What do those who had fled to other countries do when they hear that there is a remnant in the land?
A significant number of people had fled Judah to seek refuge in neighbouring countries when the Babylonian campaign started. Hearing that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and appointed Gedaliah over them as governor, they also decide to return to Judah and to Gedaliah. They follow Gedaliah’s instructions and gather wine and summer fruits in great abundance.
Under Gedaliah there is a small flicker of hope for those who now find themselves in Judah, but the hope is short-lived as the following events unfold.
12 then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.