1 No sétimo mês, Ismael, filho de Netanias, filho de Elisama, que era de sangue real e tinha sido um dos oficiais do rei, foi até Gedalias, filho de Aicam, em Mispá, levando consigo dez homens. Enquanto comiam juntos,

2 Ismael, filho de Netanias, e os dez homens que estavam com ele se levantaram e feriram à espada Gedalias, filho de Aicam, neto de Safã, matando aquele que o rei da Babilônia tinha nomeado governador de Judá.

3 Ismael também matou todos os judeus que estavam com Gedalias em Mispá, bem como os soldados babilônios que ali estavam.

4 No dia seguinte ao assassinato de Gedalias, antes que alguém o soubesse,

5 oitenta homens que haviam rapado a barba, rasgado suas roupas e feito cortes no corpo, vieram de Siquém, de Siló e de Samaria, trazendo ofertas de cereal e incenso para oferecer no templo do Senhor.

6 Ismael, filho de Netanias, saiu de Mispá para encontrá-los, chorando enquanto caminhava. Quando os encontrou, disse: "Venham até onde se encontra Gedalias, filho de Aicam".

7 Quando entraram na cidade, Ismael, filho de Netanias, e os homens que estavam com ele os mataram e os atiraram numa cisterna.

8 Mas dez deles disseram a Ismael: "Não nos mate! Temos trigo e cevada, azeite e mel, escondidos num campo". Então ele os deixou em paz e não os matou com os demais.

9 A cisterna na qual ele jogou os corpos dos homens que havia matado, juntamente com o de Gedalias, tinha sido cavada pelo rei Asa para defender-se de Baasa, rei de Israel. Ismael, filho de Netanias, encheu-a com os mortos.

10 Ismael tomou como prisioneiros todo o restante do povo que estava em Mispá, inclusive as filhas do rei, sobre os quais Nebuzaradã, o comandante da guarda imperial, havia nomeado Gedalias, filho de Aicam, governador. Ismael, filho de Netanias, levou-os como prisioneiros e partiu para o território de Amom.

11 Quando Joanã, filho de Careá, e todos os comandantes do exército, que com ele estavam, souberam do crime que Ismael, filho de Netanias, tinha cometido,

12 convocaram todos os seus soldados para lutar contra ele. Eles o alcançaram perto do grande açude de Gibeom.

13 Quando todo o povo, que Ismael tinha levado como prisioneiro, viu Joanã, filho de Careá, e os comandantes do exército que estavam com ele, alegrou-se.

14 Todo o povo que Ismael tinha levado como prisioneiro de Mispá se voltou e passou para o lado de Joanã, filho de Careá.

15 Mas Ismael, filho de Netanias, e oito de seus homens escaparam de Joanã e fugiram para o território de Amom

16 Então, Joanã, filho de Careá, e todos os comandantes do exército que com ele estavam levaram todos os que tinham restado em Mispá, os quais ele tinha resgatado de Ismael, filho de Netanias, depois que este havia assassinado Gedalias, filho de Aicam: os soldados, as mulheres, as crianças e os oficiais do palácio real, que ele tinha trazido de Gibeom.

17 E eles prosseguiram, parando em Gerute-Quimã, perto de Belém, a caminho do Egito,

18 Queriam escapar dos babilônios. Estavam com medo porque Ismael, filho de Netanias, tinha matado Gedalias, filho de Aicam, a quem o rei da Babilônia nomeara governador de Judá.

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 "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.

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. "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.