Nethaniah was a man of royal lineage in Judah, the son of Elishama. He is best known as the father of Ishmael, who murdered Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor over Judah after the fall of Jerusalem. Through his son Ishmael's actions, Nethaniah's name became linked to one of the most dramatic events following Judah's downfall.
25But in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and struck Gedaliah down, killing him along with the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.
1In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, who was of royal descent and one of the king's chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there at Mizpah,
14and said to him, "Are you not aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?" But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah: "Let me go and strike down Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know. Why should he take your life and scatter all the Judeans who have gathered around you, so that the remnant of Judah perishes?"
1In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, who was of royal descent and one of the king's chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there at Mizpah,
2Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the man whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, killed Gedaliah at a meal in Mizpah, along with Judeans and Chaldeans who were present. This was an event of great political significance.
25But in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and struck Gedaliah down, killing him along with the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.
26Then all the people, from the least to the greatest, together with the army commanders, set out and fled to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
1In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, who was of royal descent and one of the king's chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there at Mizpah,
2Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the man whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
5eighty men came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, their beards shaved, their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, carrying grain offerings and frankincense to bring to the house of the LORD.
8Ten of them, however, said to Ishmael, "Do not kill us, for we have hidden stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey in the fields." So he held back and did not kill them with the others.
9The cistern where Ishmael threw all the bodies of the men he had struck down along with Gedaliah was the one King Asa had made as a defense against Baasha king of Israel; Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.
16Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces with him took charge of all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah at Mizpah after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam—soldiers, women, children, and court officials whom he brought back from Gibeon.
After Ishmael's actions, the remaining people, including the prophet Jeremiah, fled to Egypt out of fear of Babylonian revenge—a direct consequence of the Nethaniah family's deeds.
4So Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces and all the people refused to obey the voice of the LORD, which told them to stay in the land of Judah.
5Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took the whole remnant of Judah—those who had come back from all the nations where they had been scattered, to live in the land of Judah:
6the men, the women, the children, the king's daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, along with Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah.