Chapter Twenty-Seven

1–15. Organization of the army: division into twelve divisions. 16–24. Leaders of the twelve tribes. 25–31. Twelve administrators of property and various branches of the king’s estate. 32–34. The nearest counselors of the king.

1 Chronicles 27:1. Here are the sons of Israel according to their number, the chiefs of families, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the officers who served the king in all the business of the divisions that came and went every month during all the months of the year. Each division had twenty-four thousand men. The organization of worship is accompanied in the last years of David’s reign by the creation and organization of a standing army. For these purposes it was divided into 12 divisions, of 24,000 warriors each. Each division was placed under a particular commander, chosen during David’s time from his nearest companions-in-arms from the wars, and together with him presented itself in Jerusalem each month for duty.

1 Chronicles 27:2. Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam, son of Zabdiel; and his division had twenty-four thousand men, 1 Chronicles 27:3. of the sons of Perez, who was the chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month. Jashobeam—the same as Jeshobeam (1 Chr 11:11), descended from a prominent Judean family of Perez, to which David himself also belonged (1 Chr 2:4 and following).

1 Chronicles 27:4. Over the division for the second month was Dodai the Ahohite; and his division also included the chief Mikloth, and his division had twenty-four thousand men. Dodai was the father of Eleazar, one of the three outstanding companions-in-arms of David (1 Chr 11:12; 2 Sam 23:9). The name Mikloth appears in (1 Chr 8:32) and (1 Chr 9:37) as the name of a Benjaminite. Whether he or someone else is meant in the present case is difficult to say.

1 Chronicles 27:5. The third commander of the army, for the third month, was Benaiah, son of Jehoiada the priest, and in his division were twenty-four thousand men; 1 Chronicles 27:6. this Benaiah was one of the thirty mighty men and commander over them, and in his division was his son Ammizabad. See (1 Chr 11:25; 2 Sam 23:23).

1 Chronicles 27:7. The fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel, the brother of Joab, and after him Zebadiah his son, and in his division twenty-four thousand men. The expression “and after him Zebadiah his son” indicates the early death of Asahel, who was killed by Abner (2 Sam 2:18-23).

1 Chronicles 27:8. The fifth, for the fifth month, was the chief Shamhuth the Izrahite, and in his division twenty-four thousand men. 1 Chronicles 27:9. The sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira, son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, and in his division twenty-four thousand men. 1 Chronicles 27:10. The seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, of the sons of Ephraim, and in his division twenty-four thousand men. 1 Chronicles 27:11. The eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the line of Zerah, and in his division twenty-four thousand men. 1 Chronicles 27:12. The ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite, of the sons of Benjamin, and in his division twenty-four thousand men. 1 Chronicles 27:13. The tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai the Netophathite, of the line of Zerah, and in his division twenty-four thousand men. 1 Chronicles 27:14. The eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the sons of Ephraim, and in his division twenty-four thousand men. 1 Chronicles 27:15. The twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, from the descendants of Othniel, and in his division twenty-four thousand men. 1 Chronicles 27:16. And over the tribes of Israel—of the Reubenites, the chief officer was Eliezer, son of Zichri; of the Simeonites, Shephatiah, son of Maachah; See (1 Chr 11:27-31).

1 Chronicles 27:16. And over the tribes of Israel—of the Reubenites, the chief officer was Eliezer, son of Zichri; of the Simeonites, Shephatiah, son of Maachah; 1 Chronicles 27:17. of the Levites, Hashabiah, son of Kemuel; of Aaron, Zadok; 1 Chronicles 27:18. of Judah, Elihu, of the brothers of David; of Issachar, Omri, son of Michael; 1 Chronicles 27:19. of Zebulun, Ishmaiah, son of Obadiah; of Naphtali, Jerimoth, son of Azriel; 1 Chronicles 27:20. of the sons of Ephraim, Hosea, son of Azaziah; of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel, son of Pedaiah; 1 Chronicles 27:21. of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo, son of Zechariah; of Benjamin, Jaasiel, son of Abner; 1 Chronicles 27:22. of Dan, Azarel, son of Jeroham. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel. 1 Chronicles 27:23. David did not take a census of those who were twenty years of age or younger, because the Lord had said he would multiply Israel like the stars of heaven. 1 Chronicles 27:24. Joab, son of Zeruiah, began to count them, but did not finish. And there came wrath upon Israel for this, and the count was not entered into the account of King David’s chronicles. The appointment of Levites as judges (1 Chr 26:29 and following) served in David’s hands as a means of centralizing power. But in order that this measure would not seem burdensome to the tribes, disrupting the tribal organization of the people of Israel, David left them some self-governance: each tribe had, as in the time of Moses (Num 2:3 and following), its own immediate chief.

1 Chronicles 27:18. of Judah, Elihu, of the brothers of David; of Issachar, Omri, son of Michael; Instead of “Eli” the LXX reads “Elihu,” understanding the eldest brother of David. The granting of authority to him as chief over the tribe of Judah is entirely understandable.

1 Chronicles 27:23. David did not take a census of those who were twenty years of age or younger, because the Lord had said he would multiply Israel like the stars of heaven. For David it was important to count those capable of war; but such were those older than twenty years; therefore those of younger age did not enter into the census.

1 Chronicles 27:24. Joab, son of Zeruiah, began to count them, but did not finish. And there came wrath upon Israel for this, and the count was not entered into the account of King David’s chronicles. See (1 Chr 21:6).

1 Chronicles 27:32. Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, an intelligent man and a scribe; Jehiel, son of Hachmoni, was a tutor to the king’s sons; 1 Chronicles 27:33. Ahithophel was the king’s counselor; Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend; 1 Chronicles 27:34. after Ahithophel came Jehoiada, son of Benaiah, and Abiathar, and Joab was the military commander of the king. In (1 Chr 18:15-17; 2 Sam 8:15-18 and 2 Sam 20:23-26), besides Joab, other persons are named as the first officials of David. Such a difference is explained by the fact that in the present case are indicated not officials of David in general, but persons close to him, his counselors, as it were part of his family. At least, Jonathan is his uncle (according to 1 Chr 20:7—his nephew), Jehiel is the tutor of his children, Ahithophel, no less than Hushai, was a close friend of the king: “a man of my peace, who ate bread with me,” as David himself expresses it of him (Ps 40:10). By the relations of these persons to David is sufficiently explained the fact that they are enumerated after those who held not general state duties, but served the king himself.