(7) Now when all the captains of the forces.--A new section of the history begins, ending with the murder of Gedaliah and its sequel. in Jeremiah 41:18. The commanders of the armies that had fought against the invader in the open country found it hopeless to continue the struggle after the capture of Jerusalem. What were they to do? The king of Babylon had, by appointing Gedaliah, himself a prince of Judah, shown a disposition to treat the conquered people leniently. Could they do better than apply to him for protection?

Verses 7-12. - The Jewish fugitives resort to Gedaliah, who promises them protection as long as they are loyal to Babylon. Verse 7. - In the fields; rather, in the field; i.e. in the open country, as opposed to the towns. Men, and women, and children. Old and worn out men, helpless widows, and fatherless children. Royal princesses were among them (Jeremiah 41:10).

40:7-16 Jeremiah had never in his prophecies spoken of any good days for the Jews, to come immediately after the captivity; yet Providence seemed to encourage such an expectation. But how soon is this hopeful prospect blighted! When God begins a judgment, he will complete it. While pride, ambition, or revenge, bears rule in the heart, men will form new projects, and be restless in mischief, which commonly ends in their own ruin. Who would have thought, that after the destruction of Jerusalem, rebellion would so soon have sprung up? There can be no thorough change but what grace makes. And if the miserable, who are kept in everlasting chains for the judgment of the great day, were again permitted to come on earth, the sin and evil of their nature would be unchanged. Lord, give us new hearts, and that new mind in which the new birth consists, since thou hast said we cannot without it see thy heavenly kingdom.Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields,.... 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 of Ahikam governor in the land; his viceroy or deputy governor in the land of Judea; being a prince of considerable note among the Jews, and in high favour with the king of Babylon:

and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive unto Babylon; even as many men, women, children, and poor, as were left in the land, and not carried captive; these were all committed to the care of this prince, to rule over and govern them; to keep them in subjection to the king of Babylon; to employ them in cultivating the land, from whence some profit might arise to the conqueror and new proprietor of it.