The First Book of the Chronicles
1 Chronicles 27
Chapter XXVII · Vol. II, pp. 840–842
1 The twelve captains for every several month. 16 The princes of the twelve tribes. 23 The numbering of the people is hindered. 25 David's several officers.
1 Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers1 that aserved the king in any matter of the courses, which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, of every course were twenty and four thousand.2
1 These officers did not live all at once.
a 1 Sa.25.30. 2 Ch.17.19. Ps.72.11; 22.29.
2 The 'chief fathers,' or patriarchs and princes, with the subordinate officers, were in all 24,000, who served in monthly courses of 2000, each course having one general-in-chief. Under these were twelve monthly courses of militia, each course mustering 24,000 strong. And as one course could not with safety retire, either from garrison duty or field service, until the succeeding course had assembled, David had always on foot an effective force of 52,000 men, with an army of reserve, duly disciplined, capable of being called out and concentred upon any point of Canaan in a few days, and amounting in the whole to 312,000, perhaps the most powerful yet most economic army that ever was organized for the defence of any country of similar extent.—C.
2 Over the first course, for the first month, was bJashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
b Or, Ezni, 2 Sa.23.8. ch.11.11.
4 And over the course of the second month was dDodai the Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth also the ruler: in his course likewise were twenty and four thousand.
d Or, Dodo, 2 Sa.23.9. ch.11.12.
5 The third captain of the host, for the third month, was eBenaiah the son of Jehoiada, a fchief priest:3 and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
A.M. 2988. B.C. 1016.
e 2 Sa.8.18. 1 Ki.1.8; 2.35. ch.11.22.
f Or, principal officer, 1 Ki.4.2.
3 That is, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the chief priest. Jehoiada was the priest, Benaiah the general. C.—The Targum has, 'The third captain of the host, for the month Sivan, was Benaiah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who was constituted a chief.'—I.
6 This is that Benaiah who was gmighty among the thirty, and above the thirty: and in his course was Ammizabad his son.
g 2 Sa.23.20,22,23. ch.11.22-25.
7 The fourth captain, for the fourth month, was hAsahel the brother of Joab,4 and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
h 2 Sa.23.24; 2.19-23. ch.11.26.
4 David must have organized the monthly courses of service at an early period, as Asahel was killed by Abner while David reigned in Hebron over a small part of Israel, 2 Sa. 2. 23. But the text does not say that Asahel ever commanded 24,000; but when David became king of all the tribes, Zebadiah became general of his father's augmented corps.—C.
8 The fifth captain, for the fifth month, was iShamhuth the Izrahite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
i 2 Sa.23.25. ch.11.27.
9 The sixth captain, for the sixth month, was kIra the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite:5 and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
k 2 Sa.23.26. ch.11.28.
5 That is, a native of Tekoah, of the present appearance of which Robinson says:—'We reached Tekoah at 6h. 35m. It lies on an elevated hill, not steep, but broad on the top, and covered with ruins to the extent of four or five acres. These consist chiefly in the foundations of houses built of squared stones, some of which are bevelled. At the N.E. part are the remains of a large square tower or castle, still the highest point of all. Near the middle of the site are the ruins of a Greek church, among which are several fragments of columns and a babtismal font of rose-coloured limestone, varying with marble. The high position of Tekoah gives it a wide prospect.'—(Bib. Res.)—I.
10 The seventh captain, for the seventh month, was lHelez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
l 2 Sa.23.26. ch.11.27.
11 The eighth captain, for the eighth month, was mSibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
m 2 Sa.23.27; 21.18,27. ch.11.29; 20.4.
12 The ninth captain, for the ninth month, was nAbiezer the Anetothite, of the Benjamites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
n 2 Sa.23.27. ch.11.28.
13 The tenth captain, for the tenth month, was oMaharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
o 2 Sa.23.28. ch.11.30.
14 The eleventh captain, for the eleventh month, was pBenaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
p 2 Sa.23.30. ch.11.31.
15 The twelfth captain, for the twelfth month, was qHeldai the Netophathite, of Othniel:r and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
q Or, Heled, ch.11.30. Heleb, 2 Sa.23.29.
r Ju.3.9. ch.4.13.
16 Furthermore,6 over the stribes of Israel: the ruler of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maachah:
6 'In the kingdoms of this world, readiness for war forms a security for peace; in like manner, nothing so much encourages Satan's assaults as unwatchfulness. So long as we stand armed with the whole armour of God, in the exercise of faith and preparation of heart for the conflict, we shall certainly be safe and probably enjoy inward peace.'—Henry.
s ch.ii.ix.; 12.23-40. Ex.1.1-5. Ge.29.32-35; 30.5-24; 35.18-22; 46.8-26. Nu.1.11; x. xiii. xxvi. xxxiv. Re.7.5-8. 1 Ki.4.7-19.
19 Of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jerimoth the son of Azriel:
20 Of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah: of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah:
21 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh yin Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jasiel the son of zAbner:
22 Of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.6
A.M. 2988. B.C. 1016.
6 There are thirteen princes or rulers of tribes, thirteen being their real number when Levi is counted. But in the enumeration here given, Levi is counted as two, and so is Manasseh, while Gad and Asher are omitted. The reason of this omission does not appear. We may, however, readily suppose that during the wars of the Judges they had been so commingled with the other tribes as to be incapable of a separate jurisdiction.—C.
23 But David took not the number of them from atwenty years old and under; because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.
24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because bthere fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David.
b ch.21.6,7,14. 1 Sa.24.1-15.
25 And over the cking's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the store-houses in the fields,7 in the cities, and in the villages, and in the castles, was Jehonathan the son of Uzziah:8
26 And over them that did the work of the field, for tillage of the ground, was Ezri the son of Chelub:
27 And over the dvineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: over the increase of the vineyards,9 for the wine-cellars, was Zabdi the Shiphmite:
28 And over the olive-trees and the sycamore-trees1 thate were in the low plains2 was Baal-hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash:
1 A word compounded of two words, the one signifying a fig, the other a mulberry, because it has fruit like the first, and the leaves like the second. It grows to the height of a beech, and unlike other trees it bears its fruit, not on the branches, but on the ends of little sprigs shooting out from the trunk of the tree itself, and having the fruit somewhat like a cluster of grapes. It is always green, and yields its fruit several times in the year.—C.
e 1 Ki.10.27. 2 Ch.1.15; 9.27. Ps.78.47. Is.9.10. Am.7.14. Lu.17.6; 19.4.
2 'The low plains,' Hebrew, 'in the Shephelah,' i.e. the maritime plain of Philistia, lying between the mountains of Judea and the Mediterranean. The largest olive-groves in Palestine or Syria still grow on this noble plain.—P.
29 And over the herds that fed in fSharon3 was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai:
31 And over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David's.
32 Also Jonathan, David's huncle, was a counsellor, a wise man, and a scribe:4 and Jehiel the son5 of Hachmoni was with the king's sons:
33 And iAhithophel was the king's counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the king's companion:
i 2 Sa.16.23; 15.37; 17.1-15,23.
Notes
Reflections.—In the most quiet and prosperous condition let me prepare for trouble, and stand ready for spiritual warfare. Not only every month, but every moment, I am in danger of new assaults from sin, Satan, and the world. Let me never indulge myself in curious pride: and if I have been guilty, let me show a lasting detestation of my sin. It will never turn to any good account, or to any future comfort. Let me guide my civil affairs with discretion; for more religion lies in the right management of temporal concerns than is generally imagined.