41Jeremiah 41

1In the seventh month of that year, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama, a member of the royal family and one of the king's chief officers, went to Mizpah with ten men to see Governor Gedaliah. While they were all eating a meal together,Select Jeremiah 41:1

2Ishmael and the ten men with him pulled out their swords and killed Gedaliah.Select Jeremiah 41:2

3Ishmael also killed all the Israelites who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah and the Babylonian soldiers who happened to be there.Select Jeremiah 41:3

4The next day, before anyone knew about Gedaliah's murder,Select Jeremiah 41:4

5eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and gashed themselves. They were taking grain and incense to offer in the Temple.Select Jeremiah 41:5

6So Ishmael went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When he came to them, he said, “Please come in to see Gedaliah.”Select Jeremiah 41:6

7As soon as they were inside the city, Ishmael and his men killed them and threw their bodies in a well.Select Jeremiah 41:7

8But there were ten men in the group who said to Ishmael, “Please don't kill us! We have wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey hidden in the fields.” So he spared them.Select Jeremiah 41:8

9The well into which Ishmael threw the bodies of the men he had killed was the large one that King Asa had dug when he was being attacked by King Baasha of Israel. Ishmael filled the well with the bodies.Select Jeremiah 41:9

10Then he made prisoners of the king's daughters and all the rest of the people in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the commanding officer had placed under the care of Gedaliah. Ishmael took them prisoner and started off in the direction of the territory of Ammon.Select Jeremiah 41:10

11Johanan and all the army leaders with him heard of the crime that Ishmael had committed.Select Jeremiah 41:11

12So they went after him with their men and overtook him near the large pool at Gibeon.Select Jeremiah 41:12

13When Ishmael's prisoners saw Johanan and the leaders of the forces with him, they were glad,Select Jeremiah 41:13

14and turned and ran to them.Select Jeremiah 41:14

15But Ishmael and eight of his men got away from Johanan and escaped to the land of Ammon.Select Jeremiah 41:15

16Then Johanan and the leaders of the forces with him took charge of the people whom Ishmael had taken away as prisoners from Mizpah after murdering Gedaliah—soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs.Select Jeremiah 41:16

18They were afraid of the Babylonians because Ishmael had murdered Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylonia had made governor of the land. So they set out for Egypt, in order to get away from the Babylonians. On the way they stopped at Chimham near Bethlehem.Select Jeremiah 41:18