Jeremiah 41

1 In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king’s officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there, 2 Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land. 3 Ishmael also killed all the men of Judah who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian*41:3 Or Chaldean soldiers who were there.

4 The day after Gedaliah’s assassination, before anyone knew about it, 5 eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria, bringing grain offerings and incense with them to the house of the Lord. 6 Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When he met them, he said, "Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam." 7 When they went into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern. 8 But ten of them said to Ishmael, "Don’t kill us! We have wheat and barley, olive oil and honey, hidden in a field." So he let them alone and did not kill them with the others. 9 Now the cistern where he threw all the bodies of the men he had killed along with Gedaliah was the one King Asa had made as part of his defense against Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the dead.

10 Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah—the king’s daughters along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

11 When Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, 12 they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the great pool in Gibeon. 13 When all the people Ishmael had with him saw Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were with him, they were glad. 14 All the people Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites.

Flight to Egypt

16 Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him led away all the people of Mizpah who had survived, whom Johanan had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah son of Ahikam—the soldiers, women, children and court officials he had recovered from Gibeon. 17 And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem on their way to Egypt 18 to escape the Babylonians.*41:18 Or Chaldeans They were afraid of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.

1 Sucedeu, porém, no mês sétimo, que veio Ismael, filho de Netanias, filho de Elisama, da descendência real, e com ele dez homens, príncipes do rei, a Gedalias, filho de Aicão, a Mizpá; e comeram pão juntos ali em Mizpá. 2 E levantou-se Ismael, filho de Netanias, com os dez homens que estavam com ele, e feriram à espada a Gedalias, filho de Aicão, filho de Safã, matando assim aquele que o rei de Babilônia havia posto por governador sobre a terra. 3 Também matou Ismael a todos os judeus que com ele, com Gedalias, estavam em Mizpá, como também aos caldeus, homens de guerra, que se achavam ali.

4 Sucedeu, pois, no dia seguinte, depois que ele matara a Gedalias, sem ninguém o saber, 5 Que vieram homens de Siquém, de Siló, e de Samaria; oitenta homens, com a barba rapada, e as vestes rasgadas, e retalhando-se; e trazendo nas suas mãos ofertas e incenso, para levarem à casa do Senhor. 6 E, saindo-lhes ao encontro Ismael, filho de Netanias, desde Mizpá, ia chorando; e sucedeu que, encontrando-os lhes disse: Vinde a Gedalias, filho de Aicão.

7 Sucedeu, porém, que, entrando eles até ao meio da cidade, matou-os Ismael, filho de Netanias, e os lançou num poço, ele e os homens que estavam com ele. 8 Mas houve entre eles dez homens que disseram a Ismael: Não nos mates, porque temos, no campo, tesouros, trigo, cevada, azeite e mel. E ele por isso os deixou, e não os matou entre seus irmãos.

9 E o poço em que Ismael lançou todos os cadáveres dos homens que matou por causa de Gedalias é o mesmo que fez o rei Asa, por causa de Baasa, rei de Israel; foi esse mesmo que Ismael, filho de Netanias, encheu de mortos. 10 E Ismael levou cativo a todo o restante do povo que estava em Mizpá, isto é, as filhas do rei, e todo o povo que ficara em Mizpá, que Nebuzaradã, capitão da guarda, havia confiado a Gedalias, filho de Aicão; e levou-os cativos Ismael, filho de Netanias, e se foi para passar aos filhos de Amom.

Joanã liberta os cativos

11 Ouvindo, pois, Joanã, filho de Careá, e todos os capitães dos exércitos que estavam com ele, todo o mal que havia feito Ismael, filho de Netanias, 12 Tomaram todos os seus homens, e foram pelejar contra Ismael, filho de Netanias; e acharam-no ao pé das grandes águas que há em Gibeom. 13 E aconteceu que, vendo todo o povo, que estava com Ismael, a Joanã, filho de Careá, e a todos os capitães dos exércitos, que vinham com ele, se alegrou. 14 E todo o povo que Ismael levara cativo de Mizpá virou as costas, e voltou, e foi para Joanã, filho de Careá. 15 Mas Ismael, filho de Netanias, escapou com oito homens de diante de Joanã, e se foi para os filhos de Amom.

16 Então tomou Joanã, filho de Careá, e todos os capitães dos exércitos que estavam com ele, a todo o restante do povo que ele havia recobrado de Ismael, filho de Netanias, desde Mizpá, depois de haver matado a Gedalias, filho de Aicão, isto é, aos homens poderosos de guerra, e às mulheres, e aos meninos, e aos eunucos que havia recobrado de Gibeom. 17 E partiram, indo habitar em Gerute-Quimã, que está perto de Belém, para dali irem e entrarem no Egito, 18 Por causa dos caldeus; porque os temiam, por ter Ismael, filho de Netanias, matado a Gedalias, filho de Aicão, a quem o rei de Babilônia tinha feito governador sobre a terra.