8they and their men came to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite.
9Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan took an oath to reassure them and their men, saying, 'Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you.'
10As for me, I will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us. But you must gather wine, summer fruit, and oil, store them in your containers, and live in the cities you have taken over.
11When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other lands heard that the king of Babylon had allowed a remnant to remain in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan as governor over them,
12all the Jews returned from all the places where they had been scattered. They came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered an abundance of wine and summer fruit.
13Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces in the countryside came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.
14They said to him, 'Do you know that Baalis, the king of Ammon, has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to assassinate you?' But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
15Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah, saying, 'Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah. No one will know about it. Why should he take your life, causing all the Jews who have gathered to you to scatter and leaving the remnant of Judah to perish?'