, who, during the siege of Jerusalem, fled to Baalis, the king
of the Ammonites, and abode with him during that time; and Gedaliah
persuaded them, now they were there, to stay with him, and to have no
fear of the Babylonians, for that if they would cultivate the country,
they should suffer no harm. This he assured them of by oath; and said
that they should have him for their patron, and that if any disturbance
should arise, they should find him ready to defend them. He also advised
them to dwell in any city, as every one of them pleased; and that they
would send men along with his own servants, and rebuild their houses
upon the old foundations, and dwell there; and he admonished them
beforehand, that they should make preparation, while the season lasted,
of corn, and wine, and oil, that they might have whereon to feed during
the winter. When he had thus discoursed to them, he dismissed them, that
every one might dwell in what place of the country he pleased.

3. Now when this report was spread abroad as far as the nations that
bordered on Judea, that Gedaliah kindly entertained those that came to
him, after they had fled away, upon this [only] condition, that they
should pay tribute to the king of Babylon, they also came readily to
Gedaliah, and inhabited the country. And when Johanan, and the rulers
that were with him, observed the country, and the humanity of Gedaliah,
they were exceedingly in love with him, and told him that Baalis, the
king of the Ammonites, had sent Ishmael to kill him by treachery, and
secretly, that he might have the dominion over the Israelites, as being
of the royal family; and they said that he might deliver himself from
this treacherous design, if he would give them leave to slay Ishmael,
and nobody should know it, for they told him they were afraid that, when
he was killed by the other, the entire ruin of the remaining strength
of the Israelites would ensue. But he professed that he did not believe
what they said, when they told him of such a treacherous design, in a
man that had been well treated by him; because it was not probable that
one who, under such a want of all things, had failed of nothing that was
necessary for him, should be found so wicked and ungrateful towards his
benefactor, that when it would be an instance of wickedness in him not
to save him, had he been treacherously assaulted by others, to endeavor,
and that earnestly, to kill him with his own hands: that, however, if he