The Hebrew Prophets

And said vnto him, Knowest thou not that Baalis the King of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam beleeued them not.

Then Iohanan the sonne of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me goe, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it. Wherefore should he kill thee, that all the Iewes, which are gathered vnto thee, shoulde be scattered, and the remnant in Iudah perish?

But Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam said vnto Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, Thou shalt not doe this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.

But in the seuenth moneth came Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, the sonne of Elishama of the seede royall, and the princes of the King, and tenne men with him, vnto Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam to Mizpah, and there they did eate bread together in Mizpah.

Then arose Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah with these tenne men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan with the sword, and slewe him, whom the King of Babel had made gouernour ouer the lande.

Ishmael also slewe all the Iewes that were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and all the Caldeans that were found there, and the men of warre.

Now the second day that he had slaine Gedaliah, and no man knewe it,

There came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, euen fourescore men, hauing their beardes shauen, and their clothes rent and cut, with offerings and incense in their hands to offer in the house of the Lord.

And Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meete them, weeping as he went: and when he met them, he said vnto them, Come to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam.

And when they came into the middes of the citie, Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah slewe them, and cast them into the middes of the pit, he and the men that were with him.

But tenne men were founde among them, that saide vnto Ishmael, Slay vs not: for we haue treasures in the fielde, of wheate, and of barley, and of oyle, and of honie: so he stayed, and slew them not among their brethren.

Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast the dead bodies of the men (whom he had slayne because of Gedaliah) is it, which Asa the King had made because of Basha King of Israel, and Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slaine.

Then Ishmael caryed away captiue all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, euen the Kings daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzar-adan the chiefe steward had committed to Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, and Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah caried them away captiue, and departed to goe ouer to the Ammonites.

But when Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste that were with him, heard of all the euill that Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah had done,

Then they all tooke their men, and went to fight with Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, and founde him by ye great waters that are in Gibeon.

Nowe when all the people whom Ishmael caryed away captiue, sawe Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste, that were with him, they were glad.

So all the people, that Ishmael had caryed away captiue from Mizpah, returned and came againe, and went vnto Iohanan the sonne of Kareah.

But Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, escaped from Iohanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.

Then tooke Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and all the captaines of the hoste that were with him, all the remnant of the people, whom Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah had caried away captiue from Mizpah, (after that he had slaine Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam) euen the strong men of warre, and the women, and the children, and the eunuches, whom hee had brought againe from Gibeon:

And they departed and dwelt in Geruth Chimham, which is by Beth-lehem, to goe and to enter into Egypt,

Because of the Caldeans: for they feared them, because Ishmael ye sonne of Nethaniah had slaine Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, whom the King of Babel made gouernour in the land.

Then all the captaines of the hoste, and Iohanan the sonne of Kareah, and Iezaniah the sonne of Hoshaaiah, and all the people from the least vnto the most came,

And saide vnto Ieremiah the Prophete, Heare our prayer, we beseeche thee, and pray for vs vnto the Lord thy God, euen for all this remnant (for we are left, but a fewe of many, as thine eyes doe beholde)

That the Lord thy God may shewe vs the way wherein wee may walke, and the thing that we may doe.

Then Ieremiah the Prophet said vnto them, I haue heard you: behold, I will pray vnto ye Lord your God according to your wordes, and whatsoeuer thing the Lord shall answere you, I will declare it vnto you: I will keepe nothing backe from you.