Jeremiah 41

Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even 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, a man named Ishmael came to the town of Mizpah. He was the son of Nethaniah, who was the son of Elishama. Ishmael was part of the king's family and one of the king's officers. He brought ten men with him. They came to Gedaliah son of Ahikam. They all ate a meal together there.

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.

2Then Ishmael and his ten men stood up. They killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam with a sword. The king of Babylon had put Gedaliah in charge of the whole land.

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

3Ishmael also killed all the Jewish men who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah. He killed the soldiers from Babylon who were there too. Those soldiers were called Chaldeans.

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

4The next day, no one had heard yet that Gedaliah was dead.

5That 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 offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.

5That day eighty men came from the towns of Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They had shaved their beards, torn their clothes, and cut their skin. They carried gifts of grain and sweet-smelling incense. They were bringing these to the house of the LORD.

NoteShaving the beard, tearing your clothes, and cutting your skin were ways people showed deep sadness back then. Incense is something you burn to make a sweet smell.

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 went out from Mizpah to meet them. He cried the whole way as he walked. When he met the men, he said, "Come and 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.

7When they came into the middle of the town, Ishmael and his men killed them. Then they threw the bodies into a deep pit.

NoteThe pit was a cistern, a large hole dug in the ground to store water.

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

8But ten of the men said to Ishmael, "Please do not kill us. We have food hidden out in the field. We have wheat, barley, oil, and honey." So Ishmael stopped and did not kill those ten with the rest.

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

9The pit was a big hole made long ago to hold water. King Asa had dug it because he was afraid of Baasha, the king of Israel. Ishmael filled that pit with the bodies of the men he had killed.

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: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.

10Then Ishmael took the rest of the people at Mizpah away as prisoners. This included the king's daughters and everyone else left in the town. Nebuzaradan, the captain of Babylon's guard, had put Gedaliah in charge of them. Ishmael led them all away 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,

11Johanan son of Kareah heard about all the terrible things Ishmael had done. The army leaders who were with him heard about it too.

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.

12So they gathered all their men and went to fight Ishmael. They found him beside the big pool of water at Gibeon.

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

13The people with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah coming. They saw all the army leaders with him, and they were glad.

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

14All the people Ishmael had taken from Mizpah turned around. They walked over and joined Johanan son of Kareah.

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

15But Ishmael got away from Johanan with eight of his men. He went to the land of 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, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:

16So Johanan and the army leaders took charge of the people who were left. He had won them back from Ishmael after Ishmael killed Gedaliah. Among them were soldiers, women, children, and palace servants. Johanan brought them all back from Gibeon.

17And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,

17They traveled on and stayed at a place called Chimham, near the town of Bethlehem. They planned to keep going and enter the land of 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 in the land.

18They were afraid of the Chaldeans, the people of Babylon. Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, the man the king of Babylon had put in charge of the land.