ירמיהו, פרק מ׳, פסוק ט״ו

In a secret meeting, a desperate plan is proposed to protect the fragile Jewish settlement remaining in the land. Yochanan son of Kareah approaches Gedaliah with an offer to carry out an unofficial, covert assassination of Ishmael son of Nethaniah. Yochanan, who may have been a personal friend of Gedaliah, has the backing of a battalion of soldiers, whereas Ishmael lacks such support [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He urges immediate action, wanting to strike Ishmael before he has any opportunity to harm Gedaliah [מצודת דוד].

The proposal centers on complete secrecy. Yochanan plans to act quietly so that no one will ever know who killed Ishmael or the reason behind his death [מצודת דוד]. He understands that Gedaliah might hesitate to execute a man based merely on suspicion, fearing public backlash for ordering a death without a proper trial. To resolve this dilemma, Yochanan volunteers to take the burden upon himself, carrying out the mission secretly and without any official directive from Gedaliah [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The driving force behind this extreme measure is not just the protection of a leader, but a profound concern for the survival of the nation. Yochanan warns that if Gedaliah is murdered, the immediate result will be the scattering and separation of all the Jews who have gathered around him [מצודת ציון]. Gedaliah represents the final hope for the Jews living in the land. Without his leadership to unite the people, the land cannot be rebuilt, and the surviving remnant of the nation will be completely lost and dispersed [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].