.

6Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, going along and weeping. As he met them, he said to them, "Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam."

7And it came to pass, when they entered the middle of the city, that Ishmael son of Nethaniah slaughtered them into the middle of the pit—he and the men who were with him.

8But ten men were found among them who said to Ishmael, "Do not kill us, for we have hidden treasures in the field—wheat, barley, oil, and honey." So he held back and did not kill them among their brothers.

9The cistern into which Ishmael had hurled all the corpses of the men whom he had struck down because of Gedaliah—which King Asa had made out of fear of Baasha king of Israel—Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled with the slain.

10Ishmael took captive the whole remnant of the people in Mizpah, the king's daughters, and everyone else left in Mizpah whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had entrusted to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, and Ishmael son of Nethaniah led them away captive as he set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

11Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him heard all the evil that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done.

12They took all the men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters in Gibeon.

13When all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him, they rejoiced.

14All the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned back and returned, and went to Johanan son of Kareah.

15Ishmael son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the sons of Ammon.

16Johanan son of Kareah, together with all the captains of the troops who were with him, took every survivor among the people whom he had rescued from Ishmael son of Nethaniah from Mizpah after he had struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam: warriors, women, children, and eunuchs whom he had brought back from Gibeon.

17They went and dwelt in Chimham's lodging, which is near Bethlehem, to go into Egypt.

18because of the Chaldeans, for they feared them since Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.