Jeremiah 41

1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Yishmael the son of Netanyahu the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedalyahu the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.

2 Then arose Yishmael the son of Netanyahu, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedalyahu the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon (Bavel) had made governor over the land.

3 Yishmael also slew all the Jews (Yehudim) that were with him, even with Gedalyahu, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war.

4 And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedalyahu, and no man knew it,

5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria (Shomeron), even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of יהוה.

6 And Yishmael the son of Netanyahu went forth from Mizpah 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 the son of Ahikam.”

7 And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Yishmael the son of Netanyahu slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him.

8 But ten men were found among them that said unto Yishmael, “Slay us not, for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey.” So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

9 Now the pit wherein Yishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedalyahu, was it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Yisrael; and Yishmael the son of Netanyahu filled it with them that were slain.

10 Then Yishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedalyahu the son of Ahikam; and Yishmael the son of Netanyahu carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.

11 But when Yochanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Yishmael the son of Netanyahu had done,

12 Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Yishmael the son of Netanyahu, and found him by the great waters that are in Giveon.

13 Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Yishmael saw Yochanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.

14 So all the people that Yishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Yochanan the son of Kareah.

15 But Yishmael the son of Netanyahu escaped from Yochanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.

16 Then took Yochanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Yishmael the son of Netanyahu, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedalyahu the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Giveon:

17 And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem (Beit-Lechem), to go to enter into Egypt (Mitsrayim),

18 Because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Yishmael the son of Netanyahu had slain Gedalyahu the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon (Bavel) made governor in the land.