Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, 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 to Babylon;
When all the military commanders and their troops who were still hiding out in the countryside heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah (Ahikam's son) as governor over the land, and that he was put in charge of the men, women, children, and poor people who hadn't been taken away to Babylon as prisoners,
Word spread fast that someone was finally put in charge of the people left behind.
📚 Historical Context
In 586 BC, after the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem and the exile of most Jewish leaders, the king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah as governor over the remaining people in Judah to maintain order and administer the land. This included entrusting him with the poor, women, children, and others who were not taken captive, as part of Babylon's strategy to stabilize the region. The verse highlights the reaction of the military captains in the fields, who were likely guerrilla fighters or remnants of Judah's army, upon hearing this news.
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