Shared Word Translation
Jeremiah 41
Ishmael Kills Gedaliah
In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, from the royal offspring and one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. They ate bread together there at Mizpah. Then Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him arose and struck Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword and killed the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land. Ishmael also struck all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah and the Chaldean men of war who were found there.
Pilgrims from the North Are Slaughtered
On the second day after Gedaliah had been killed, before anyone knew it, eighty men came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, with their beards shaved, clothes torn, and bodies cut, carrying grain offerings and incense in their hands to bring to the house of the LORD. Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, walking and weeping as he went. When he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” When they came into the midst of the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah slaughtered them and cast them into the cistern, he and the men who were with him. But ten men among them said to Ishmael, “Do not put us to death, for we have hidden stores in the field—wheat, barley, oil, and honey.” So he refrained and did not put them to death with their brothers. Now the cistern into which Ishmael threw all the dead bodies of the men whom he had struck because of Gedaliah was the one King Asa had made because of Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.
Ishmael Takes Captives
Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people who were at Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who remained at Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had entrusted to Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and departed to cross over to the children of Ammon.
Johanan Rescues the Captives
When Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies who were with him heard all the evil that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done, they took all the men and went to fight against Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They found him by the great waters that are at Gibeon. When all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies who were with him, they rejoiced. All the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned around and came back and went to Johanan son of Kareah. But Ishmael son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the children of Ammon.
The Remnant Heads toward Egypt
Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies who were with him took all the remnant of the people whom they had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after he had struck Gedaliah son of Ahikam: men of war, women, little children, and court officials, whom he brought back from Gibeon. They went and stayed at Geruth-Chimham, which is near Bethlehem, intending to go and enter Egypt because of the Chaldeans, for they were afraid of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.