The Murder of Gedaliah
(2 Kings 25:25–26)

1But in the seuenth moneth, it happened that Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah, the sonne of Elisama, one of the kynges blood came, and the greatest about the kyng, & ten men with him, vnto Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam to Mispa, and they did eate together in Mispa. 2And Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah, with those ten men that were with him, start vp, and smote Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam the sonne of Saphan with the sworde, and slue hym whom the king of Babylon had made a gouernour of the lande. 3Ismael also slue all the Iewes that were with Gedaliah at Mispa, and all the Chaldees that he founde there waytyng vpon hym, and those that were able to fyght he slue with hym.

4The next day after that he had slayne Gedaliah, the matter was yet vnknowen: 5And there came certayne men from Sichem, from Silo, and Samaria, to the number of fourescore, which had shauen their beardes, rent their clothes, and were all heauie, bryngyng meate offerynges and incense in their handes, to offer it in the house of the Lorde. 6And Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah went foorth of Mispa weepyng, to meete them: Nowe when he met them, he sayde, Go your way to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam. 7And when they came in the middest of the citie, Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah, with them that were with hym, slue them euen at the middest of the pit. 8Among these fourescore men there were ten that sayde vnto Ismael: Oh slay vs not, for we haue yet a great treasure in the fielde, of wheate, barly, oyle, and hony: So he spared them, and slue them not with their brethren.

9Nowe the pit wherin Ismael did cast the dead bodyes of the men whom he slue because of Gedaliah, had kyng Asa caused to be made for feare of Baasa the kyng of Israel, and the same pit did Ismael fyll with slayne men. 10As for the remnaunt of the people, the kynges daughters, and all the people that were left at Mispa, vpon whom Nabuzaradan the chiefe captayne had made Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam gouernour, Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah caryed them away prisoners towarde the Ammonites.

Johanan Rescues the Captives

11But when Iohanan the sonne of Careah, and all they which had ben captaynes ouer the kinges hoast with him, hearde of all the wickednesse that Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah had done: 12They toke their companions, & went out for to fyght with Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah, and founde hym by the great waters that are at Gibeon. 13Nowe when all the people whom Ismael led captiue, sawe Iohanan the sonne of Careah, and all the other captaynes of the hoast, they were glad. 14So all the people that Ismael had caried away from Mispa, were brought agayne: and when they returned, they came to Iohanan the sonne of Careah. 15But Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah fled from Iohanan with eyght companions, and went to the Ammonites. 16Then Iohanan the sonne of Careah, and all the captaynes of the hoast that were with hym, toke all the remnaunt of the people, whom Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah had led away when he had slayne Gedaliah the sonne of Ahicam, whom they also had reserued from hym, fightyng men, women, and children, and gelded men, whom they brought agayne from Gibeon, 17And went from thence, and sate them downe at Geruth Chamaam, which lyeth beside Bethlehem, that they might go into Egypt for feare of the Chaldees: 18Of whom they were afrayde, because that Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah had slayne Gedaliah Ahicams sonne, whom the kyng of Babylon had made gouernour in the lande.