And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler.
As for the people who were left behind in the land of Judah—those whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had not taken away—he appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them.
The writer is explaining that after conquering Judah, the Babylonian king left some people behind and appointed a Jewish governor named Gedaliah to rule over them.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred around 586 BC after Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, taking most of the population into exile in Babylon. The Babylonians typically left behind the poorest people to work the land and maintain basic agriculture. Gedaliah came from a prominent family that had served previous kings of Judah and was trusted by the Babylonians to maintain order.
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