Bible Reading Plan

Gedaliah Assassinated by Ishmael

¹ In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family and one of the king's chief officers, came with 10 men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. They ate a meal together there in Mizpah, ² but then Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the 10 men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword; he killed the one the king of Babylon had appointed in the land. ³ Ishmael also struck down all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Chaldean soldiers who were there.^(a)

⁴ On the second day after he had killed Gedaliah, when no one knew yet, ⁵ 80 men came from Shechem, Shiloh,^(b) and Samaria^(c) who had shaved their beards,^(d) torn their garments, and gashed themselves, and who were carrying grain and incense offerings to bring to the temple of the Lord .^{(e) 6} Ishmael son of Nethaniah came out of Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he came. When he encountered them, he said: "Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam!" ⁷ But when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and threw them into^[a] a cistern.

⁸ However, there were 10 men among them who said to Ishmael, "Don't kill us, for we have hidden treasure in the field—wheat, barley, oil, and honey!" So he stopped and did not kill them along with their companions. ⁹ Now the cistern where Ishmael had thrown all the corpses of the men he had struck down was a large one^[b] that King Asa had made in the encounter with Baasha king of Israel.^(f) Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain.

¹⁰ Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people of Mizpah including the daughters of the king—all those who remained in Mizpah over whom Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set off to cross over to the Ammonites.^(g)

The Captives Rescued by Johanan

¹¹ When Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies^(h) with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done, ¹² they took all their men and went to fight with Ishmael son of Nethaniah and found him by the great pool in Gibeon.^{(i) 13} When all the people with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the army with him, they rejoiced, ¹⁴ and all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned around and rejoined Johanan son of Kareah. ¹⁵ But Ishmael son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the Ammonites. ¹⁶ Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him then took from Mizpah all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam—men, soldiers, women, children, and court officials whom he brought back from Gibeon. ¹⁷ They left, stopping in Geruth Chimham,^(j) which is near Bethlehem, in order to make their way into Egypt, ¹⁸ away from the Chaldeans. For they feared them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed in the land.^(k)

Chapter 11

Heroes of Faith

¹ Now faith is the reality^[a] of what is hoped for, the proof^[b] of what is not seen.^{(a) 2} For our ancestors won God's approval by it.

³ By faith we understand that the universe was^[c] created by God's command,^[d](b) so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible.

⁴ By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.^(c)

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not experience death, and he was not to be found because God took him away. ^[e] For prior to his removal he was approved, since he had pleased God.^{(d) 6} Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

⁷ By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.^(e)

⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going.^{(f) 9} By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise.^{(g) 10} For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.^(h)

¹¹ By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she^[f] considered that the One who had promised was faithful.^{(i) 12} Therefore from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore.^(j)

¹³ These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance,^(k) greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.^{(l) 14} Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵ If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.^(m)

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac.⁽ⁿ⁾ He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, ¹⁸ the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced ^[g] through Isaac. ^{(o)[h] 19} He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead,^(p) and as an illustration,^[i] he received him back.