John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 40:7-8

"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 of 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 Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men." — Jeremiah 40:7-8 (ASV)

Gedaliah has been mentioned before. We have seen that the Prophet was once rescued from death through his kindness, for he intervened for him when almost all by common consent condemned the holy Prophet to death. And God bestowed on him no ordinary honor, that while he was seeking nothing, Nebuchadnezzar appointed him as governor over the land. Indeed, he did not enjoy power for very long; but it was still God’s will to extend His hand to the devout man, so that he might have, at least for a time, some evidence of His favor. Eventually, as we shall see, he was killed by treachery.

The Prophet now tells us that the leaders of the forces, previously scattered with their troops, had now come to him. When the Prophet says that they were in the field, I do not think, as some do, that they were those who fled when the city was taken. Instead, they were probably those who were forced to flee from the cities at the first entrance of the Chaldean army.

Nor does it seem probable that they escaped, especially since all the king's companions were overtaken and caught in the plain of Jericho, as we have already seen. Therefore, I think that they were those who had been scattered here and there, having deserted the cities committed to them at the first approach of their enemies.

Since they had been wanderers from their own country and exiles, they now returned to Gedaliah. By saying that the leaders of the forces had heard, he does not mean that they now had an army, but rather that they had been put in charge of cities and towns in Judea along with their troops.

So they and their men came to Gedaliah when they heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, over Judea, and that men, women, and children were committed to his authority or care. And then he adds, from the poverty of the land, that is, from the dregs of the people, even from those who had not been removed to Babylon. Then they came, including Ishmael and others, who, as we shall see later, became a traitor.

He was, as the Prophet says, of the royal family. He was still very arrogant and, influenced by envy, killed Gedaliah, though he had been kindly received by him. He had, at the same time, received a reward for his treachery from the king of Amon. But all these things we shall see in what follows.

He names here the fugitive chiefs: the first was Ishmael, and among them were the sons of Kareah, who had pledged their faith to Gedaliah. But Gedaliah was too credulous and, at the same time, closed his ears to wise counsels and warnings. The Prophet proceeds to tell us how Gedaliah dealt with his own nation.