Bible Strands
2 Kings 25:23
When all the commanders of the armies and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite, as well as their men.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Nebuchadnezzar has just installed Gedaliah as governor over the Judahites left in the land (2 Kings 25:22). Army commanders and their troops, specifically Ishmael, Johanan, Seraiah, and Jaazaniah, converge at Mizpah upon receiving news of this appointment.
The words — וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ (va-yish-mə-ʿû) renders "and they heard," functioning as the narrative trigger for the commanders' movement. הִפְקִיד (hip-qîd) means "he appointed," indicating the formal Babylonian authorization of Gedaliah's administrative role.
The thread — The commanders' gathering at Mizpah in response to Gedaliah's appointment is recorded in Jeremiah 40:8. Jeremiah 40:11 separately notes Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other lands hearing the news of a remnant left in Judah, while Joshua 18:26 provides the geographic identifier for Mizpah.
Why it lands — The passage documents a political transition and a military response without evaluating the commanders' motives or future actions. Readers must observe how the text presents the arrival of armed factions before Gedaliah's subsequent directive in 2 Kings 25:24 to serve Babylon and avoid fear.
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The Hebrew words
King James Version
And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 40:7 When all the commanders and men of the armies in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women, and children who were the poorest of the land and had not been exiled to Babylon,
- Joshua 18:26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah,
- Jeremiah 40:11 When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, over them,