¹⁷ And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham^(A) near Bethlehem^(B) on their way to Egypt^(C)

¹⁸ to escape the Babylonians.^[a] They were afraid^(A) of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah^(B) son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.