1 Septītajā mēnesī nāca Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, un Ālišāmas dēladēls, no ķēniņa dzimuma un viens no iepriekšējā ķēniņa augstākiem varas nesējiem, ar desmit vīriem pie Gedaljas, Ahikāma dēla, uz Micpu. Pie galda sēdot, 2 cēlās Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, un tie desmit vīri, kuri bija pie viņa, un nokāva ar zobenu Gedalju, Ahikāma dēlu; tas bija arī Šafana dēladēls. Tā viņš nogalināja to vīru, ko Bābeles ķēniņš bija iecēlis par pārvaldnieku pār šo zemi. 3 Arī visus jūdus, kas bija Micpā pie Gedaljas, un kaldeju karavīrus, kas tur atradās, Ismaēls nogalināja. 4 Otrā dienā pēc Gedaljas nogalināšanas, kad neviens to vēl nezināja, 5 nāca vīri no Sihemas, no Šīlo un Samarijas, skaitā astoņpadsmit, ar apcirptām bārdām, saplēstām drēbēm un ar miesas ievainojumiem. Tiem bija ēdamie upuri un smaržīgie kvēpināmie sveķi, ko tie gribēja nest Tā Kunga namā. 6 Tad Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, no Micpas izgāja tiem pretī un iedams raudāja. Kad viņš tos sastapa, viņš tiem sacīja: "Nāciet iekšā pie Gedaljas, Ahikāma dēla!" 7 Bet, kad tie ienāca pilsētā, Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, nokāva tos un iemeta kādā akas tvertnē, viņš un tie vīri, kas bija pie viņa. 8 Viņu starpā tomēr bija desmit vīru, kas sacīja Ismaēlam: "Nenokauj mūs, jo mums ir apslēptas mantas tīrumā: kvieši, mieži, eļļa un medus!" Viņš tos atstāja dzīvus un nenokāva kopā ar viņu brāļiem. 9 Tvertne, kurā Ismaēls iemeta kopā ar Gedalju noslepkavotos vīrus, bija tā pati, ko ķēniņš Asa reiz bija licis ierīkot karā pret Israēla ķēniņu Baēšu. Šo plašo, dziļo un izmūrēto akas tvertni tagad Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, piepildīja ar nokauto līķiem 10 un aizveda visus Micpā vēl palikušos iedzīvotājus: ķēniņa sievas ar meitām un visus ļaudis, ko sardzes priekšnieks Nebusaradans bija atstājis Gedaljas apsardzībā. Tos visus Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, izveda, un arī pats taisījās pāriet pie amoniešiem. 11 Kad nu Johanans, Kareaha dēls, un visi virsnieki, kuri bija pie viņa, dzirdēja, kādu neģēlību izdarījis Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, 12 tad tie sacēla visus savus ļaudis un devās cīņā pret Ismaēlu, Netanjas dēlu, un atrada viņu pie lielā ūdens Gibeonā. 13 Kad ļaudis, kas bija pie Ismaēla, ieraudzīja Johananu, Kareaha dēlu, un visus virsniekus pie viņa, tie priecājās. 14 Un visi ļaudis, kurus Ismaēls bija apcietinājis un aizvedis no Micpas, sacēlās un pārgāja pie Johanana, Kareaha dēla. 15 Bet Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, ar astoņiem vīriem bēga no Johanana un pārgāja pie amoniešiem. 16 Tad Johanans, Kareaha dēls, un visi virsnieki, kas bija pie viņa, pārņēma visu tautas atlikumu, ko Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, pēc Gedaljas, Ahikāma dēla, nokaušanas apcietināja Micpā un aizveda; tāpat arī vīrus, karavīrus, sievas, bērnus un galma ļaudis, ko viņš bija atvedis no Gibeonas. 17 Viņi devās ceļā un apmetās pie Kimhama nometnes Bētlemes tuvumā, lai virzītos no turienes uz Ēģipti 18 un bēgtu no kaldejiem, jo no tiem viņi bijās, tādēļ ka Ismaēls, Netanjas dēls, bija noslepkavojis Gedalju, Ahikāma dēlu, ko Bābeles ķēniņš bija iecēlis par zemes pārvaldnieku.
1 But in the seventh month, Ishmael came to Mizpah with ten of his soldiers. He had been one of the king's officials and was a member of the royal family. Ishmael and his men were invited to eat with Gedaliah. 2 During the meal, Ishmael and his soldiers killed Gedaliah, the man chosen as ruler of Judah by the king of Babylonia. 3 Then they killed the Jews who were with Gedaliah, and they also killed the Babylonian soldiers who were there.
4 The next day, the murders had still not been discovered, 5 when 80 men came down the road toward Mizpah from the towns of Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They were on their way to the temple to offer gifts of grain and incense to the Lord. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves, because they were mourning.
6 Ishmael went out the town gate to meet them. He pretended to be weeping, and he asked them to come into Mizpah to meet with Gedaliah, the ruler of Judah. 7 But after they were inside the town, Ishmael ordered his soldiers to kill them and throw their bodies into a well. 8 He let ten of the men live, because they offered to give him supplies of wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey they had hidden in a field. 9 The well that he filled with bodies had been dug by King Asa of Judah to store rainwater, because he was afraid that King Baasha of Israel might surround Mizpah and keep the people from getting to their water supply.
10 Nebuzaradan, King Nebuchadnezzar's officer in charge of the guard, had left King Zedekiah's daughters and many other people at Mizpah, and he had put Gedaliah in charge of them. But now Ishmael took them all prisoner and led them toward Ammon, on the other side of the Jordan River.
11 Johanan and the other army officers heard what Ishmael had done. 12 So they and their troops chased Ishmael and caught up with him at the large pit at Gibeon. 13 When Ishmael's prisoners saw Johanan and the officers, they were happy 14 and turned around and ran toward Johanan. 15 But Ishmael and eight of his men escaped and went to Ammon.
Johanan Decides To Take the People to Egypt
16 Johanan and the officers had rescued the women, children, and royal officials that Ishmael had taken prisoner after killing Gedaliah. Johanan led the people from Gibeon 17-18 toward Egypt. They wanted to go there, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians would do when they found out that Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, the ruler appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar.
The People Ask Jeremiah To Pray for Them
On the way to Egypt, we stopped at the town of Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem.
