Ishmael and the ten men with him pulled out their swords and killed Gedaliah.

Ishmael also killed all the Israelites who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah and the Babylonian soldiers who happened to be there.

As soon as they were inside the city, Ishmael and his men killed them and threw their bodies in a well.

Some of the Judean officers and soldiers had not surrendered. They heard that the king of Babylonia had made Gedaliah governor of the land and had placed him in charge of all those who had not been taken away to Babylonia---the poorest people in the land.

So Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophah, and Jezaniah from Maacah went with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

After this, Johanan and the leaders of the soldiers who had not surrendered came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

Then Johanan said privately to him, "Let me go and kill Ishmael, and no one will know who did it. Why should he be allowed to murder you? That would cause all the Jews who have gathered around you to be scattered, and it would bring disaster on all the people who are left in Judah."

Then all the army leaders, including Johanan son of Kareah and Azariah son of Hoshaiah, came with people of every class

Pray that the LORD our God will show us the way we should go and what we should do."

Then Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the other arrogant men said to me, "You are lying. The LORD our God did not send you to tell us not to go and live in Egypt.

So neither Johanan nor any of the army officers nor any of the people would obey the LORD's command to remain in the land of Judah.