^40:11Moreover, all the Judeans who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other countries heard what had happened. They heard that the king of Babylon had allowed some people to stay in Judah and that he had appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them. ^40:12So all these Judeans returned to the land of Judah from the places where they had been scattered. They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Thus they harvested a large amount of wine and dates and figs.²⁵

Ishmael Murders Gedaliah and Carries the Judeans at Mizpah off as Captives

^40:13Johanan and all the officers of the troops that had been hiding in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. ^40:14They said to him, “Are you at all aware²⁶ that King Baalis of Ammon has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam would not believe them. ^40:15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah there at Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah before anyone knows about it. Otherwise he will kill you²⁷ and all the Judeans who have rallied around you will be scattered. Then what remains of Judah will disappear.” ^40:16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do that²⁸ because what you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”²⁹

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Footnotes

25 Heb “summer fruit.” “Summer fruit” is meaningless to most modern readers; dates and figs are what is involved.
26 The translation is intended to reflect the emphasizing infinitive absolute before the finite verb.
27 Heb “Why should he kill you?” However, this is one of those cases listed in 554 מָה 4.d(b) where it introduces a question introducing rhetorically the reason why something should not be done. In cases like this notes that it approximates the meaning “lest” and is translated in Greek by μήποτε (mēpote) or μή (mē) as the Greek version does here. Hence it is separated from the preceding and translated “otherwise” for the sake of English style.
28 Heb “this thing.”
29 Heb “is false” or “is a lie.”