1 Em outubro daquele ano, Ismael, filho de Netanias e neto de Elisama, que era da família real e que havia sido um alto oficial do rei, foi a Mispá com dez homens para se encontrar com Gedalias, filho de Aicam e neto de Safã. Enquanto faziam uma refeição juntos, 2 Ismael e os dez homens se levantaram de um salto, puxaram suas espadas e mataram Gedalias, que o rei da Babilônia havia nomeado governador. 3 Ismael também matou todos os soldados judeus e babilônios que estavam com Gedalias em Mispá.
4 No dia seguinte, antes que alguém soubesse do assassinato de Gedalias, 5 oitenta homens chegaram de Siquém, Siló e Samaria para adorar no templo do Senhor. Tinham raspado a cabeça, rasgado as roupas e se cortado e traziam ofertas de cereal e incenso. 6 Ismael, filho de Netanias, saiu de Mispá e foi ao encontro deles, chorando ao longo do caminho. Quando os encontrou, disse: "Venham e vejam o que aconteceu a Gedalias, filho de Aicam".
7 Assim que todos entraram na cidade, Ismael e os homens que o acompanhavam mataram setenta deles e jogaram os corpos numa cisterna. 8 Os outros dez sobreviveram, pois haviam convencido Ismael a soltá-los ao prometer lhes trazer os suprimentos de trigo, cevada, azeite e mel que haviam escondido. 9 A cisterna em que Ismael jogou os corpos dos homens que ele assassinou era a grande cisterna cavada pelo rei Asa, quando ele fortificou a cidade para se defender de Baasa, rei de Israel. Ismael, filho de Netanias, a encheu de cadáveres.
10 Então Ismael prendeu as filhas do rei e outras pessoas que Nebuzaradã, capitão da guarda, havia deixado em Mispá aos cuidados de Gedalias. Ismael partiu para a terra de Amom levando os prisioneiros.
11 Quando Joanã, filho de Careá, e os outros comandantes que o acompanhavam souberam dos crimes de Ismael, 12 reuniram todos os seus soldados e partiram para lutar contra ele. Eles o alcançaram no grande açude perto de Gibeom. 13 O povo que Ismael tinha capturado gritou de alegria quando viu Joanã e os outros comandantes. 14 Todos os prisioneiros de Mispá escaparam e começaram a ajudar Joanã. 15 Enquanto isso, Ismael e oito dos homens que estavam com ele escaparam de Joanã e foram para a terra de Amom.
16 Então Joanã, filho de Careá, e os outros comandantes levaram todo o povo que tinham resgatado em Gibeom: os soldados, as mulheres, as crianças e os oficiais do palácio que Ismael havia capturado em Mispá depois de matar Gedalias. 17 Foram todos para o povoado de Gerute-Quimã, perto de Belém, de onde planejavam fugir para o Egito. 18 Tinham medo daquilo que os babilônios fariam quando soubessem que Ismael havia assassinado Gedalias, o governador nomeado pelo rei da Babilônia.
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.