Jeremiah 40:7

“Now when all the captains of the forces which [were] in the fields, etc.] Not the captains of the king of Babylon’s forces, but the captains of the king of Judah’s forces; who either during the siege had lurked in the fields and villages, not daring to fall upon the Chaldean army, or attempt to raise the siege; or rather who fled with Zedekiah from Jerusalem, when the city was taken, and who deserted him, when he was apprehended, and shifted for themselves, and were dispersed about in the country, where they continued for some little time: but when they and their men; their servants, or rather the common soldiers that were under them: heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son…”

“captains . . . in the fields--The leaders of the Jewish army had been "scattered" throughout the country on the capture of Zedekiah (Jer 52:8), in order to escape the notice of the Chaldeans.”

“The men would be the old and infirm: the women those whose husbands and protectors had perished in the wars (e. g. Jeremiah 41:10). The word children includes all the inferior members of a household. return to 'Top of Page'”

“40:7-12 The new government was organized under Gedaliah, who belonged to a family of high rank. His grandfather Shaphan had taken King Josiah the scroll of the law that sparked reformation (2 Kgs 22:10). Gedaliah’s father, Ahikam, had held a high post in Jehoiakim’s close circle of officials, and he had saved Jeremiah’s life (Jer 26:24). 40:7-8 News spread swiftly among the Judean guerrilla bands and the poor people who were left behind about Gedaliah’s appointment as governor. A small group of guerrilla leaders arranged to meet with Gedaliah in order to gain a better understanding of the new governor’s plans.”

“all the: Jer 39:4; Kg2 25:4, Kg2 25:22, Kg2 25:23-26 the poor: Jer 39:10; Eze 33:24-29, Eze 45:16 Jeremiah 40:8”

“Return of those who had been dispersed: they gather round Gedaliah. - Whilst the country and its capital were being conquered, many of the men of war had dispersed here and there through the land, and fled for refuge to regions difficult of access, where they could not be reached by the Chaldeans; others had even escaped into the territory of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites. When these heard that now, after the destruction of Jerusalem and the carrying away of the captives, the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor over the few people who had been left behind in the country, they returned from their several places of refuge, and came to Mizpah to Gedaliah, who promised…”