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

1Bvt in the seuenth moneth came Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, the sonne of Elishama of the seede royall, and the princes of the King, and tenne men with him, vnto Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam to Mizpah, and there they did eate bread together in Mizpah. 2Then arose Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah with these tenne men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan with the sword, and slewe him, whom the King of Babel had made gouernour ouer the lande. 3Ishmael also slewe all the Iewes that were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and all the Caldeans that were found there, and the men of warre.

4Now the second day that he had slaine Gedaliah, and no man knewe it, 5There came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, euen fourescore men, hauing their beardes shauen, & their clothes rent and cut, with offerings and incense in their hands to offer in the house of the Lord. 6And Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meete them, weeping as he went: and when he met them, he said vnto them, Come to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam. 7And when they came into the middes of the citie, Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah slewe them, and cast them into the middes of the pit, he and the men that were with him. 8But tenne men were founde among them, that saide vnto Ishmael, Slay vs not: for we haue treasures in the fielde, of wheate, and of barley, and of oyle, and of honie: so he stayed, and slew them not among their brethren.

9Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast the dead bodies of the men (whom he had slayne because of Gedaliah) is it, which Asa the King had made because of Basha King of Israel, and Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slaine. 10Then Ishmael caryed away captiue all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, euen the Kings daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzar-adan the chiefe steward had committed to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, and Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah caried them away captiue, and departed to goe ouer to the Ammonites.

Johanan Rescues the Captives

11But when Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste that were with him, heard of all the euill that Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah had done, 12Then they all tooke their men, and went to fight with Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, & founde him by ye great waters that are in Gibeon. 13Nowe when all the people whom Ishmael caryed away captiue, sawe Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste, that were with him, they were glad. 14So all the people, that Ishmael had caryed away captiue from Mizpah, returned and came againe, & went vnto Iohanan the sonne of Kareah. 15But Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, escaped from Iohanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites. 16Then tooke Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste that were with him, all the remnant of the people, whom Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah had caried away captiue from Mizpah, (after that he had slaine Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam) euen the strong men of warre, and the women, and the children, and the eunuches, whom hee had brought againe from Gibeon: 17And they departed and dwelt in Geruth Chimham, which is by Beth-lehem, to goe and to enter into Egypt, 18Because of the Caldeans: for they feared them, because Ishmael ye sonne of Nethaniah had slaine Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, whom the King of Babel made gouernour in the land.