¹³ Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the military forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah ¹⁴ and said to him, “Do you indeed know that Baalis the king of the sons of ^(A)Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to strike down your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them. ¹⁵ Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “^(B)Let me go and strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and not a man will know! Why should he ^(C)strike down your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the ^(D)remnant of Judah would perish?” ¹⁶ But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “^(E)Do not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”