Jeremiah 41
41
The Murder of Gedaliah
1But in midautumn of that year,#41:1 Hebrew in the seventh month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This month occurred within the months of October and November 586 b.c.; also see note on 39:1a. Ishmael son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and had been one of the king’s high officials, went to Mizpah with ten men to meet Gedaliah. While they were eating together, 2Ishmael and his ten men suddenly jumped up, drew their swords, and killed Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor. 3Ishmael also killed all the Judeans and the Babylonian#41:3 Or Chaldean. soldiers who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah.
4The next day, before anyone had heard about Gedaliah’s murder, 5eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria to worship at the Temple of the Lord. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves, and had brought along grain offerings and frankincense. 6Ishmael left Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When he reached them, he said, “Oh, come and see what has happened to Gedaliah!”
7But as soon as they were all inside the town, Ishmael and his men killed all but ten of them and threw their bodies into a cistern. 8The other ten had talked Ishmael into letting them go by promising to bring him their stores of wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey that they had hidden away. 9The cistern where Ishmael dumped the bodies of the men he murdered was the large one#41:9 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads murdered because of Gedaliah was one. dug by King Asa when he fortified Mizpah to protect himself against King Baasha of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with corpses.
10Then Ishmael made captives of the king’s daughters and the other people who had been left under Gedaliah’s care in Mizpah by Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard. Taking them with him, he started back toward the land of Ammon.
11But when Johanan son of Kareah and the other military leaders heard about Ishmael’s crimes, 12they took all their men and set out to stop him. They caught up with him at the large pool near Gibeon. 13The people Ishmael had captured shouted for joy when they saw Johanan and the other military leaders. 14And all the captives from Mizpah escaped and began to help Johanan. 15Meanwhile, Ishmael and eight of his men escaped from Johanan into the land of Ammon.
16Then Johanan son of Kareah and the other military leaders took all the people they had rescued in Gibeon—the soldiers, women, children, and court officials#41:16 Or eunuchs. whom Ishmael had captured after he killed Gedaliah. 17They took them all to the village of Geruth-kimham near Bethlehem, where they prepared to leave for Egypt. 18They were afraid of what the Babylonians#41:18 Or Chaldeans. would do when they heard that Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, the governor appointed by the Babylonian king.
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Jeremiah 41: NLT
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Yirmeyah 41
41
1Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Yishmael ben Netanyah ben Elishama, who was zera hameluchah, and the officers of HaMelech, even ten anashim with him, came unto Gedalyahu ben Achikam to Mitzpah; and there they did eat lechem together in Mitzpah.
2Then arose Yishmael ben Netanyah, and the ten anashim that were with him, and struck down Gedalyahu ben Achikam ben Shaphan with the cherev, and killed him, whom Melech Bavel had made governor over ha'aretz.
3Yishmael also killed kol haYehudim that were with him, even with Gedalyahu, at Mitzpah, and the Kasdim (Chaldeans) that were found there, and the anshei hamilchamah (men of war).
4It came to pass on the second day after he had slain Gedalyahu and no man knew it,
5That there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Shomron, even 80 men, their beards shaven, their clothes torn, having cut themselves, with minchah and incense in their hand, to bring them to the Beis Hashem.
6And Yishmael ben Netanyah went forth from Mitzpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went; and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedalyahu ben Achikam.
7And it was so, when they came into the midst of the Ir, that Yishmael ben Netanyah slaughtered them, and cast them into the midst of the cistern, he, and the anashim that were with him.
8But ten anashim were found among them that said unto Yishmael, Slay us not, for we have hidden in the sadeh, chittim, se'orim, shemen, devash. So he forbore, killed them not among the others.
9Now the cistern wherein Yishmael had cast all the pigrei ha'anashim (dead bodies of the men), whom he had slain because of Gedalyahu, was the same cistern which Asa HaMelech had made for defense against Ba'asha Melech Yisroel: and Yishmael ben Netanyah filled it with them that were slain.
10Then Yishmael carried away captive all the she'erit of the people that were in Mitzpah, even the banot hamelech, and kol HaAm that remained in Mitzpah, whom Nevuzaradan the captain of the imperial guard had committed to Gedalyahu ben Achikam; and Yishmael ben Netanyah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Bnei Ammon.
11When Yochanan ben Kareach with all the officers of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil Yishmael ben Netanyah had done,
12Then they took kol ha'anashim, and went to fight with Yishmael ben Netanyah, and found him by the mayim rabbim that are in Giv'on.
13Now it came to pass, that when kol haAm which were with Yishmael saw Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.
14So kol haAm that Yishmael had carried away captive from Mitzpah turned and went over to Yochanan ben Kareach.
15But Yishmael ben Netanyah escaped from Yochanan with eight anashim, and went over to the Bnei Ammon.
16Then took Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces that were with him, all the she'erit haAm whom he had recovered from Yishmael ben Netanyah, from Mitzpah, after that he had slain Gedalyah ben Achikam, even gevarim anshei hamilchamah, and the nashim, and the children, and the sarisim, whom he had brought from Giv'on;
17And they departed, and dwelt in the Gerut Kimham, which is near Beit-Lechem, intending to go to Mitzrayim,
18Because of the Kasdim (Chaldeans); for they were afraid of them, because Yishmael ben Netanyah had slain Gedalyahu ben Achikam, whom Melech Bavel made governor in ha'aretz.
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