1
And it came to be in the seventh new moon that Yishma’el son of Netanyahu son of Elishama, from the seed of the sovereignty, and from the chief officers of the sovereign, came with ten men to Gedalyahu son of Achiqam at Mitzpah. And there they ate bread together at Mitzpah.
2
Then Yishma’el son of Netanyahu and the ten men who were with him rose and struck Gedalyahu son of Achiqam son of Shaphan with the sword and put him to death— the one whom the sovereign of Bavel had appointed over the land.
3
And Yishma’el struck all the ish of Yehudah who were with Gedalyahu at Mitzpah, and the Kasdim who were found there— the men of battle.
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And it came to be on the second day after Gedalyahu had been put to death, when no ish yet knew,
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that men came from Shekhem, from Shiloh, and from Shomron— eighty men with shaved beards, torn garments, and cuts upon themselves, with grain offering and frankincense in their hand to bring to the House of Yahuah.
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And Yishma’el son of Netanyahu went out from Mitzpah to meet them, walking and weeping as he went. And it came to be when he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedalyahu son of Achiqam.”
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And it came to be when they entered the midst of the city that Yishma’el son of Netanyahu slaughtered them and cast them into the pit— he and the men who were with him.
8
But ten men were found among them who said to Yishma’el, “Do not put us to death, for we have hidden stores in the field— wheat, barley, oil, and honey.” So he refrained and did not put them to death among their brothers.
9
And the pit into which Yishma’el cast all the corpses of the men he struck beside Gedalyahu was the one Sovereign Asa had made before the face of Baasha sovereign of Yisra’el. Yishma’el son of Netanyahu filled it with the pierced.
10
And Yishma’el took captive all the remnant of the people who were in Mitzpah— the daughters of the sovereign and all the people remaining in Mitzpah whom Nevuzaradan chief of the guards had committed to Gedalyahu son of Achiqam. And Yishma’el son of Netanyahu took them captive and went to cross over to the sons of Ammon.
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And Yochanan son of Qareach and all the captains of the armies who were with him heard all the evil that Yishma’el son of Netanyahu had done.
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And they took all the men and went to fight Yishma’el son of Netanyahu, and found him by the great waters that are in Giveon.
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And it came to be when all the people with Yishma’el saw Yochanan son of Qareach and all the captains of the armies with him, they rejoiced.
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And all the people whom Yishma’el had taken captive from Mitzpah turned and returned and went to Yochanan son of Qareach.
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But Yishma’el son of Netanyahu escaped from before the face of Yochanan with eight men and went to the sons of Ammon.
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Then Yochanan son of Qareach and all the captains of the armies with him took all the remnant of the people whom he had returned from Yishma’el son of Netanyahu at Mitzpah, after he had struck Gedalyahu son of Achiqam— mighty men of battle, women, children, and eunuchs whom he returned from Giveon.
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And they went and dwelt at Gerut-Kimham, which is beside Beyt-Lechem, to go and enter Mitzrayim,
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before the face of the Kasdim. For they feared before their faces, because Yishma’el son of Netanyahu had struck Gedalyahu son of Achiqam, whom the sovereign of Bavel had appointed over the land.