⁶ They also led away all those whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan—the men, the women,^(A) the children and the king’s daughters. And they took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch^(B) son of Neriah along with them.

⁵ However, before Jeremiah turned to go,^[a] Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah^(A) son of Ahikam,^(B) the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed^(C) over the towns^(D) of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.”^(E)

Then the commander gave him provisions and a present^(F) and let him go. ⁶ So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah^(G) and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

Gedaliah Assassinated^(H)

⁷ When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor^(I) over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest^(J) in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, ⁸ they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah^(K)—Ishmael^(L) son of Nethaniah, Johanan^(M) and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,^(N) and Jaazaniah^[b] the son of the Maakathite,^(O) and their men. ⁹ Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve^(P) the Babylonians,^[c](Q)” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.^(R)

¹¹ When all the Jews in Moab,^(A) Ammon, Edom^(B) and all the other countries^(C) heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them, ¹² they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered.^(D) And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

¹³ Johanan^(E) son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah^{(F) 14} and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites^(G) has sent Ishmael^(H) son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

¹⁵ Then Johanan^(I) son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill^(J) Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered^(K) and the remnant^(L) of Judah to perish?”

¹⁶ But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan^(M) son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”

41 In the seventh month Ishmael^(A) son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king’s officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there, ² Ishmael^(B) son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword,^(C) killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed^(D) as governor over the land.^{(E) 3} Ishmael also killed all the men of Judah who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian^[a] soldiers who were there.

⁴ The day after Gedaliah’s assassination, before anyone knew about it,

⁶ Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping^(A) as he went. When he met them, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.”^(B)

²² Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah^(A) son of Ahikam,^(B) the son of Shaphan, to be over the people he had left behind in Judah. ²³ When all the army officers and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men. ²⁴ Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”

²⁵ In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and assassinated^(C) Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.^(D)