Gedaliah spoke earnestly unto them and to their men, saying, "Fear
not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of
Babylon, and it shall be well with you. As for me, behold, I will
dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans, which shall come unto
us: but ye, gather ye wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in
your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken."

Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the children
of Ammon, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that
the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set
over them Gedaliah, they returned out of all places whither they were
driven and came to the land of Judah and gathered much wine and summer
fruits.

Then Jonathan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces
that were in the fields came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and said to him,
"Dost thou know that Baalis of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah to take thy life?"

{320}

But Gedaliah the royal governor believed them not. Then Johanan the
son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, "Let me
go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no
man shall know it: wherefore should he take thy life, that all the
Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant
of Judah perish?"

But Gedaliah the royal governor said to Johanan the son of Kareah,
"Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael."

Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael, one of the
chief officers of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah the
royal governor at Mizpah; and there they ate bread together in Mizpah.

Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were
with him, and smote Gedaliah the royal governor, and slew him, whom
the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah,
at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, even the men of
war. And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah,
and no man knew it, that there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh,
and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven and
their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with oblations and
frankincense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the Lord.
And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah weeping