1 N ow in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal descendants and one of the princes of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam in Mizpah. As they were eating a meal together there in Mizpah,

2 I shmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him arose and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword and killed him, the one whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

3 I shmael also slew all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean soldiers who were found there.

4 A nd the second day after the slaying of Gedaliah, before anyone knew about it,

5 T here came eighty men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, having their beards shaved off and their clothes torn and having cut themselves, bringing cereal offerings and incense, going up to present them in the house of the Lord.

6 A nd Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all the way as he went. As he met them, he said to them, Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.

7 A nd when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the cistern pit—he and the men with him.

8 B ut ten men were among them who said to Ishmael, Do not kill us! For we have stores hidden in the field—of wheat and barley and oil and honey. So he refrained and did not slay them with their brethren.

9 N ow the cistern pit into which Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had slain in addition to Gedaliah was the one which Asa the king had once made for fear of Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with those who were slain.

10 T hen Ishmael carried away captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah—even the king’s daughters and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah carried them away captive and departed to cross over to the Ammonites.

11 B ut when Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces that were with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done,

12 T hey took all their men and went to fight with Ishmael son of Nethaniah and found him by the great pool that is in Gibeon.

13 N ow when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces that were with him, they were glad.

14 S o all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan son of Kareah.

15 B ut Ishmael son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the Ammonites.

16 T hen Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces that were with him took from Mizpah all the remainder of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after he had slain Gedaliah son of Ahikam: the soldiers, the women, the children, and the eunuchs whom had brought back from Gibeon.

17 A nd they departed and stayed at the lodging place of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem, to go to Egypt

18 B ecause of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.