Gedeliah Killed By Terrorists

Jeremiah 41:1-18

“Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.  Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.  Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war.” (Jeremiah 41:1-3)

Three months after he was appointed governor, Ishmael, a member of Judah’s royal family, brought ten men to meet with Gedeliah in Mizpah.  During the dinner when everyone was off guard, they killed himand the Chaldean officials that were there, as well as the guards, and took control of his headquarters. 

“And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it, That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.

And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. Jer 41:7 And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him.  But ten men were found among them that 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 forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.” (Jeremiah 41:4-9)

Two days after Gedeliah had been killed, eighty men from Israel came to Judah with the intention of going to Jerusalem to make sacrifices to God.  Ishmael met them,  pretending to be sorrowful for the destruction of Jerusalem, and advising them to contact Gedeliah as the governor.  Once they had come into the city, he had all but ten men who offered to ransom murdered.  Their bodies were then thrown into a pit Asa had dug some three hundred years before as part of their defenses against Israel under Baasha.   It is amazing how often those who are there to “set their people free” kill the very people they claim to be helping.  It makes no difference whether it is the Red Brigade, the IRA, ISIS, Boko Haram, or the Black Panthers, they like to excuse their murders on the grounds that it is for a good cause. 

“Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.   But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.” (Jeremiah 41:10-12)

Ishmael and his men then forced the people who had come to Mizpeh who the Babylonians had left behind to go with him to go to the ammonites land.  When they heard what had happened, the men who had fought for Israel, but had recognized they were defeated united under Johanan’s leadership  to stop Ishmael’s depredations, meeting him near Gibeon.

“Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.  So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.  But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.” (Jeremiah 41:13-15)

When Johanan and his legitimate forces engaged Ishmael’s band of terrorists, the people fled to Johanan’s side to escape.   After losing a couple of men, the terrorists fled to the Ammonites for protection. 

“Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon: And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt, Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.” (Jeremiah 41:16-18)

Fearing retribution by the Babylonians for the murder of Gedeliah and the Chaldean officials, Johanan assembled all the people who were left, at Mizpeh then led them to Chimham, near Bethlehem, preparing to go to Egypt.