1. But in midautumn of that year, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and had been one of the king’s high officials, went to Mizpah with ten men to meet Gedaliah. While they were eating together,
2. Ishmael and his ten men suddenly jumped up, drew their swords, and killed Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor.
3. Ishmael also killed all the Judeans and the Babylonian soldiers who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah.
4. The next day, before anyone had heard about Gedaliah’s murder,
5. eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria to worship at the Temple of the lord. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves, and had brought along grain offerings and frankincense.
6. Ishmael left Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When he reached them, he said, “Oh, come and see what has happened to Gedaliah!”