ought to suppose this information to be true, it was better for himself
to be slain by the other, than to destroy a man who fled to him for
refuge, and intrusted his own safety to him, and committed himself to
his disposal.

4. So Johanan, and the rulers that were with him, not being able to
persuade Gedaliah, went away. But after the interval of thirty days was
over, Ishmael came again to Gedaliah, to the city Mispah, and ten men
with him; and when he had feasted Ishmael, and those that were with
him, in a splendid manner at his table, and had given them presents, he
became disordered in drink, while he endeavored to be very merry with
them; and when Ishmael saw him in that case, and that he was drowned in
his cups to the degree of insensibility, and fallen asleep, he rose up
on a sudden, with his ten friends, and slew Gedaliah, and those that
were with him at the feast; and when he had slain them, he went out by
night, and slew all the Jews that were in the city, and those soldiers
also which were left therein by the Babylonians. But the next day
fourscore men came out of the country with presents to Gedaliah, none
of them knowing what had befallen him; when Ishmael saw them, he invited
them in to Gedaliah, and when they were come in, he shut up the court,
and slew them, and cast their dead bodies down into a certain deep pit,
that they might not be seen; but of these fourscore men Ishmael spared
those that entreated him not to kill them, till they had delivered up
to him what riches they had concealed in the fields, consisting of their
furniture, and garments, and corn: but he took captive the people that
were in Mispah, with their wives and children; among whom were the
daughters of king Zedekiah, whom Nebuzaradan, the general of the army of
Babylon, had left with Gedaliah. And when he had done this, he came to
the king of the Ammonites.

5. But when Johanan and the rulers with him heard of what was done at
Mispah by Ishmael, and of the death of Gedaliah, they had indignation at
it, and every one of them took his own armed men, and came suddenly to
fight with Ishmael, and overtook him at the fountain in Hebron. And when
those that were carried away captives by Ishmael saw Johanan and the
rulers, they were very glad, and looked upon them as coming to their
assistance; so they left him that had carried them captives, and came
over to Johanan: then Ishmael, with eight men, fled to the king of the
Ammonites; but Johan