He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge
of the men of war
The master-master-general of the army: and seven men of them which were near the king's person which were
found in the city;
or, "saw the face of the king": or rather, "made to see [his] face" F8; these were ministers of state, who were always at court, and assisted in councils of state, and introduced persons into the king's presence; in ( 2 Kings 25:19 ) ; they are said to be but "five"; but Josephus F9 has seven, as here; perhaps two of them were of less note, and so not reckoned, as Jarchi observes: some will have it, that the two scribes of the judges are left out; but others, more probably, Jeremiah and Baruch, who were first taken, and afterwards dismissed: and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the
land;
or the scribe of the prince of the army, as the Targum; the general's secretary: and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the
midst of the city:
persons of prime note, who, upon the invasion, betook themselves from the country to the city of Jerusalem with their effects, and to defend it. Josephus F11 calls them rulers or governors.