Jeremiah 40:7-16

71Now all the 2commanders of the forces that were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women and 3children, those of the 4poorest of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon. 8So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with 5Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and 6Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the 7Netophathite, and 8Jezaniah the son of the 9Maacathite, both they and their men. 9Then Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, 10swore to them and to their men, saying, “11Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans; stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, that it may go well with you. 10Now as for me, behold, I am going to stay at Mizpah to 12stand for you before the Chaldeans who come to us; but as for you, 13gather in wine and 14summer fruit and oil and put them in your storage vessels, and live in your cities that you have taken over.” 11Likewise, also all the Jews who were in 15Moab and among the sons of 16Ammon and in 17Edom and who were in all the other countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan. 12Then all the Jews 18returned from all the places to which they had been driven away and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered in wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

13Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14and said to him, “Are you well aware that Baalis the king of the sons of 19Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them. 15Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “20Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and not a man will know! Why should he 21take your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the 22remnant of Judah would perish?” 16But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “23Do not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”