According to the Hebrew Bible, Gedaliah - the son of Ahikam (who saved the life of the prophet Jeremiah -- Jer. 26:24) and grandson of Shaphan (who was involved in the discovery of the scroll of Teaching that scholars identify as the core of the book of Deuteronomy -- II Kings 22:8-10) served briefly as governor of Judah. After the destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah as governor of Judah and left him to govern the country as a tribute to him (2 Kings 25:22; Jer. 40:5; 52:16).