19 and out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men of war; and five men of those who saw the king's face, who were found in the city; and the scribe, the captain of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Out of the city - This clause shows that the five persons mentioned in 2-Kings 25:18 were taken out of the temple.
Five men - Or, "seven men," according to Jeremiah 52:25. It is impossible to say which of the two numbers is correct.
Of them that were in the king's presence - See the margin. A mode of speech arising from the custom of Eastern rulers to withdraw themselves as much as possible from the view of their subjects.
And five men of them that were in the king's presence - These were principal counselors, and confidential officers.
In Jeremiah 52:25, it is said he took seven men who were near the king's person, and the same number is found in the Arabic in this place; and the Chaldee has no less than fifty men; but in Jeremiah this, as well as all the rest of the versions, reads seven. Probably they were no more than five at first, or, perhaps Jeremiah reckoned with the five the officer that was set over the men of war, and the principal scribe of the host mentioned here, as two with the five; and thus made seven in the whole.
And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and (k) five men of them that were in the king's presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land [that were] found in the city:
(k) Jeremiah makes mention of seven but here he speaks of those who were the chiefest.
five men of them that were in the king's presence--that is, who belonged to the royal retinue. It is probable that there were five at first, and that other two were found afterwards (Jeremiah 52:25).
*More commentary available at chapter level.