Chapter 41

1And it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama of royal descent and officers of the king and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and they ate bread there together in Mizpah.   אוַיְהִ֣י | בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בָּ֣א יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֣ה בֶן־אֱלִֽישָׁמָ֣ע מִזֶּ֣רַע הַ֠מְּלוּכָה וְרַבֵּ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַֽעֲשָׂרָ֨ה אֲנָשִׁ֥ים אִתּ֛וֹ אֶל־גְּדַלְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָ֖ם הַמִּצְפָּ֑תָה וַיֹּ֨אכְלוּ שָׁ֥ם לֶ֛חֶם יַחְדָּ֖ו בַּמִּצְפָּֽה:
and officers of the king: They were jealous of him that he took a high position.   ורבי המלך: ושרי המלך נתקנאו בו שנטל גדולה:
2And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him arose and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, with the sword, and he slew him, whom the king of Babylon had appointed in the land,   בוַיָּקָם֩ יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֜ה וַֽעֲשֶׂ֥רֶת הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֣ים | אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ אִתּ֗וֹ וַ֠יַּכּוּ אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָ֧ם בֶּן־שָׁפָ֛ן בַּחֶ֖רֶב וַיָּ֣מֶת אֹת֑וֹ אֲשֶׁר־הִפְקִ֥יד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל בָּאָֽרֶץ:
3and all the Jews who were with him, with Gedaliah in Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war, Ishmael smote.   גוְאֵ֣ת כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־הָי֨וּ אִתּ֚וֹ אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ בַּמִּצְפָּ֔ה וְאֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצְאוּ־שָׁ֑ם אֵת אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה הִכָּ֖ה יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל:
4And it came about on the second day of [his] slaying Gedaliah-and no one knew   דוַיְהִ֛י בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֖י לְהָמִ֣ית אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֑הוּ וְאִ֖ישׁ לֹ֥א יָדָֽע:
5that men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, eighty men, with shaven beards and rent garments and having cut themselves, with a meal-offering and frankincense in their hand[s], to bring to the house of the Lord.   הוַיָּבֹ֣אוּ ֽאֲ֠נָשִׁים מִשְּׁכֶ֞ם מִשִּׁל֚וֹ וּמִשֹּֽׁמְרוֹן֙ שְׁמֹנִ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ מְגֻלְּחֵ֥י זָקָ֛ן וּקְרֻעֵ֥י בְגָדִ֖ים וּמִתְגֹּֽדְדִ֑ים וּמִנְחָ֚ה וּלְבוֹנָה֙ בְּיָדָ֔ם לְהָבִ֖יא בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה:
to bring to the house of the Lord: When they left home, they were unaware of the destruction of the Temple, and en route, they heard of it, and rent their clothing and shaved their beards.   להביא בית ה': כשנסעו מביתם לא היו יודעים בחורבן הבית ובדרך שמעו וקרעו בגדיה' וגלחו זקנם:
and having cut themselves: An expression [denoting] laceration.   ומתגודדים: לשון שריטה:
6And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah came out toward them from Mizpah, walking and weeping, and it came about when he met them, that he said to them, "Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam."   ווַ֠יֵּצֵא יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֚ה לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִן־הַמִּצְפָּ֔ה הֹלֵ֥ךְ הָלֹ֖ךְ וּבֹכֶ֑ה וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּפְגֹ֣שׁ אֹתָ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם בֹּ֖אוּ אֶל־גְּדַלְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָֽם:
7And it came to pass when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them into the pit, he and the men who were with him.   זוַיְהִ֕י כְּבוֹאָ֖ם אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר וַיִּשְׁחָטֵ֞ם יִשְׁמָעֵ֚אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה֙ אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ הַבּ֔וֹר ה֖וּא וְהָֽאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־אִתּֽוֹ:
8And ten men were found among them, and they said to Ishmael, "Do not slay us, for we have stores in the field; wheat and barley and oil and honey." And he refrained and did not slay them among their brothers.   חוַֽעֲשָׂרָ֨ה אֲנָשִׁ֜ים נִמְצְאוּ־בָ֗ם וַיֹּֽאמְר֚וּ אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ אַל־תְּמִתֵ֔נוּ כִּֽי־יֶשׁ־לָ֚נוּ מַטְמֹנִים֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה חִטִּ֥ים וּשְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְשֶׁ֣מֶן וּדְבָ֑שׁ וַיֶּחְדַּ֕ל וְלֹ֥א הֱמִיתָ֖ם בְּת֥וֹךְ אֲחֵיהֶֽם:
9Now the pit into which Ishmael had cast all the corpses of the men whom he had slain because of Gedaliah-that was [the one] that King Asa had made because of Baasa, king of Israel. That one Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled with corpses.   טוְהַבּ֗וֹר אֲשֶׁר֩ הִשְׁלִ֨יךְ שָׁ֚ם יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ אֵ֣ת | כָּל־פִּגְרֵ֣י הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֚ר הִכָּה֙ בְּיַד־גְּדַלְיָ֔הוּ ה֗וּא אֲשֶׁ֚ר עָשָׂה֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָסָ֔א מִפְּנֵ֖י בַּעְשָׁ֣א מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֹת֗וֹ מִלֵּ֛א יִשְׁמָעֵ֥אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֖הוּ חֲלָלִֽים:
