2 Reis 25:19

The city. — Thenius is probably right in explaining the city of David.

An officer that was set over the men of war — i.e., a royal officer commanding the garrison of the city of David. He was probably not an eunuch (2 Reis 20:18; 2 Reis 24:12), though in the Byzantine empire, at all events, eunuchs were sometimes great soldiers — e.g., the heroic Narses.

And five men of them ... — See margin. The phrase is explained by the seclusion affected by Oriental sovereigns. The LXX., Syriac, and Vulg., read five; the Targum, fifty. Jeremias 52 and the Arabic read seven. The numeral letter denoting 5 had probably become partially obliterated in the MS. used by the writer of Jeremias 52. The persons in question were royal counsellors. They may have dissuaded the king from flight, and so held out to the last (Thenius).

The principal scribe of the host. — See margin. This scribe was an officer on the staff of the commander-in-chief, who had himself either fallen fighting or accompanied the king in his flight.

Which mustered the people of the land — i.e., enrolled the names of such persons as were bound to serve in the army.

Threescore men of the people of the land ... — i.e., apparently the remains of the garrison of the citadel. Keil thinks such as had distinguished themselves above others in the defence, or had been ringleaders in the rebellion.

That were found ... — This expression seems to imply that they were the few survivors of a much larger force.

In the city. — Jeremias 52 in the midst of the city, an expression which seems to point to the city of David, which was the strategical centre of Jerusalem.