1 I n the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the king’s family, came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam at Mizpah. He came with one of the head captains of the king, and ten other men. 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 rose up and killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword. They killed the one whom the king of Babylon had chosen to rule 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 killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Babylonian soldiers who were found there.

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

4 T he next day, before anyone knew that Gedaliah had been killed,

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

5 e ighty men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria. Their hair was cut from their faces, their clothes were torn, and their bodies were cut. They came with grain gifts and special perfume 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, crying as he went. As he met them he said, “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 W hen they came inside the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him killed them, and threw them into the well.

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 there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us! For we have stores of grain, barley, oil and honey hidden in the field.” So he did not kill them with their friends.

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 T he well where Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men he had killed because of Gedaliah was the one that King Asa had made because of his fear of Baasha, king of Israel. Ishmael the son the Nethaniah filled it with the dead.

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 he put all the rest of the Jews in chains who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people left in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the prison soldiers, had put under the rule of Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah took them and started to cross over to the sons of Ammon.

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 captains of the armies that were with him, heard about all the bad things 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. They found him by the large pool 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 W hen all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and the captains of the armies 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 Ishmael had taken 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 got away 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 captains of the armies that were with him took all the rest of the people whom Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had taken away from Mizpah after he had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. They took the soldiers, the women, the children, and the servants, whom Johanan 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 GeruthChimham near Bethlehem. They were on their way to 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 Babylonians. For they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had chosen to rule 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.