Chapter 27

1
the chief fathers The patriarchs, chief generals, or generals of brigade. This enumeration is widely different from that of the preceding. In that, we have the order and course of the priests and Levites, in their ecclesiastical ministrations. In this, we have the account of the order of the civil service, what related simply to the political state of the king and kingdom. Twenty-four persons, chosen out of David's worthies, each of whom had a second, were placed over 24,000 men, who all served a month at a time, in turn; and this was the whole of their service during the year, after which they attended to their own affairs. Thus the king had always on foot a regular force of 24,000, who served without expense to him or the state, and were not oppressed by the service, which took up only a twelfth part of their time; and by this plan he could, at any time, bring into the field 12 times 24,000 or 288,000 fighting men, independently of the 12,000 officers, which made in the whole an effective force of 300,000 soldiers; and all these men were prepared, disciplined, and ready at a call, without the smallest expense to the state or the king. These were, properly speaking, the militia of the Israelitish kingdom.

captains 1Chr 13:1; Exod 18:25; Deut 1:15; 1Sam 8:12; Mic 5:2

served 1Chr 28:1; 2Chr 17:12-19, 2Chr 26:11-13

any matter 1Kgs 5:14

month 1Kgs 4:7, 1Kgs 4:27


2
Jashobeam 1Chr 11:11; 2Sam 23:8, Adino the Eznite


3
Perez Gen 38:29; Num 26:20, Pharez

the chief Gen 49:8-10; Num 7:12, Num 10:14


4
Dodai 1Chr 11:12; 2Sam 23:9, Dodo


5
Benaiah Or, "Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the chief priest:" it was Jehoiada, and not Benaiah, who was a priest. 1Chr 18:17; 1Kgs 4:4

chief priest or, principal officer, 1Kgs 4:5


6
mighty 1Chr 11:22-25; 2Sam 22:20-23, 2Sam 23:20-23


7
Asahel 1Chr 11:26; 2Sam 2:18-23, 2Sam 23:24


8
Shamhuth If this person was the same as Shammoth the Hararite, or Shammah the Harodite, it is probable that he took the denomination Izrahite, from one of his progenitors of the name Izrah, and derived the other from the place of his residence. 1Chr 11:27, Shammoth the Hararite, 1Chr 26:29; 2Sam 23:25, Shammah the Harodite


9
Ira 1Chr 11:28; 2Sam 23:26


10
Helez 1Chr 11:27

Pelonite 2Sam 23:26, Paltite


11
Sibbecai 1Chr 11:29; 2Sam 21:18

Zarhites Num 26:20


12
Anetothite 1Chr 11:28, Antothite, 2Sam 23:27, Anethothite


13
Maharai 1Chr 11:30; 2Sam 23:28

Zarhites 1Chr 27:11


14
Benaiah 1Chr 11:31; 2Sam 23:30


15
Heldai 1Chr 11:30, Heled, 2Sam 23:29, Heleb

Othniel 1Chr 4:13; Judg 3:9


16
Furthermore These persons, called "princes of the tribes," in 1Chr 27:22, and 1Chr 28:1, appear to have been civil rulers over their several tribes, and honorary men, without pay, not unlike the lords lieutenants of our counties. In this enumeration there is no mention of the tribes of Gad and Asher, probably because they were joined to the neighbouring tribes; or perhaps, the account of these has been lost from the register.


17
Hashabiah 1Chr 26:30

of the Aaronites 1Chr 12:27-28, 1Chr 24:4, 1Chr 24:31


18
Elihu If Elihu be not a mistake for Eliab, it is probable that he was called by both names. 1Sam 16:6, 1Sam 17:13, 1Sam 17:29, Eliab


21
Iddo 1Kgs 4:14

Abner 1Sam 14:50-51; 2Sam 3:27, 2Sam 3:37


23
David took not It seems probable, from this passage, that Joab began, by David's order, to number the children, as well as adults, but was prevented from finishing the account, probably because the plague had begun. The numbering of the effective men might have been deemed a political expedient; but pride and ostentation alone could dictate the numbering of minors and infants, especially as God had pronounced the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, innumerable.

from twenty Num 1:18

he would increase Gen 15:5; Heb 11:12


24
began to number 1Chr 21:1-17; 2Sam 24:1-15

was the number put Heb. ascended the number


25
the king's 2Kgs 18:15; 2Chr 16:2

the storehouses Gen 41:48; Exod 1:11; 2Chr 26:10; Jer 41:8


27
the increase of the vineyards Heb. that which was of the vineyards


28
And over 1Kgs 4:7

the sycamore trees The Hebrew shikmin, Syriac shekmo, and Arabic jummeez, is the συκομορος, or sycomore, of the Greeks, so called from συκος, a fig-tree, and μορος a mulberry- tree, because it resembles the latter in its leaves, and the former in its fruits. "The sycamore," says Mr. Norden, "is of the height of a beech, and bears its fruit in a manner quite different from other trees. It has them on the trunk itself, which shoots out little sprigs, in form of grape stalks, at the end of which grow the fruit close to one another, almost like a cluster of grapes. The tree is always green, and bears fruit several times in the year, without observing any certain seasons; for I have seen some sycamores that have given fruit two months after others. The fruit has the figure and smell of real figs, but is inferior to them in the taste, having a disgusting sweetness. Its colour is a yellow, inclining to an ochre, shadowed by a flesh colour. In the inside it resembles the common figs, excepting that it has a blackish colouring with yellow spots. This sort of tree is pretty common in Egypt; the people, for the greater part, live on its fruit, and think themselves well regaled when they have a piece of bread, a couple of sycamore figs, and a pitcher of water." 1Kgs 20:27


29
Sharon 1Chr 5:16; Isa 65:10


30
the camels Job 1:3

the Ishmaelite Gen 47:6


32
uncle 2Sam 13:3, 2Sam 21:21, nephew

scribe or, secretary

son of Hachmoni H2453, or, Hachmonite, 1Chr 11:11


33
Ahithophel 2Sam 15:12, 2Sam 16:23, 2Sam 17:23

Hushai 2Sam 15:32, 2Sam 15:37, 2Sam 16:16

companion 2Sam 16:17; Ps 55:13; Zech 13:7


34
Abiathar 1Kgs 1:7

the general 1Chr 11:6


‎