1 I n the seventh month Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family and one of the chief officers of the king, along with ten men, came to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. While they were eating bread together there in Mizpah,

Now 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 the son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him arose and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword and put to death the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.

Ishmael 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 struck down all the Jews who were with him, that is with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war.

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

4 N ow it happened on the next day after the killing of Gedaliah, when no one knew about it,

And the second day after the slaying of Gedaliah, before anyone knew about it,

5 t hat eighty men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria with their beards shaved off and their clothes torn and their bodies gashed, having grain offerings and incense in their hands to bring to the house of the Lord.

There 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 T hen Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went; and as he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam!”

And 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 Y et it turned out that as soon as they came inside the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the men that were with him slaughtered them and cast them into the cistern.

And 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 who were found among them said to Ishmael, “Do not put us to death; for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil and honey hidden in the field.” So he refrained and did not put them to death along with their companions.

But 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 as for the cistern where Ishmael had cast all the corpses of the men whom he had struck down because of Gedaliah, it was the one that King Asa had made on account of Baasha, king of Israel; Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.

Now 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 took captive all the remnant of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who were left in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had put under the charge of Gedaliah the son of Ahikam; thus Ishmael the son of Nethaniah took them captive and proceeded to cross over to the sons of Ammon. Johanan Rescues the People

Then 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 Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done.

But 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 S o they took all the men and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and they found him by the great pool that is in Gibeon.

They 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 as soon as all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and the commanders of the forces that were with him, they were glad.

Now 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 taken captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.

So 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 the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the sons of Ammon.

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

16 T hen Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him took from Mizpah all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, that is, the men who were soldiers, the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon.

Then 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 went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, which is beside Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt

And 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, since Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.

Because 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.