Jeremiah 40:7

THE PEOPLE COME TO GEDALIAH

"Now when all the captains of the forces that 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 the poorest of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon; then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, to wit, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezuniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you."

"The forces that were in the fields ..." (Jeremiah 40:7). These were straggling remainders of the defenders of Jerusalem. There were only seven of these "captains" of small groups; and they had not been considered important enough for Nebuzaradan to bother with "mopping them up."

"Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon ..." (Jeremiah 40:9). Gedaliah's message was one of peace and encouragement. As representative of the king of Babylon, Gedaliah assured them that there would be no reprisals. Those persons against whom Nebuchadnezzar sought revenge were already dead or on their way into captivity; and all that remained for the pitiful remnant of a once proud nation to do was to settle down in peace and submission to their new masters.