1Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu, Ben Elishama, of the royal seed, and one of the chief officers of HaMelekh, and ten men with him, came unto Gedal-Yahu Ben Akhikam to Mitzpatah; and there they did eat bread together in Mitzpatah. 2Then Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu arose, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedal-Yahu Ben Akhikam Ben Shafan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Bavel had made governor over the land. 3Ishma’el also slew all the Yehudim that were with him, even with Gedal-Yahu, at Mitzpatah, and the Kasdim that were found there, even the men of war. 4And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedal-Yahu, and no man knew it, 5that there came certain men from Shekhem, from Shiloh, and from Shomron, even eighty men, having their beards shaven and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with meal-offerings and frankincense in their hand to bring them to Beit יהוה . And6 Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu went forth from Mitzpatah to meet them, weeping all along as he went; and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, “Come to Gedal-Yahu Ben Akhikam.” 7And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him. 8But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishma’el, “Slay us not; for we have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey.” So he forbore, and slew them not among their brethren. 9Now the pit wherein Ishma’el cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had slain by the side of Gedal-Yahu was that which Asah HaMelekh had made for fear of Ba’asa Melekh Yisra’el; the same Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu filled with them that were slain. 10Then Ishma’el carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mitzpatah, even the daughters of HaMelekh, and all the people that remained in Mitzpatah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedal-Yahu Ben Akhikam; Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the children of Amon. 11But when Yokhanan Ben Kare’akh, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu had done, 12then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu, and found him by the great waters that are in Givon. 13Now it came to pass, that when all the people that were with Ishma’el saw Yokhanan Ben Kare’akh, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad. 14So all the people that Ishma’el had carried away captive from Mitzpatah cast about and returned, and went unto Yokhanan Ben Kare’akh. 15But Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu escaped from Yokhanan with eight men, and went to the children of Amon. 16Then took Yokhanan Ben Kare’akh, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu, from Mitzpatah, after that he had slain Gedal-Yahu Ben Akhikam, the men, even the men of war, and the women, and the children, and the officers, whom he had brought back from Givon; 17and they departed, and dwelt in Gerut Kimham, which is by Beit Lekhem, to go to enter into Mitzrayim, 18because of the Kasdim; for they were afraid of them, because Ishma’el Ben Netan-Yahu had slain Gedal-Yahu Ben Akhikam, whom the king of Bavel made governor over the land.
אוַיְהִי בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בָּא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה בֶן אֱלִישָׁמָע מִזֶּרַע הַמְּלוּכָה וְרַבֵּי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַעֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים אִתּוֹ אֶל גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶן אֲחִיקָם הַמִּצְפָּתָה; וַיֹּאכְלוּ שָׁם לֶחֶם יַחְדָּו בַּמִּצְפָּה. בוַיָּקָם יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה וַעֲשֶׂרֶת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ אִתּוֹ וַיַּכּוּ אֶת גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶן אֲחִיקָם בֶּן שָׁפָן בַּחֶרֶב וַיָּמֶת אֹתוֹ: אֲשֶׁר הִפְקִיד מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל בָּאָרֶץ. גוְאֵת כָּל הַיְּהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ אִתּוֹ אֶת גְּדַלְיָהוּ בַּמִּצְפָּה וְאֶת הַכַּשְׂדִּים אֲשֶׁר נִמְצְאוּ שָׁם אֵת אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה הִכָּה יִשְׁמָעֵאל. דוַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי לְהָמִית אֶת גְּדַלְיָהוּ; וְאִישׁ לֹא יָדָע.הוַיָּבֹאוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִשְּׁכֶם מִשִּׁלוֹ וּמִשֹּׁמְרוֹן שְׁמֹנִים אִישׁ מְגֻלְּחֵי זָקָן וּקְרֻעֵי בְגָדִים וּמִתְגֹּדְדִים; וּמִנְחָה וּלְבוֹנָה בְּיָדָם לְהָבִיא בֵּית יהוה . ווַיֵּצֵא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה לִקְרָאתָם מִן הַמִּצְפָּה הֹלֵךְ הָלֹךְ וּבֹכֶה; וַיְהִי כִּפְגֹשׁ אֹתָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם בֹּאוּ אֶל גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶן אֲחִיקָם. זוַיְהִי כְּבוֹאָם אֶל תּוֹךְ הָעִיר; וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה אֶל תּוֹךְ הַבּוֹר הוּא וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ. חוַעֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים נִמְצְאוּ בָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל אַל תְּמִתֵנוּ כִּי יֶשׁ לָנוּ מַטְמֹנִים בַּשָּׂדֶה חִטִּים וּשְׂעֹרִים וְשֶׁמֶן וּדְבָשׁ; וַיֶּחְדַּל וְלֹא הֱמִיתָם בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵיהֶם. טוְהַבּוֹר אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁלִיךְ שָׁם יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֵת כָּל פִּגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הִכָּה בְּיַד גְּדַלְיָהוּ הוּא אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ אָסָא מִפְּנֵי בַּעְשָׁא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל; אֹתוֹ מִלֵּא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָהוּ חֲלָלִים. יוַיִּשְׁבְּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֶת כָּל שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בַּמִּצְפָּה אֶת בְּנוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶת כָּל הָעָם הַנִּשְׁאָרִים בַּמִּצְפָּה אֲשֶׁר הִפְקִיד נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב טַבָּחִים אֶת גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶּן אֲחִיקָם; וַיִּשְׁבֵּם יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה וַיֵּלֶךְ לַעֲבֹר אֶל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן. יאוַיִּשְׁמַע יוֹחָנָן בֶּן קָרֵחַ וְכָל שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ אֵת כָּל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה. יבוַיִּקְחוּ אֶת כָּל הָאֲנָשִׁים וַיֵּלְכוּ לְהִלָּחֵם עִם יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה; וַיִּמְצְאוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל מַיִם רַבִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּגִבְעוֹן. יגוַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת כָּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אֶת יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֶת יוֹחָנָן בֶּן קָרֵחַ וְאֵת כָּל שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וַיִּשְׂמָחוּ. ידוַיָּסֹבּוּ כָּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר שָׁבָה יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִן הַמִּצְפָּה; וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ אֶל יוֹחָנָן בֶּן קָרֵחַ. טווְיִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה נִמְלַט בִּשְׁמֹנָה אֲנָשִׁים מִפְּנֵי יוֹחָנָן; וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן. טזוַיִּקַּח יוֹחָנָן בֶּן קָרֵחַ וְכָל שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ אֵת כָּל שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם אֲשֶׁר הֵשִׁיב מֵאֵת יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה מִן הַמִּצְפָּה אַחַר הִכָּה אֶת גְּדַלְיָה בֶּן אֲחִיקָם גְּבָרִים אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה וְנָשִׁים וְטַף וְסָרִסִים אֲשֶׁר הֵשִׁיב מִגִּבְעוֹן. יזוַיֵּלְכוּ וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בְּגֵרוּת כמוהם (כִּמְהָם) אֲשֶׁר אֵצֶל בֵּית לָחֶם לָלֶכֶת לָבוֹא מִצְרָיִם. יחמִפְּנֵי הַכַּשְׂדִּים כִּי יָרְאוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם: כִּי הִכָּה יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה אֶת גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶּן אֲחִיקָם אֲשֶׁר הִפְקִיד מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל בָּאָרֶץ.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 