Jeremiah 41

1Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal andone ofthe chief officers of the king, and ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.

1In the seventh month of that year, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, grandson of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and one of the king's high officials, came to Mizpah with ten men. While they were eating a meal together with Gedaliah son of Ahikam,

2Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

2Ishmael son of Nethaniah and his ten men stood up, drew their swords, and murdered Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the grandson of Shaphan. They killed the man the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.

3Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, to wit, with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, the men of war.

3Ishmael also killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian soldiers who were stationed there.

4And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it,

4The day after Gedaliah was murdered, before anyone knew about it,

5that there came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with meal-offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring them to the house of Jehovah.

5eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They had shaved their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves in mourning. They were carrying grain offerings and incense to bring to the temple of the LORD.

6And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.

6Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When he reached them, he said, 'Come with me to see Gedaliah son of Ahikam.'

7And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him.

7But as soon as they entered the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and his men slaughtered them and threw their bodies into a large cistern.

8But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not; for we have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

8However, ten of the men in the group said to Ishmael, 'Don't kill us! We have supplies of wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey hidden in a field.' So he spared them and did not kill them with the others.

9Now the pit wherein Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had slain, by the side of Gedaliah (the same was that which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel), Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.

9The cistern where Ishmael threw the bodies of the men he had killed, along with Gedaliah's body, was the large one King Asa had built for defense against King Baasha of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the dead bodies.

10Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam; Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the children of Ammon.

10Then Ishmael took captive all the people left in Mizpah, including the king's daughters and everyone else whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had placed under Gedaliah’s care. Ishmael son of Nethaniah started out with these captives toward the land of the Ammonites.

11But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,

11But when Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers with him heard about the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed,

12then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.

12they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael. They caught up with him at the large pool in Gibeon.

13Now it came to pass that, when all the people that were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.

13When the people Ishmael was holding captive saw Johanan and the army officers, they were filled with joy.

14So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned about and came back, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.

14All the people Ishmael had taken from Mizpah turned around and ran to Johanan son of Kareah.

15But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the children of Ammon.

15Ishmael son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight of his men and fled to the Ammonites.

16Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, to wit, the men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon.

16Then Johanan son of Kareah and his army officers took all the people they had rescued from Ishmael—the soldiers, women, children, and court officials Ishmael had taken from Mizpah after killing Gedaliah. Johanan brought them back from Gibeon.

17And they departed, and dwelt in Geruth Chimham, which is by Beth-lehem, to go to enter into Egypt,

17They went and stayed at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, planning to continue on to Egypt.

18because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.

18They were running away from the Babylonians because they were afraid of what might happen since Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah, the governor appointed by the king of Babylon.