before Jerusalem, and besieged it.

And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the fourth month, they entered into the city.

And all the princes of the king of Babylon went in, and stood by the middle gate, Nergal-sarezer, and Sangar-nebo, and Sarsechim the chief chamberlain, and Nergal-sarezer the chamberlain, and all the princes of the king of Babylon.

And when Zedekiah king of Judah saw them, they and his men of war fled out of the city by night by the king’s garden through the gate between two walls, and passed through the field.

And the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and took Zedekiah in the field near Jericho, and took him, and brought him unto Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblath, which is in the land of Hemath: and he pronounced judgment against him.

And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblath, and slew all the princes of Judah.

And he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to bring him to Babylon.

And the Chaldeans burned both the king’s house, and the houses of the people, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.

And the rest of the people that were in the city, and the rest that fell among them, Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried them all away captive to Babylon.

And of the little people that had nothing, Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left some in the land of Judah at that time, and gave them vineyards and villages.

But Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had commanded Nebuzar-Adan the chief man of Jeremiah, saying:

Take thee, and let him be commanded thee, and do him no hurt: but as he desireth thee, so do it unto him.

And Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, and Nebu-sasban the chief chamberlain, and Nergal-sarezer the chamberlain, and all the princes of the king of Babylon, sent to him 14. And they sent for Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and commanded Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to bring him out to his house, and to dwell with the people.

And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was yet a prisoner in the court of the prison, saying:

Go and tell Ebed-melech the Moor: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and for no good; and thou shalt see it in that day.

But I will save thee in that day, saith the LORD; and thou shalt not be delivered unto them of whom thou art afraid.

For I will save thee from falling by the sword, but thou shalt carry away thy life as a prey: because thou hast trusted in me, saith the LORD.
(Jeremiah)
Chapter 40
Jeremiah stays with Gedaliah in the land.

This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard loosed him at Ramah: for he also was bound with chains among all them that were captives in Jerusalem and in Judah, to carry them away to Babylon.

And when the captain of the guard had sent for Jeremiah, he said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.

And he brought it to pass, and did according to his word: for ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice: therefore these things have happened unto you.

Now therefore, behold, I have loosed thee this day from the chains that bound thy hands. If it please thee to go with me to Babylon, come, and I will command thee: but if it please thee not to go with me to Babylon, let it stand. Behold, all the land is before thee: whithersoever it seemeth thee good, and pleaseth thee, go thither.

For beyond that there shall be no return. Therefore return thou unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath set over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people; or go whithersoever it pleaseth thee. And the centurion gave him victuals and gifts, and let him go.

So Jeremiah came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and abode with him among the people that were left in the land.

And it came to pass, when the captains that were in the field, and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had set Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land, and over both men, and over women, and over children, and over the little ones of the land, which were not led to Babylon, that the king of Babylon had set him over the land,

And they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai of Netophath, and Jezaniah the son of Maachathi, and their men.

And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to be subject unto the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and be subject unto the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

Behold, I dwell here in Mizpah, to minister unto the Chaldeans that come unto us. Gather therefore the wine, and the figs, and the oil, and put them into your vessels, and dwell in your cities which ye have received.

And all the Jews that were in the land of Moab, and in the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and in all the countries, when they heard that the king of Babylon had left some in Judah, and had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, 12. And they returned all of them from all the places whither they were driven into the land of Judah to Gedaliah to Mizpah, and gathered much wine and summer fruit.

And Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains that were in the field, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah.

And they said unto him, Knowest thou that Baalish king of the children of Ammon hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam would not believe them.

And Johanan the son of Kareah said unto Gedaliah secretly at Mizpah, I will go and smite Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, that no man know it. Why shall he smite thee, and all the Jews that are gathered unto thee shall be scattered, and they that are left of Judah shall perish?

And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah: Thou shalt not do this thing: it is not true that thou sayest of Ishmael.
(Jeremiah)
Chapter 41
Ishmael slays Gedaliah, Johanan chases after him.

And it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the royal tribe, and the king’s captains, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and did eat there together at Mizpah.

And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah arose, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword to death, because the king of Babylon had set him over the land.

And all the Jews that were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and all the men of war, did Ishmael smite.

The next day, after Gedaliah was slain, and as yet no man knew, 5. And there came eighty men from Shechem, and from Shiloh, and from Samaria, having shaven off their beards, and rent their clothes, and rent themselves, and bearing meat offerings and incense, to bring into the house of the LORD.

And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, and went along weeping. And when he came to them, he said unto them: Ye shall come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.

And when they were come into the midst of the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the men that were with him, slew them by the well.

But there were ten. And they said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he desisted, and slew them not with the rest.

And the well wherein Ishmael cast the dead bodies which he slew, and Gedaliah, is the well which king Asa made against Baasha king of Israel; and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.

And the rest of the people that were at Mizpeh, even the king’s daughters, did Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carry away captive with all the rest of the people that were at Mizpeh, over whom Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had set Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and he went and passed over to the children of Ammon.

And Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host that were with him, heard all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,

And they took all the men, and went to fight against Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and met him by the great river at Gibeon.

And when all the people that were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host that were with him, they were glad.

And all the people which Ishmael had led away from Mizpah turned again, and returned unto Johanan the son of Kareah.

And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went unto