Single lesson
Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall
2 Kings 25:22–26; Jeremiah 40:7–41:18
After Jerusalem fell, a small remnant in Judah found brief order under Gedaliah, but violence soon shattered it.
Before you teach
After Jerusalem fell, the king of Babylon left people in Judah and appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor. The military leaders who were still out in the countryside came to Mizpah with their men. Gedaliah urged them not to fear the Chaldeans, but to live in the land, serve the king of Babylon, gather produce, and stay in their towns. Jews who had been scattered to Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other places heard that a remnant was still left in Judah under Gedaliah. They returned to Mizpah and gathered…
Explain the central teaching of Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall, using two details from the reading. After Jerusalem fell, a small remnant in Judah found brief order under Gedaliah, but violence soon shattered it.
Welcome: Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall
5 minIntroduce “Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall” and locate 2 Kings 25:22–26; Jeremiah 40:7–41:18. After Jerusalem fell, a small remnant in Judah found brief order under Gedaliah, but violence soon shattered it. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
2 Kings 25:22, Jeremiah 41:2, Jeremiah 41:18
Read and explain the passage
12 minAfter Jerusalem fell, the king of Babylon left people in Judah and appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor. The military leaders who were still out in the countryside came to Mizpah with their men. Gedaliah urged them not to fear the Chaldeans, but to live in the land, serve the king of Babylon, gather produce, and stay in their towns.
The next day, before anyone knew what had happened, eighty men came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They were mourning and carrying offerings to bring to the Lord's house. Ishmael went out to meet them, drew them into the city, and killed them. He stopped only when ten begged for their lives and offered hidden stores from the field.
Johanan gathered the rescued remnant, including soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, and they stayed near Bethlehem as they planned to go to Egypt. They were afraid of the Chaldeans because Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, the governor Babylon had set over the land. Kings sums up the fearful flight simply by saying that people both small and great, with the commanders, went to Egypt.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
2 Kings 25:22, Jeremiah 40:9, Jeremiah 41:18, Jeremiah 41:5, Jeremiah 41:8, Jeremiah 41:7, Jeremiah 41:16, 2 Kings 25:26
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with ““Jews who had been scattered to Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other places heard that a remnant was still left in Judah under Gedaliah.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. After Jerusalem fell, a small remnant in Judah found brief order under Gedaliah, but violence soon shattered it. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Jeremiah 40:12, Jeremiah 40:11, Jeremiah 40:15, Jeremiah 41:5, Jeremiah 41:8, Jeremiah 41:7, Jeremiah 41:18, Jeremiah 41:16, 2 Kings 25:26
Make and respond: Choices and outcomes evidence map
12 minWork on “Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall: Choices and outcomes evidence map”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
2 Kings 25:22, Jeremiah 41:2, Jeremiah 41:18
Closing: return to Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall
3 minRevisit 2 Kings 25:22–26; Jeremiah 40:7–41:18. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
2 Kings 25:22, Jeremiah 41:2, Jeremiah 41:18
Questions to explore
“Jews who had been scattered to Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other places heard that a remnant was still left in Judah under Gedaliah.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?
Jews who had been scattered to Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other places heard that a remnant was still left in Judah under Gedaliah. They returned to Mizpah and gathered plenty of wine and summer fruit. Then Johanan and the other commanders warned Gedaliah that Baalis king of the Ammonites had sent Ishmael to kill him. Gedaliah did not believe the warning, and he refused Johanan's…
Jeremiah 40:12, Jeremiah 40:11, Jeremiah 40:15
How does this moment affect the rest of the account: “The next day, before anyone knew what had happened, eighty men came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria.”?
The next day, before anyone knew what had happened, eighty men came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They were mourning and carrying offerings to bring to the Lord's house. Ishmael went out to meet them, drew them into the city, and killed them. He stopped only when ten begged for their lives and offered hidden stores from the field.
Jeremiah 41:5, Jeremiah 41:8, Jeremiah 41:7
“Johanan gathered the rescued remnant, including soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, and they stayed near Bethlehem as they planned to go to Egypt.” How does this ending connect with the beginning?
Johanan gathered the rescued remnant, including soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, and they stayed near Bethlehem as they planned to go to Egypt. They were afraid of the Chaldeans because Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, the governor Babylon had set over the land. Kings sums up the fearful flight simply by saying that people both small and great, with the commanders, went to Egypt.
Jeremiah 41:18, Jeremiah 41:16, 2 Kings 25:26
Make, think or respond
Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall: Choices and outcomes evidence map
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Words or actions”, “What happens next”, “Verse reference”.
- Read 2 Kings 25:22–26; Jeremiah 40:7–41:18. Use “Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Compare two actions or statements in the account and explain their different outcomes.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Gedaliah and the Crisis after Jerusalem's Fall” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of 2 Kings 25:22–26; Jeremiah 40:7–41:18. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read 2 Kings 25:22–26; Jeremiah 40:7–41:18. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
2 Kings 25
22 As for the people who were left in the land of Judah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor.
23 Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.
24 Gedaliah swore to them and to their men, and said to them, “Don’t be afraid because of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.”
25 But in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal offspring came, and ten men with him, and struck Gedaliah so that he died, with the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah.
26 All the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
Jeremiah 40
7 Now when all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, women, children, and of the poorest of the land, of those who were not carried away captive to Babylon,
8 then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men came to Gedaliah to Mizpah.
9 Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.
10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who will come to us; but you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.”
11 Likewise when all the Jews who were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan,
12 then all the Jews returned out of all places where they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and gathered very much wine and summer fruits.
13 Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
14 and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam didn’t believe them.
15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, “Please let me go, and I will kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man will know it. Why should he take your life, that all the Jews who are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant of Judah perish?”
16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you speak falsely of Ishmael.”
Jeremiah 41
1 Now in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal offspring and one of the chief officers of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they ate bread together in Mizpah.
2 Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah arose, and the ten men who were with him, and struck Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.
3 Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean men of war who were found there.
4 The second day after he had killed Gedaliah, and no man knew it,
5 men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even eighty men, having their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and having cut themselves, with meal offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring them to Yahweh’s house.
6 Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went, and as he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.”
7 It was so, when they came into the middle of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah killed them, and cast them into the middle of the pit, he, and the men who were with him.
8 But ten men were found among those who said to Ishmael, “Don’t kill us; for we have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey.” So he stopped, and didn’t kill them among their brothers.
9 Now the pit in which Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had killed, by the side of Gedaliah (this was that which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel), Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with those who were killed.
10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all of the people who were left in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the children of Ammon.
11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,
12 then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.
13 Now when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, then they were glad.
14 So all the people who Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned about and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.
15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the children of Ammon.
16 Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him took all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after he had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—the men of war, with the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon.
17 They departed and lived in Geruth Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt
18 because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.