1-Chronicles - 27:1-34



      1 Now the children of Israel after their number, the heads of fathers' (houses) and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who served the king, in any matter of the divisions which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year - of every division were twenty-four thousand. 2 Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 3 (He was) of the children of Perez, the chief of all the captains of the army for the first month. 4 Over the division of the second month was Dodai the Ahohite, and his division; and Mikloth the ruler: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 5 The third captain of the army for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, chief: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 6 This is that Benaiah, who was the mighty man of the thirty, and over the thirty: and (of) his division was Ammizabad his son. 7 The fourth (captain) for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 8 The fifth captain for this fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 9 The sixth (captain) for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 10 The seventh (captain) for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 11 The eighth (captain) for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zerahites: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 12 The ninth (captain) for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite, of the Benjamites: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 13 The tenth (captain) for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zerahites: and in his division were Twenty-four thousand. 14 The eleventh (captain) for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 15 The twelfth (captain) for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 16 Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri the ruler: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah: 17 of Levi, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of Aaron, Zadok: 18 of Judah, Elihu, one of the brothers of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael: 19 of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jeremoth 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 in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner: 22 of Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the captains of the tribes of Israel. 23 But David didn't take the number of them from twenty years old and under, because Yahweh had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the sky. 24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but didn't finish; and there came wrath for this on Israel; neither was the number put into the account in the chronicles of king David. 25 Over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the treasures in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the towers, was Jonathan the son of Uzziah: 26 Over those who did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub: 27 and over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: and over the increase of the vineyards for the winecellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite: 28 and over the olive trees and the sycamore trees that were in the lowland was Baal Hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash: 29 and over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai: 30 and over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite: and over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagrite. 31 All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David's. 32 Also Jonathan, David's uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king's sons: 33 Ahithophel was the king's counselor: and Hushai the Archite was the king's friend: 34 and after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the captain of the king's army was Joab.


Chapter In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of 1-Chronicles 27.

Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

An account of the twelve captains who were over the monthly course of twenty-four thousand men; each captain serving one month in turn, 1-Chronicles 27:1. The names of the twelve, and the months in which they served, 1-Chronicles 27:2-15. The names of the rulers of the twelve tribes, 1-Chronicles 27:16-22. The reasons why the whole number of Israel and Judah had not been taken, 1-Chronicles 27:23, 1-Chronicles 27:24. The persons who were over the king's property, treasures, fields, flocks, etc., 1-Chronicles 27:25-31. His officers of state, 1-Chronicles 27:32-34.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 27
In this chapter we have an account of twelve military courses, or twelve legions of soldiers, with the captains of them, that served David monthly in their turns, 1-Chronicles 27:1 and of the princes of the several tribes, 1-Chronicles 27:16 and of his economical rulers, 1-Chronicles 27:25, and of his counsellors and general, 1-Chronicles 27:32.

(1-Chronicles 27:1-15) David's military force.
(v. 16-34) Princes and officers.

Division of the Army. Tribal Princes, Administrators of the Domains, and Councillors of State - 1-Chronicles 27
This chapter treats of the organization of the army (1-Chronicles 27:1-15) and the public administration; in 1-Chronicles 27:16-24, the princes of the twelve tribes being enumerated; in 1-Chronicles 27:25-31, the managers of the royal possessions and domains; and in 1-Chronicles 27:32-34, the chief councillors of the king. The information on these points immediately succeeds the arrangement of the service of the Levites, because, as we learn from 1-Chronicles 27:23., David attempted in the last year of his reign to give a more stable form to the political constitution of the kingdom also. In the enumeration of the twelve divisions of the army, with their leaders (1-Chronicles 27:1-15), it is not indeed said when David organized the men capable of bearing arms for the alternating monthly service; but the reference in 1-Chronicles 27:23. of our chapter to the numbering of the people, spoken of in 1 Chron 21, leaves no doubt of the fact that this division of the people stands in intimate connection with that numbering of the people, and that David caused the people to be numbered in order to perfect the military constitution of the kingdom, and to leave his kingdom to his son strong within and mighty without.

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