through Gedaliah: Heb. ביד, [lit. by the hand of Gedaliah]. Since he should have heeded the counsel of Johanan the son of Kareah, and he did not heed, Scripture accounts it for him as though they had been slain by him.   אשר הכה ביד גדליהו: מתוך שהיה לו לחוש לעצת יוחנן בן קרח ולא חש העלה עליו כאילו נהרגו על ידו:
10And Ishmael captured all the remnant of the people that was in Mizpah, the daughters of the king and all the people remaining in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the chief executioner had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah captured them and went to cross over to the children of Ammon.   יוַיִּ֣שְׁבְּ | יִ֠שְׁמָעֵאל אֶת־כָּל־שְׁאֵרִ֨ית הָעָ֜ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמִּצְפָּ֗ה אֶת־בְּנ֚וֹת הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָעָם֙ הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים בַּמִּצְפָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִפְקִ֗יד נְבֽוּזַרְאֲדָן֙ רַב־טַבָּחִ֔ים אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֑ם וַיִּשְׁבֵּם֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֔ה וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ לַֽעֲבֹ֖ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן:
11And Johanan the son of Kareah and all the officers of the armies who were with him heard all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done.   יאוַיִּשְׁמַע֙ יֽוֹחָנָ֣ן בֶּן־קָרֵ֔חַ וְכָל־שָׂרֵ֥י הַֽחֲיָלִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָֽרָעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָֽה:
12And they took all the men and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and they found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.   יבוַיִּקְחוּ֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָֽ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם עִם־יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֑ה וַיִּמְצְא֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ אֶל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּגִבְעֽוֹן:
by the great waters: [By the pool of great waters.]   אל מים רבים: על ברכת מיין סגיאין:
13And it came to pass when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and all the officers of the armies who were with him, they rejoiced.   יגוַיְהִ֗י כִּרְא֚וֹת כָּל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל אֶת־יֽוֹחָנָן֙ בֶּן־קָרֵ֔חַ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־שָׂרֵ֥י הַֽחֲיָלִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׂמָֽחוּ:
14And all the people whom Ishmael had captured from Mizpah turned around, and they returned and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.   ידוַיָּסֹ֙בּוּ֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁבָ֥ה יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל מִן־הַמִּצְפָּ֑ה וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ וַיֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ אֶל־יֽוֹחָנָ֖ן בֶּן־קָרֵֽחַ:
15And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah fled with eight men from before Johanan and went to the children of Ammon.   טווְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֗ה נִמְלַט֙ בִּשְׁמֹנָ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים מִפְּנֵ֖י יֽוֹחָנָ֑ן וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן:
16And Johanan the son of Kareah and all the officers of the armies who were with him took the entire remnant of the people that he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah from Mizpah after he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the men, even the men of war, and the women and children and the officers whom he had brought back from Gibeon.   טזוַיִּקַּח֩ יוֹחָנָ֨ן בֶּן־קָרֵ֜חַ וְכָל־שָׂרֵ֧י הַֽחֲיָלִ֣ים אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ אֵ֣ת כָּל־שְׁאֵרִ֚ית הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵ֠שִׁיב מֵאֵ֨ת יִשְׁמָעֵ֚אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה֙ מִן־הַמִּצְפָּ֔ה אַחַ֣ר הִכָּ֔ה אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֖ה בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֑ם גְּבָרִ֞ים אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וְנָשִׁ֚ים וְטַף֙ וְסָ֣רִסִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵשִׁ֖יב מִגִּבְעֽוֹן:
17And they went and dwelt in Geruth Chimham that is next to Bethlehem, to go to come to Egypt,   יזוַיֵּֽלְכ֗וּ וַיֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙ בְּגֵר֣וּת כִּמְהָ֔ם (כתיב כִּמְוהָ֔ם) אֲשֶׁר־אֵ֖צֶל בֵּ֣ית לָ֑חֶם לָלֶ֖כֶת לָב֥וֹא מִצְרָֽיִם:
in Geruth Chimham: In the sojourning place that David gave to Chimham the son of Barzilai the Gileadite when he returned from the war of Absalom, as it is stated in the Book of Samuel (II 19:39): “Chimham shall go over with me.”   בגרות כמהם: בגרות דיהב דוד לכמהם בר ברזילי גלעדאה, כששב ממלחמת אבשלום כמו שנאמר בספר (שמואל ב י״ט:ל״ט) אתי יעבור כמהם וגו':
18because of the Chaldeans, for they feared them, for Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed in the land.   יחמִפְּנֵי֙ הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים כִּ֥י יָֽרְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־הִכָּ֞ה יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֗ה אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִפְקִ֥יד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל בָּאָֽרֶץ: