The Murder of Gedaliah

Following the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the people remaining in the land of Judah (Jeremiah 40:7). Gedaliah resided at Mizpah, where he instructed the remaining captains and their men to dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon. During this time, the prophet Jeremiah was released by the captain of the guard and went to live among the people under Gedaliah's governance (Jeremiah 40:6). Johanan son of Kareah and other captains warned Gedaliah that Baalis, the king of the Ammonites, had sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take his life, but Gedaliah did not believe them (Jeremiah 40:14).

In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, who was of the royal family, came to Mizpah with ten men and ate bread with Gedaliah. While they were eating, Ishmael and his ten companions rose up and struck down Gedaliah with the sword, killing the man whom the king of Babylon had appointed (Jeremiah 41:2). Ishmael also killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah as well as the Chaldean soldiers found there. The text does not say why the guards were unable to defend the governor. The following day, Ishmael intercepted eighty men from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria who were bringing offerings to the house of the Lord, killing all but ten of them who offered to reveal hidden stores of food (Jeremiah 41:8).

Ishmael took the remaining people of Mizpah captive, including the king's daughters, and attempted to cross over to the Ammonites. However, when Johanan son of Kareah and the other military leaders heard of the crimes, they took their men to fight Ishmael. They encountered him by the great waters in Gibeon (Jeremiah 41:12). The captives who were with Ishmael turned and joined Johanan, but Ishmael escaped with eight men and went to the Ammonites. Fearing the Chaldeans because of the murder of the governor, Johanan and the remaining people settled near Bethlehem with the intent to go into Egypt (Jeremiah 41:17-18).