Yaram'Yahu (Jeremiah) — 41

Insurrection Against Gadalyahu

1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month that Ishmaal the son of Nathanyahu, the son of Alishama, of the royal family and of the officers of the king, came with ten men to Gadalyahu the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah, and there they ate bread together in Mizpah. 

2 Then Ishmaal the son of Nathanyahu, and the ten men who were with him, arose and struck Gadalyahu the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him whom the king of Babylun had made governor over the land. 

3 Ishmaal also struck down all the Yahudym who were with him, that is, with Gadalyahu at Mizpah, and the Chaldaans who were found there, the men of war.

4 And it happened, on the second day after he had killed Gadalyahu, when as yet no one knew it, 

5 that certain men came from Shacham, from Shiluh, and from Samaria, eighty men with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

6 Now Ishmaal the son of Nathanyahu went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went along; and it happened as he met them that he said to them, “Come to Gadalyahu the son of Ahikam!” 

7 So it was, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmaal killed them and cast them into the midst of a pit, he and the men who were with him. 

8 But ten men were found among them who said to Ishmaal, “Do not kill us, for we have treasures of wheat, barley, oil, and honey in the field.” So he desisted and did not kill them among their brethren. 

9 Now the pit into which Ishmaal had cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had slain, because of Gadalyahu, was the same one Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Yashar'AL. Ishmaal filled it with the slain. 

10 Then Ishmaal carried away captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nabuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gadalyahu the son of Ahikam. And Ishmaal the son of Nathanyahu carried them away captive and departed to go over to the Ammunites.

11 But when Yuhanan the son of Karaah and all the captains of the forces that were with him heard of all the evil that Ishmaal had done, 

12 they took all the men and went to fight with Ishmaal; and they found him by the great pool that is in Gibaun. 

13 So it was, when all the people who were with Ishmaal saw Yuhanan the son of Karaah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, that they were glad. 

14 Then all the people whom Ishmaal had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Yuhanan the son of Karaah. 

15 But Ishmaal the son of Nathanyahu escaped from Yuhanan with eight men and went to the Ammunites.

16 Then Yuhanan, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmaal after he had murdered Gadalyahu the son of Ahikam, the mighty men of war and the women and the children and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibaun. 

17 And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is near Bathlaham, as they went on their way to Mitzraym, 

18 because of the Chaldaans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmaal the son of Nathanyahu had murdered Gadalyahu the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylun had made governor in the land.