¹ And it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama of the seed royal and chiefs of the king, and ten men with him, came in, unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, at Mizpah,—and they did there eat bread together in Mizpah.

² Then arose Ishmael son of Nethaniah—and the ten men who were with him and they smote Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan—with the sword and slew him whom the king of Babylon had set in charge, over the land.

³ And Ishmael smote, all the Jews who were with him even with Gedaliah in Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there the men of war.

⁴ And it came to pass, on the second day, after he had slain Gedaliah, not, a man, knowing it,

⁵ that men came in from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria,—eighty men, with beards shaven and clothes rent who also had cut themselves, with a meal-offering and frankincense in their hand, to bring them into the house of Yahweh.

⁶ Then went forth Ishmael son of Nethaniah to meet them out of Mizpah, weeping all along as he went,—and it came to pass when he fell in with them, that he said unto them, Come ye in unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam.

⁷ And so it was when they had come into the midst of the city, that Ishmael son of Nethaniah slew 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 unto Ishmael—Do not put us to death, for we have secret treasures in the field, wheat and barley and oil and honey, So he forbare and put them not to death in the midst of their brethren.

⁹ Now the pit whereinto Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had smitten, was a large pit which King Asa had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel,—the same, did Ishmael son of Nethaniah fill with the slain,

¹⁰ Then did Ishmael take captive all the remnant of the people that was in Mizpah,—the daughters of the king, and all the people that were left remaining in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners had committed unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam,—yea Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive, and departed to pass over unto the sons of Ammon.

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

¹² then took they all the men, and went their way to fight with Ishmael son of Nethaniah,—and found him near the many waters which were in Gibeon.

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

¹⁴ So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive out of Mizpah, compassed about, and returned and went their way unto Johanan son of Kareah.

¹⁵ But, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, escaped with eight men, from the face of Johanan,—and departed unto the sons of Ammon.

¹⁶ Then did Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him take all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah out of Mizpah, after he had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam,—mighty men, men of war, and women and children and eunuchs, whom he had recovered out of Gibeon;

¹⁷ and they departed, and dwelt in the khan of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem,—that they might go to enter Egypt;

¹⁸ because of the Chaldeans, for they were afraid of them,—because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had set in charge over the land.