1 But in the seventh month, Ishmael came to Mizpah with ten of his soldiers. He had been one of the king's officials and was a member of the royal family. Ishmael and his men were invited to eat with Gedaliah. 2 During the meal, Ishmael and his soldiers killed Gedaliah, the man chosen as ruler of Judah by the king of Babylonia. 3 Then they killed the Jews who were with Gedaliah, and they also killed the Babylonian soldiers who were there.
4 The next day, the murders had still not been discovered, 5 when 80 men came down the road toward Mizpah from the towns of Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They were on their way to the temple to offer gifts of grain and incense to the Lord. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves, because they were mourning.
6 Ishmael went out the town gate to meet them. He pretended to be weeping, and he asked them to come into Mizpah to meet with Gedaliah, the ruler of Judah. 7 But after they were inside the town, Ishmael ordered his soldiers to kill them and throw their bodies into a well. 8 He let ten of the men live, because they offered to give him supplies of wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey they had hidden in a field. 9 The well that he filled with bodies had been dug by King Asa of Judah to store rainwater, because he was afraid that King Baasha of Israel might surround Mizpah and keep the people from getting to their water supply.
10 Nebuzaradan, King Nebuchadnezzar's officer in charge of the guard, had left King Zedekiah's daughters and many other people at Mizpah, and he had put Gedaliah in charge of them. But now Ishmael took them all prisoner and led them toward Ammon, on the other side of the Jordan River.
11 Johanan and the other army officers heard what Ishmael had done. 12 So they and their troops chased Ishmael and caught up with him at the large pit at Gibeon. 13 When Ishmael's prisoners saw Johanan and the officers, they were happy 14 and turned around and ran toward Johanan. 15 But Ishmael and eight of his men escaped and went to Ammon.
Johanan Decides To Take the People to Egypt
16 Johanan and the officers had rescued the women, children, and royal officials that Ishmael had taken prisoner after killing Gedaliah. Johanan led the people from Gibeon 17-18 toward Egypt. They wanted to go there, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians would do when they found out that Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, the ruler appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar.
The People Ask Jeremiah To Pray for Them
On the way to Egypt, we stopped at the town of Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem.
1 Momueze outjahambombari wombura ndjo, Ismael, omuzandu wa Netanja, omuzandu wa Elisama, weṱunḓu rouhona, nu ngwa ri umwe wovahongore ovanene vombara, wa ya kOmispa puna ovarumendu omurongo okukahakaena na Gedalja, omuzandu wa Ahikam. Avehe ngunda amave ri pamwe, 2 Ismael novarumendu omurongo mba ri puna ye va nana omangaruvyo wawo nave zepa Gedalja. 3 Ismael wina wa zepa Ovaisrael avehe, mba ri puna Gedalja mOmispa, novarwe vOvababilon wovita, mba ri mbo.
4 Mependukirwa, ngamwa omundu ngunda e hiya tjiwa onḓiro ya Gedalja, 5 ovarumendu omirongo hambondatu ve ya okuza kOsikem na Silo na Samaria. Owo va kururire otuyezu twawo, ave nyondorora ozombanda zawo, nave ritjanga ozondja motutu twawo. Va toorere ovikokotwa novyomoro omuwa okukevipunguhira mondjuwo ya Muhona. 6 Ismael wa pita mOmispa okukevetjakanena, ama yenda ama riri. Eye tje ya pu wo, wa tja nai: “Arikaneye, hiteye, mu tare Gedalja.” 7 Kamanga owo tji va za nokuhita motjihuro, Ismael novarwe ve wovita ve ve zepa, narire tji va yumbu oturova twawo mondjombo.
8 Nungwari pa ri ovarumendu omurongo motjimbumba hi, mba tja nai ku Ismael: “Arikana, o tu zepa! Eṱe twa horeka ovikokotwa novirya, nomaze womiṋinga, nouitji wozonyutji mokuti.” Komuhingo mbwi eye otje ve yama ne he ve zepa pamwe novakwao. 9 Ondjombo ndji Ismael ma yumba oturova twovarumendu mba zepere, ya ri onene; oyo ya hupurirwe i ombara Asa, indu eye tja rwisiwa i Basa, ombara ya Israel. Ismael we urisa ondjombo ndji noturova twi. 10 Neye a huura ovasuko vombara, novandu ovakwao mba serwe po mOmispa, nu Nebusaradan, omuhongore omunene, mba twire kehi yondjeverero ya Gedalja, Ismael we ve twara kouhuura, nu wa kumuka okukakonda omuruko wehi ra Amon.
11 Johanan novahongore vovimbumba vyovita mba ri puna ye va zuvire ozondjito azehe ozondjaukise nḓa tjitirwe i Ismael. 12 Owo otji ve mu tezera puna ovarwe vawo wovita avehe okukemurwisa nave kemuvaza popezu noruharwi orunene mOgibeon. 13 Ovahuurwa va Ismael tji va muna Johanan novahongore avehe vovimbumba vyovita otji va yoroka, 14 ave tanauka nave kondo ku Johanan. 15 Nungwari Ismael novarumendu hambondatu va hena pu Johanan nave taurire kehi ra Amon.
16 Johanan novahongore avehe vovimbumba vyovita mba ri puna ye va kambura ovandu Ismael mba twarere otja ovahuurwa kOmispa, indu tja zire nokuzepa Gedalja, okutja ovarwe wovita novakazendu novanatje novakarere. 17-18 Owo ave tira Ovababilon, Ismael tjinga a zepere Gedalja, ombara ya Babilon ngu ya zikire okurira ongooneya yehi. Owo otji va ya kOengipte, kokutja ve ze mo mOvababilon. Mondjira va kurama mOkimham, popezu na Betlehem.
