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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Jeremiah 41
41
1And it cometh to pass, in the seventh month, come hath Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and of the chiefs of the king, and ten men with him, unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and they eat there bread together in Mizpah.
2And Ishmael son of Nethaniah riseth, and the ten men who have been with him, and they smite Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and he putteth him to death whom the king of Babylon hath appointed over the land.
3And all the Jews who have been with him, with Gedaliah, in Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who have been found there — the men of war — hath Ishmael smitten.
4And it cometh to pass, on the second day of the putting of Gedaliah to death, (and no one hath known,)
5that men come in from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria — eighty men — with shaven beards, and rent garments, and cutting themselves, and an offering and frankincense in their hand, to bring in to the house of Jehovah.
6And Ishmael son of Nethaniah goeth forth to meet them, from Mizpah, going on and weeping, and it cometh to pass, at meeting them, that he saith unto them, ‘Come in unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam.’
7And it cometh to pass, at their coming in unto the midst of the city, that Ishmael son of Nethaniah doth slaughter them, at the midst of the pit, he and the men who [are] with him.
8And ten men have been found among them, and they say unto Ishmael, ‘Do not put us to death, for we have things hidden in the field — wheat, and barley, and oil, and honey.’ And he forbeareth, and hath not put them to death in the midst of their brethren.
9And the pit whither Ishmael hath cast all the carcases of the men whom he hath smitten along with Gedaliah, is that which the king Asa made because of Baasha king of Israel — it hath Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled with the pierced.
10And Ishmael taketh captive all the remnant of the people who [are] in Mizpah, the daughters of the king, and all the people who are left in Mizpah, whom Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, hath committed [to] Gedaliah son of Ahikam, and Ishmael son of Nethaniah taketh them captive, and goeth to pass over unto the sons of Ammon.
11And hear doth Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces that [are] with him, of all the evil that Ishmael son of Nethaniah hath done,
12and they take all the men, and go to fight with Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and they find him at the great waters that [are] in Gibeon.
13And it cometh to pass, when all the people who [are] with Ishmael see Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces who [are] with him, that they rejoice.
14And all the people whom Ishmael hath taken captive from Mizpah turn round, yea, they turn back, and go unto Johanan son of Kareah.
15And Ishmael son of Nethaniah hath escaped, with eight men, from the presence of Johanan, and he goeth unto the sons of Ammon.
16And Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces who [are] with him, take all the remnant of the people whom he hath brought back from Ishmael son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah — after he had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam — mighty ones, men of war, and women, and infants, and eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon,
17and they go and abide in the habitations of Chimham, that [are] near Beth-Lehem, to go to enter Egypt,
18from the presence of the Chaldeans, for they have been afraid of them, for Ishmael son of Nethaniah had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
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