So the large majority of the people of Yehudah were exiled out of their country. 22 From those who the Babylonian King Nevukadnetstsar allowed to remain, he appointed Gedalyah (son of Shafan’s son Ahikam) over them. 23 When all the army captains and their men heard that the Babylonian king had appointed Gedalyah, they came to Gedalyah at Mitspah. This was Netanyah’s son Yishmael, Kareah’s son Yohanan, Tanhumet’s son Serayah the Netofatite, and the Maakatite’s son Yaazanyah, along with their men. 24 Gedaliah made an agreement with them and their men, telling them, “Don’t be afraid of the Babylonian officials. Stay in the land and serve the Babylonian king, and he’ll be good to you.” 25 But in the seventh month, Yishmael (the son of Netanyah, the son of Elishama who was a descendant of King David) brought ten men with him and attacked Gedalyah, and killed him, along with the Yehudans and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mitspah. 26 After that, all the people, with or without any official status, along with the army commanders fled to Egypt because they were afraid of what the Babylonians might do to them.

7 Now some commanders of Judean soldiers who were still in the countryside, along with their men heard that the Babylonian king had made Ahikam’s son Gedalyah governor over the land. They also heard that he’d put him in charge of the men, women, and children who were the poorest people in the land—those who hadn’t been exiled to Babylon.[ref] 8 So they went to Gedalyah at Mitspah. Those who went were Netanyah’s son Yishmael, Kareah’s sons Yohanan and Yonatan, Tanhumet’s son Serayah, the sons of Ofai the Netofatite, and Maakati’s son Yezanyah, and their men. 9 Gedalyah (son of Ahikam, son of Shafan) made a promise to them and their men, saying, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Babylonian officials. Live in the land and serve the Babylonian king, and it will go well with you.