Yirmeyah 41

1. Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Yishmael ben Netanyah ben Elishama, who was zera hameluchah, and the officers of HaMelech, even ten anashim with him, came unto Gedalyah ben Achikam to Mitzpah; and there they did eat lechem together in Mitzpah.

2. Then arose Yishmael ben Netanyah, and the ten anashim that were with him, and struck down Gedalyah ben Achikam ben Shaphan with the cherev, and killed him, whom Melech Bavel had made governor over ha’aretz.

3. Yishmael also killed kol haYehudim that were with him, even with Gedalyah, at Mitzpah, and the Kasdim (Chaldeans) that were found there, and the anshei hamilchamah (men of war).

4. It came to pass on the second day after he had slain Gedalyah and no man knew it,

5. That there came certain men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Shomron, even 80 men, their beards shaven, their clothes torn, having cut themselves, with minchah and incense in their hand, to bring them to the Beis Hashem.

6. And Yishmael ben Netanyah went forth from Mitzpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went; and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedalyah ben Achikam.

7. And it was so, when they came into the midst of the Ir, that Yishmael ben Netanyah slaughtered them, and cast them into the midst of the cistern, he, and the anashim that were with him.

8. But ten anashim were found among them that said unto Yishmael, Slay us not, for we have hidden in the sadeh, chittim, se’orim, shemen, devash. So he forbore, killed them not among the others.

9. Now the cistern wherein Yishmael had cast all the pigrei ha’anashim (dead bodies of the men), whom he had slain because of Gedalyah, was the same cistern which Asa HaMelech had made for defense against Ba’asha Melech Yisroel: and Yishmael ben Netanyah filled it with them that were slain.

10. Then Yishmael carried away captive all the she’erit of the people that were in Mitzpah, even the banot hamelech, and kol HaAm that remained in Mitzpah, whom Nevuzaradan the captain of the imperial guard had committed to Gedalyah ben Achikam; and Yishmael ben Netanyah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Bnei Ammon.

11. When Yochanan ben Kareach with all the officers of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil Yishmael ben Netanyah had done,

12. Then they took kol ha’anashim, and went to fight with Yishmael ben Netanyah, and found him by the mayim rabbim that are in Giveon.

13. Now it came to pass, that when kol haAm which were with Yishmael saw Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.

14. So kol haAm that Yishmael had carried away captive from Mitzpah turned and went over to Yochanan ben Kareach.

15. But Yishmael ben Netanyah escaped from Yochanan with eight anashim, and went over to the Bnei Ammon.

16. Then took Yochanan ben Kareach, and all the officers of the forces that were with him, all the she’erit haAm whom he had recovered from Yishmael ben Netanyah, from Mitzpah, after that he had slain Gedalyah ben Achikam, even gevarim anshei hamilchamah, and the nashim, and the children, and the sarisim, whom he had brought from Giveon;

17. And they departed, and dwelt in the Gerut Kimham, which is near Beit-Lechem, intending to go to Mitzrayim,

18. Because of the Kasdim (Chaldeans); for they were afraid of them, because Yishmael ben Netanyah had slain Gedalyah ben Achikam, whom Melech Bavel made governor in ha’aretz.