Chapter Eleven

1–9. The anointing of David over all Israel in Hebron. 10–47. A list of the mighty men, the companions of David.

In this chapter, with insignificant changes, the content of (2 Sam 5:1-10) is repeated (corresponding here to verses 1 Chr 11:1-9) and (2 Sam 23:8-39) (corresponding here to verses 1 Chr 11:10-47).

1 Chronicles 11:1. And all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron, and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 1 Chronicles 11:2. In time past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel; and the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of My people Israel, and you shall be ruler over My people Israel.’ 1 Chronicles 11:3. So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord through Samuel. The anointing of David as king over all Israel took place not after the death of Saul, as might be inferred from the narrative of Chronicles, but after the death of Saul’s successor on the throne—Ishbosheth (2 Sam 3-5). The history of his reign, marked by a civil war between the house of Saul and David, is omitted by the author of Chronicles, perhaps because it forms a dark page in the history of the latter’s reign.

1 Chronicles 11:3. So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord through Samuel. In comparison with (2 Sam 5:3), this verse contains an insignificant addition: “according to the word of the Lord, through Samuel.” The following verses (2 Sam 5:4-5), which give David’s age at his anointing and the length of his reign in Hebron and Jerusalem, are omitted by the author of Chronicles in order not to disturb the continuity of the narrative. The dates in 1 Samuel are given by him at the end of the review of David’s reign (1 Chr 29:27).

1 Chronicles 11:5. And the Jebusites said to David, “You cannot come in here.” However, David took the stronghold of Zion; that is the city of David. In his tendency to abbreviations, the author of Chronicles omits the words of 1 Samuel: “the blind and the lame will repel you, as if to say, ‘David shall not come in here’” (2 Sam 5:6).

1 Chronicles 11:6. And David said, “Whoever smites the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and became chief. In accordance with the omission in verses 5 and 6, verse 6 reads quite differently than the parallel passage (2 Sam 5:8). But both David’s proposal and its fulfillment by Joab find their explanation: the former in the presumption of the Jebusites, the latter in the bravery of Joab.

1 Chronicles 11:8. And he built the city all around from the Millo even all around, while Joab restored the rest of the city. The book of Samuel does not mention Joab’s participation in the work of fortifying Jerusalem; but it is entirely natural in view of the role he played in the conquest of the city.

1 Chronicles 11:9. And David went on growing greater and greater, and the Lord of hosts was with him. 1 Chronicles 11:10. Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel; The enumeration of the heroes and companions of David, who contributed to the glory of his reign, at the beginning of the account of his rule finds its explanation in the author’s desire to note the most brilliant pages of his activity. Therefore, it is placed in the foreground. The above-mentioned persons “showed themselves strong to make David king,” or more precisely, to establish his throne.

1 Chronicles 11:11. And these are the numbers of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, a Hacmonite, the chief of the thirty. He wielded his spear against three hundred whom he killed at one time. In (2 Sam 23:8) this person is called Josheb-basshebeth. “Son of Hacmoni”—“the Hacmonite.” The latter name, as far as can be judged from 1 Samuel, is the name of a place, not a person. In (1 Chr 27:2) Jashobeam is called the son of Zabdiel. He killed “three hundred” men, but not eight hundred, as is stated in 1 Samuel (2 Sam 23:8). The number three hundred is thought to have been placed in Chronicles in correspondence with (1 Chr 11:20), which speaks of Abishai.

1 Chronicles 11:12. After him came Eleazar the son of Dodo, an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. The name of the third hero, as is evident from 2 Samuel (2 Sam 23:11), is Shammah. An omission in Chronicles is beyond question, since the three mighty men are constantly mentioned below, although only two are named. Chronicles also omits the account of Eleazar’s exploit (2 Sam 23:10).

1 Chronicles 11:13. He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the people fled from the Philistines; 1 Chronicles 11:14. but they took their stand in the midst of the plot and defended it, and defeated the Philistines. And the Lord wrought a great deliverance. According to the account in (2 Sam 23:11-12), the exploit described here was accomplished not by Eleazar, as follows from Chronicles, but by Shammah.

1 Chronicles 11:23. And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall; and in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam, and he went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear: Five cubits equal approximately three and three-fourths arshin. In 1 Samuel (2 Sam 23:21) the height is not given, and the expression “distinguished” is used. “A spear like a weaver’s beam” is an addition in Chronicles.

1 Chronicles 11:27. Shammah the Haroderite; Herez the Pelonite; Before the name Herez should stand “Elika the Haroderite” (2 Sam 23:25). The homeland of Herez is called in 2 Samuel (2 Sam 23:26) Palti. The reading in Chronicles indicates that Peloni lay in the territory of Ephraim.

1 Chronicles 11:41. Uriah the Hittite; Zabad the son of Ahlai; The names following Uriah the Hittite are not in (2 Sam 23), and the designation of places of origin for these persons, except Aroer, do not occur in the Old Testament.