Chapter Overview
Summary
Gedaliah assassinated. MT ch. 41 = LXX ch. 48.
Notable Variants
Minor differences.
Structural Notes
MT ch. 41 = LXX ch. 48.
In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, of royal blood, along with officers of the king and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. They ate bread together there at Mizpah.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
Then Ishmael son of Nethaniah rose up with the ten men who were with him and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan with the sword, killing him — the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
Ishmael also killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with the Chaldean soldiers who were stationed there.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
On the second day after the killing of Gedaliah — before anyone knew of it —
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria with their beards shaved, their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, carrying grain offerings and incense to bring to the house of the LORD.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he walked. When he met them he said, 'Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.'
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
When they entered the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
But ten men among them said to Ishmael, 'Do not kill us, for we have hidden stores in the field — wheat, barley, oil, and honey.' So he relented and did not kill them along with their companions.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The cistern into which Ishmael threw all the bodies of the men he had killed was the one King Asa had constructed as a defense against Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
Then Ishmael took captive all the rest of the people at Mizpah — the king's daughters and all the people who remained at Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had entrusted to Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
When Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done,
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
They gathered all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They found him by the great pool at Gibeon.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
When all the people whom Ishmael held captive saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces with him, they rejoiced.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
All the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned around and went over to Johanan son of Kareah.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
But Ishmael son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and fled to the Ammonites.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces with him took the entire remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah at Mizpah after the murder of Gedaliah son of Ahikam — soldiers, women, children, and court officials whom he had brought back from Gibeon.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
They set out and stayed at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go on to Egypt,
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
because they were afraid of the Chaldeans, since Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.