Jeremiah 40:7

7 Now when it came to the ears of all the captains of the forces who were in the field, and their men, that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, ruler in the land, and had put under his care the men and women and children, all the poorest of the land, those who had not been taken away to Babylon;

Jeremiah 40:7 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 40:7

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.

Jeremiah 40:7 In-Context

5 Then go back to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made ruler over the towns of Judah, and make your living-place with him among the people; or go wherever it seems right to you to go. So the captain of the armed men gave him food and some money and let him go.

6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, in Mizpah, and was living with him among the people who were still in the land.

7 Now when it came to the ears of all the captains of the forces who were in the field, and their men, that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, ruler in the land, and had put under his care the men and women and children, all the poorest of the land, those who had not been taken away to Babylon;

8 Then they came to Gedaliah in Mizpah, even Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, the son of Kareah, and Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah, the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.

9 And Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to them and their men, saying, Have no fear of the servants of the Chaldaeans: go on living in the land, and become the servants of the king of Babylon, and all will be well.