Some of the poor Jews of the land were allowed to stay behind in the conquered land of Judah under Gedaliah, whom the victorious King Nebuchadnezzar had appointed to be governor over the land. That took place in the fifth lunar month (Ab) of 607 B.C.E. Jeremiah and his secretary Baruch had been spared alive, and the Babylonian army commander granted Jeremiah his choice of remaining behind with the poor of the land under Governor Gedaliah.

11. Why did Ammonite King Baalis consider Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to be a good tool in putting Gedaliah, the Jewish governor, out of the way?

¹¹ Here there stepped upon the stage of action a villain! He appeared in the person of Ishmael the son of Nethaniah. Likely King Baalis of the Ammonites to whom Ishmael had fled from before the Babylonians felt Ishmael a good one to hire to assassinate Gedaliah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar appointed to be the provincial governor of Judah. Why so? Because Ishmael was “of the royal offspring.” So through Elishama, his grandfather, Ishmael had royal connections and was one of the “principal men of the king.” (Jer. 41:1) Hence, this official associate of deposed King Zedekiah could resent it that Gedaliah was made governor despite his not being “of the royal offspring.” So Ammonite King Baalis, who had rejoiced at Jerusalem’s destruction, made Ishmael his tool in putting Gedaliah out of the way.​—Ps. 83:7, 8; Jer. 40:14.

12. How did Ishmael carry out his foul play, and yet why was he finally obliged to flee?

¹² Despite the warning of Johanan the son of Kareah, Gedaliah hosted Ishmael and his 10 associates at a meal in the new governmental city of Mizpah, some miles north of the ruins of Jerusalem. Though some Babylonian soldiers were present, Ishmael and his band took by surprise all those at the meal and nearby and foully murdered them all. (Jer. 41:2, 3)