2 Kings 25:19 - Exposition

And out of the city he took an officer —literally, a eunuch— that was set over the man of war —eunuchs were often employed in the East as commanders of soldiers. Bagoas, general of the Persian monarch, Ochus, is a noted example— and five men of them that were in the king's presence— literally, of them that saw the king ' s face ; i.e. that were habitually about the court; Jeremiah says ( Jeremiah 50:25 ) "seven men" instead of five— which were found in the city —the majority of the courtiers had, no doubt, dispersed, and were not to be found when Nebuzar-adan searched for them— and the principal scribe of the host ; rather, as in the margin, the scribe of the captain of the host ( τὸν γραμματέα τοῦ ἄρχοντος τῆς δυνάμεως , LXX .). "Scribes" or "secretaries" always accompanied the march of Assyrian armies, to count and record the number of the slain, to catalogue the spoil, perhaps to write dispatches and the like. We may gather that Jewish commandants were similarly attended. Which mustered the people of the land — i.e ; enrolled them, or entered them upon the army list, another of the "scribe's" duties— and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city. Probably notables of one kind or another, persons regarded as especially responsible for the revolt.