Jeremiah 41


1	Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah the son of Elish’ama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedali’ah the son of Ahi’kam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.
2	Then arose Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedali’ah the son of Ahi’kam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.
3	Ish’ma-el also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedali’ah, at Mizpah, and the Chalde’ans that were found there, and the men of war. 2 Kgs. 25.25
4	¶ And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedali’ah, and no man knew it,
5	that there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, 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 the LORD.
6	And Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah 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 Gedali’ah the son of Ahi’kam.
7	And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah 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 Ish’ma-el, 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 Ish’ma-el had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedali’ah, was it which Asa the king had made for fear of Ba’asha king of Israel: and Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah filled it with them that were slain.
10	Then Ish’ma-el 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 Neb’uzar–a’dan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedali’ah the son of Ahi’kam: and Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.
11	¶ But when Jo’hanan the son of Kare’ah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah had done,
12	then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.
13	Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ish’ma-el saw Jo’hanan the son of Kare’ah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.
14	So all the people that Ish’ma-el had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Jo’hanan the son of Kare’ah.
15	But Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah escaped from Jo’hanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.
16	Then took Jo’hanan the son of Kare’ah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedali’ah the son of Ahi’kam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:
17	and they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,
18	because of the Chalde’ans: for they were afraid of them, because Ish’ma-el the son of Nethani’ah had slain Gedali’ah the son of Ahi’kam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.

Published by The American Bible Society

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