Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.
Then Ishmael took everyone who was left in Mizpah as prisoners, including the king's daughters and all the other people who had been placed under Gedaliah's protection by Nebuzaradan (the captain of the guard). Ishmael captured them all and headed toward the Ammonites' territory.
Ishmael betrayed everyone's trust and kidnapped the survivors who thought they were finally safe.
📚 Historical Context
During the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC, the city had fallen, and Gedaliah was appointed as governor over the remnant of the Jewish people left in Judah. Ishmael, a descendant of King David, opposed this Babylonian-appointed leadership, assassinated Gedaliah, and seized captives including the king's daughters to escape to the Ammonites amid the ongoing chaos of exile. This event highlights the internal conflicts and instability among the Jews as they dealt with foreign domination and internal betrayals.
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