Gedaliah
     made great by Jehovah. (1.) the son of Jeduthum (1 Chr. 25:3,
     9). (2.) The grandfather of the prophet Zephaniah, and the
     father of Cushi (Zeph. 1:1). (3.) One of the Jewish nobles who
     conspired against Jeremiah (Jer. 38:1). (4.) The son of Ahikam,
     and grandson of Shaphan, secretary of king Josiah (Jer. 26:24).
     After the destruction of Jerusalem (see ZEDEKIAH),
     Nebuchadnezzar left him to govern the country as tributary to
     him (2 Kings 25:22; Jer. 40:5; 52:16). Ishmael, however, at the
     head of a party of the royal family, "Jewish irreconcilables",
     rose against him, and slew him and "all the Jews that were with
     him" (Jer. 41:2, 3) at Mizpah about three months after the
     destruction of Jerusalem. He and his band also plundered the
     town of Mizpah, and carried off many captives. He was, however,
     overtaken by Johanan and routed. He fled with such of his
     followers as escaped to the Ammonites (41:15). The little
     remnant of the Jews now fled to Egypt.