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 Imba njidrieri ndroa ana rosi oko, Isamaele, ŋgwa Natania ro kwozo Elisama ro, se ni alo aza gboko 'di katidri 'bädri'ba ro ro ago 'desi otaozo'bai kyila'bai 'bädri'ba ro ro ana, oyiyite lidri 'butealo azaka yibe Gedalaya ondrene Mizepa ya. Ondro ànya kayite ŋgaonya voaloya oko, 2 Isamaele ndi lidri se 'butealo nda be kai be eŋgyeyi bandoi ànyaro te ago fuyi Gedalaya se 'bädri'ba Babelona ro ko'babe wari'ba ro wari ya ana te. 3 Ago Isamaele tufu Yisaraele'bai se cini Gedalaya be Mizepa ya kai kpate ndi kyila'bai Babelona'bai ro se lau kai be.
4 Kyenonosi, dri ṛo teinye 'diaza ufu Gedalaya ro tana uniako oko, 5 lidri 'butenjidriena esayite ni Sekeme, Silo, ndi Samaria be yasi. Ànya vuyi tiṛi'bi ànyaro te, towayi boŋgo ànyaro te, ago toloyi lomvo ànyaro te. Ànya eziyi inya ndi ŋga ŋgutruro be te ozone ŋgapäṛi ro Yekalu ya. 6 Ta'dota Isamaele fote ni Mizepa yasi drî ànyaro utune, ugu liyi be oyivoya. Ondro nda kosate ànyare oko, nda atate ekye: “Rägu nyèci tedri Gedalaya ŋgwa Aikama ro ondrene.” 7 Dori ondro ànya kociyite 'bakici ya oko Isamaele ndi lidri se ndaro ana be fuyi ànya te ago voyi avo ànyaro te koro aza ya.
8 Oko lidri azaka orivoya 'butealo ni gboko se ana lakosi se atayite Isamaele ri ekye: “Rägu mifu ama ko! Ama orivoya kaaza, kyifo, ido ice ido ro ro, ndi epe be be mada'dote lowo ya.” Ta'dota nda e'be ànya te ufuako. 9 Koro se Isamaele kovo avo lidri se nda kutufube kai robe kigye ana orivoya 'desi para se 'Bädri'ba Asa ku'dibe yi gagaro tuse Basa 'Bädri'ba Yisaraele ro kogota nda be ana si. Isamaele lovo avo te twi koro se ana ya. 10 'Dooko Isamaele ru lidri se Mizepa ya kayi te kamba'bai ro ndi ndiriŋwa 'bädri'ba ro ago lidri cini se Mizepa ya, se Nebuzaradana otaozo'ba kyila'bai ro ke'bebe Gedalaya ri vona ondrene kai. Isamaele ru ànya te kamba'bai ro ago eto oyite ogone wari Amona ro driro.
11 Joanana ndi dri'bai cini kyila'bai ro se nda be ana eriyi takozi se Isamaele koyebe ana tana te. 12 Ta'dota ànya soyite Isamaele vo lidri ànyaro yibe ago tayivo ndaro te lototi cece 'desi se Gibeona ya ana lomvo. 13 Ondro kamba'bai Isamaele ro kondreyi Joanana ndi dri'bai kyila'bai ro se nda be ana te oko, ànya a'doyite yai'dwesi. 14 Ta'dota lidri se cini Isamaele kurube kamba'bai ro ni Mizapa yasi iyi ezayidrite ago imuyite Joanana re. 15 Caoko Isamaele ndi lidri njidriena ndaro azaka be muyite payivote ni Joanana ri ago muyite le wari Amona roya.
16 'Dooko Joanana ndi dri'bai kyila'bai ro se nda be kai be ruyi lidri se Isamaele kurube kamba'bai ro ni Mizepa yasi ufu Gedalaya ro vosi ana te, kyila'bai, 'ditoko, ŋgàga, ndi 'dise rotii ro iyi yibe ago logo ànya te ni Gibeona yasi. 17 Ànya kyi riyi drite Geruta Kimama ya loto Beteleme lomvo mio'babe oyine Ezipeto ya, 18 ruopane ni Babelona'bai ri. Tana ànya orivoya turiro tana Isamaele fu Gedalaya se 'bädri'ba Babelona ro 'ba be ànya dri ana te.