The Murder of Gedaliah ben Ahikam
The governor left over the remnant in the Land was murdered by his own people. The last inhabitants then fled to Egypt, and the country was emptied altogether.
Nebuzaradan deported nearly everyone but left the poorest as vinedressers and farmers, and set over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan — from a family that had protected prophets for generations; his father had once saved Jeremiah from death. Gedaliah settled at Mizpah. Refugees who had hidden in neighboring lands streamed back, "and they gathered wine and summer fruit in great abundance." Jeremiah stayed with him. For the first time in years there was hope of ordinary life on their own soil under foreign rule.
Johanan son of Kareah came and warned him: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, of royal blood, has been sent by Baalis king of Ammon to kill you — let me strike first. Gedaliah answered, "Do not do this thing, for what you say of Ishmael is false."
In the seventh month Ishmael came with ten men, ate bread with him at Mizpah, then rose and killed him, along with the Jews who were there and the Babylonian garrison.
The survivors, terrified of Babylonian reprisal, fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah against his will. The land lay empty. The day of the murder, the third of Tishrei, is kept as the Fast of Gedaliah, immediately after Rosh Hashanah.