Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 41:6

"And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam." — Jeremiah 41:6 (ASV)

Ishmael’s conduct seems to have been dictated by the malicious desire utterly to frustrate Gedaliah’s work.

Weeping - By this artifice he lured them into Mizpah. The Septuagint: as they were ... weeping.