II Kings 25:25, Jeremiah 40:13-41:18
“Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.” (Jeremiah 40:13-!$)
The people who had been hiding out among the other countries knew the attitudes of the neighboring rulers. They tried to warn Gedaliah that some of the people who were coming asking to dwell among the Jews had been recruited as agents by their enemies. They knew that Ishmael had made some kind of an agreement with the Ammonite king. Gedaliah did not believe a Jew would ever betray other Jews and ignored the warning refusing to even follow up on the warning.
“Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?
But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.” (Jeremiah 40:15-16)
Executing opponents had been common under the last few Jewish kings and was generally accepted as normal. Johanan offered to kill Ishmael in order to ensure that the suspected plot could not be carried out. He would do it secretly so that Gedaliah would mot be suspected. Once again we are reminded how far they had departed from God’s standard, that they would be willing to execute a man solely on suspicion, without even a hearing.
An honorable man himself, Gedaliah found it hard to believe others could not be trusted and accused Johanan of making up stories about Ishmael. It is normal to ascribe the same attitudes and beliefs to others as we hold, but it frequently leads to serious misjudgments.
“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)
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah was in line to inherit the throne. He and ten of the leaders and officials of Judah set up an official dinner with Gedaliah to talk business. Resentful that Gedeliah had been placed as governor and wanting to make Ishmael king, they killed Gedaliah and all the Babylonian and Chaldean officials that were at the dinner, catching them all off guard.
“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. 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)
A day and a half after Gedaliah had been murdered, eighty men came to Jerusalem to worship God with their beards shaven and their clothes torn as a sign of their sorrow for Judah’s destruction. Pretending to be from Gedaliah, Ishmael met them and led them to a place where he had them murdered and their bodies thrown into a pit in an effort to keep Babylon from learning who had killed the their governor and officials.
Ten of the men offered to pay a ransom from their crops if he would allow them to live to harvest them, and were spared. The pit where the bodies were buried was a part of the defenses Asa had set up more than two hundred years before when threatened by Baasha, king of Israel.
“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.” (Jeremiah 41:10)
Based on his agreement with The Ammonite king, Baalis, Ishmael forced all the people that Nebuchadnezzar had left in Jerusalem to move into some of the land the Ammonites had claimed after Israel was destroyed to set up his own little kingdom. Power hungry people are only interested in increasing their power and will do anything to get more.
“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.
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 41:11-15)
The leaders that had escaped united under Johanan and pursued Ishmael and his captives, overtaking them at Gibeon and recovering the captives. The captives were glad to be rescued and went eagerly with Johanan. Ishmael and eight of his men survived to go back to the Ammonites.
“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 Babylonian retribution for the slaying of their governor and officials, the people assembled at Chimham, preparing to flee to Egypt for protection.
“Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.” (Jeremiah 40:13-!$)
The people who had been hiding out among the other countries knew the attitudes of the neighboring rulers. They tried to warn Gedaliah that some of the people who were coming asking to dwell among the Jews had been recruited as agents by their enemies. They knew that Ishmael had made some kind of an agreement with the Ammonite king. Gedaliah did not believe a Jew would ever betray other Jews and ignored the warning refusing to even follow up on the warning.
“Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?
But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.” (Jeremiah 40:15-16)
Executing opponents had been common under the last few Jewish kings and was generally accepted as normal. Johanan offered to kill Ishmael in order to ensure that the suspected plot could not be carried out. He would do it secretly so that Gedaliah would mot be suspected. Once again we are reminded how far they had departed from God’s standard, that they would be willing to execute a man solely on suspicion, without even a hearing.
An honorable man himself, Gedaliah found it hard to believe others could not be trusted and accused Johanan of making up stories about Ishmael. It is normal to ascribe the same attitudes and beliefs to others as we hold, but it frequently leads to serious misjudgments.
“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)
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah was in line to inherit the throne. He and ten of the leaders and officials of Judah set up an official dinner with Gedaliah to talk business. Resentful that Gedeliah had been placed as governor and wanting to make Ishmael king, they killed Gedaliah and all the Babylonian and Chaldean officials that were at the dinner, catching them all off guard.
“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. 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)
A day and a half after Gedaliah had been murdered, eighty men came to Jerusalem to worship God with their beards shaven and their clothes torn as a sign of their sorrow for Judah’s destruction. Pretending to be from Gedaliah, Ishmael met them and led them to a place where he had them murdered and their bodies thrown into a pit in an effort to keep Babylon from learning who had killed the their governor and officials.
Ten of the men offered to pay a ransom from their crops if he would allow them to live to harvest them, and were spared. The pit where the bodies were buried was a part of the defenses Asa had set up more than two hundred years before when threatened by Baasha, king of Israel.
“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.” (Jeremiah 41:10)
Based on his agreement with The Ammonite king, Baalis, Ishmael forced all the people that Nebuchadnezzar had left in Jerusalem to move into some of the land the Ammonites had claimed after Israel was destroyed to set up his own little kingdom. Power hungry people are only interested in increasing their power and will do anything to get more.
“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.
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 41:11-15)
The leaders that had escaped united under Johanan and pursued Ishmael and his captives, overtaking them at Gibeon and recovering the captives. The captives were glad to be rescued and went eagerly with Johanan. Ishmael and eight of his men survived to go back to the Ammonites.
“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 Babylonian retribution for the slaying of their governor and officials, the people assembled at Chimham, preparing to flee to Egypt for protection.
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