Jeremiah 41
41
1 #
2 K 25.25. But in the seventh month,#41.1 seventh month: Tishri, also called Ethanim, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-September to mid-October. Ishmael#41.1 Ishmael: Hebrew “Ishmael son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama.” came to Mizpah with ten of his soldiers. He had been one of the king's officials and was a member of the royal family. Ishmael and his men were invited to eat with Gedaliah. 2During the meal, Ishmael and his soldiers killed Gedaliah, the man chosen as ruler of Judah by the king of Babylonia. 3Then they killed the Jews who were with Gedaliah, and they also killed the Babylonian soldiers who were there.
4The next day, the murders had still not been discovered, 5when 80 men came down the road toward Mizpah from the towns of Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They were on their way to the temple to offer gifts of grain and incense to the Lord. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves, because they were mourning.
6Ishmael went out the town gate to meet them. He pretended to be weeping, and he asked them to come into Mizpah to meet with Gedaliah, the ruler of Judah. 7But after they were inside the town, Ishmael ordered his soldiers to kill them and throw their bodies into a well. 8He let ten of the men live, because they offered to give him supplies of wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey they had hidden in a field. 9The well that he filled with bodies#41.9 with bodies: One ancient translation; Hebrew “with bodies of those killed by Gedaliah.” had been dug by King Asa#41.9 Asa: Ruled 911–870 b.c. of Judah to store rainwater, because he was afraid that King Baasha#41.9 Baasha: Ruled 909–886 b.c. of Israel might surround Mizpah and keep the people from getting to their water supply.
10Nebuzaradan, King Nebuchadnezzar's#41.10 Nebuchadnezzar's: See the note at 21.2. officer in charge of the guard, had left King Zedekiah's#41.10 Zedekiah's: See the note at 1.3. daughters and many other people at Mizpah, and he had put Gedaliah in charge of them. But now Ishmael took them all prisoner and led them toward Ammon, on the other side of the Jordan River.
11Johanan and the other army officers heard what Ishmael had done. 12So they and their troops chased Ishmael and caught up with him at the large pit at Gibeon. 13When Ishmael's prisoners saw Johanan and the officers, they were happy 14and turned around and ran toward Johanan. 15But Ishmael and eight of his men escaped and went to Ammon.
Johanan Decides To Take the People to Egypt
16Johanan and the officers had rescued the women, children, and royal officials that Ishmael had taken prisoner after killing Gedaliah. Johanan led the people from Gibeon 17-18toward Egypt. They wanted to go there, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians would do when they found out that Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, the ruler appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar.#41.17,18 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
The People Ask Jeremiah To Pray for Them
On the way to Egypt, we#41.17,18 we: The group of people included Jeremiah, since he had been staying with Gedaliah near Mizpah (see 40.6). stopped at the town of Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem.
Currently Selected:
Jeremiah 41: CEVDCI
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Jeremiah 41
41
1In the seventh month Ishmael came with ten men to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. Ishmael was the son of Nethaniah. Nethaniah was the son of Elishama. Ishmael was a member of the royal family. He had been one of the king’s officers. Ishmael and his ten men were eating together at Mizpah. 2They got up and struck down Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, with their swords. They killed him even though the king of Babylon had appointed him as governor over Judah. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan. 3Ishmael also killed all the men of Judah who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah. And he killed the Babylonian soldiers who were there.
4On the next day, people still hadn’t found out that Gedaliah had been murdered. 5On that day 80 men came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria. They had shaved off their beards. They had torn their clothes. And they had cut themselves. They brought grain offerings and incense with them. They took them to the Lord’s house. 6Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, went out from Mizpah to meet them. He was weeping as he went. When he met them, he said, “Come to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam.” 7They went with him into the city. Then Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and the men who were with him killed them. And they threw them into an empty well. 8But ten of the men had spoken to Ishmael. They had said, “Don’t kill us! We have some wheat and barley. We also have olive oil and honey. We’ve hidden all of it in a field.” So he didn’t kill them along with the others. 9But he had thrown into the empty well all the bodies of the men he had killed. That included Gedaliah’s body. The well was the one King Asa had made. He had made it when he strengthened Mizpah against attack by Baasha, the king of Israel. Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, filled it with the bodies of those he had killed.
10Nebuzaradan was the commander of the royal guard. He had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over all the people at Mizpah. But Ishmael made prisoners of the people left at Mizpah. These prisoners included women who were members of the royal court. The prisoners also included everyone else left at Mizpah. Then Ishmael started out to go across the Jordan River to the land of Ammon.
11Johanan, the son of Kareah, was told what had happened. And so were all the other army officers with him. They heard about all the crimes Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, had committed. 12So they brought all their men together. Then they went to fight against Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the large pool in Gibeon. 13Ishmael had many people with him. They saw Johanan, the son of Kareah. And they saw the other army officers who were with him. So the people who had been forced to go with Ishmael were glad. 14Ishmael had taken those people from Mizpah as prisoners. But now they turned and went over to the side of Johanan, the son of Kareah. 15But Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and eight of his men escaped from Johanan. They ran away to the land of Ammon.
Some Jews Take Jeremiah to Egypt
16Then Johanan, the son of Kareah, led away all the people of Mizpah who were still alive. All the other army officers with Johanan helped him do this. He had taken them away from Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah. That happened after Ishmael had murdered Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. The people Johanan had taken away included soldiers, women, children and court officials. He had brought them from Gibeon. 17They went on their way. They stopped at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem. They were going to Egypt. 18They wanted to get away from the Babylonians. They were afraid of them. That’s because Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, had killed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam. The king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor over Judah.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.