Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Chronicles 11
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Chronicles 11
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Chronicles 11
"Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh." — 1 Chronicles 11:1 (ASV)
This chapter runs parallel with 2 Samuel 5:1 as far as 1 Chronicles 11:9, after which it should be compared with 2 Samuel 23:8–39 as far as 1 Chronicles 11:40. The remainder, 1 Chronicles 11:41–47, is an addition that has no corresponding passage in Samuel. Throughout, compare the notes on the parallel passages in Samuel.
"And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief. And David dwelt in the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David. And he built the city round about, from Millo even round about; and Joab repaired the rest of the city." — 1 Chronicles 11:6-8 (ASV)
The narrative given here supplies a clear omission in 2 Samuel 5:8, where something has evidently dropped out of the text.
Joab's prowess on this occasion, and the part he took in building the city of David (1 Chronicles 11:8), are known to us only from this passage in Chronicles.
"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 Jehovah concerning Israel." — 1 Chronicles 11:10 (ASV)
Strengthened themselves—or “exerted themselves”—meaning they “strenuously assisted with all Israel in making David king.” This list of David’s principal heroes, therefore, belongs to his reign at Hebron. In Samuel, the list is not given until nearly the end of David’s reign (2 Samuel 23:8–39).
"And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them at one time." — 1 Chronicles 11:11 (ASV)
Chief of the captains - Or, “of the thirty,” according to another and better reading (see 1 Chronicles 11:15, 1 Chronicles 11:25; compare 2 Samuel 23:8 note). Jashobeam was the commander of the first monthly course of 24,090 soldiers (1 Chronicles 27:2). He is probably the warrior of the same name who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:6).
"He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines." — 1 Chronicles 11:13 (ASV)
Compare this passage with 2 Samuel 23:9–10.
Barley — In 2 Samuel 23:11, the word is lentiles. The words for barley and lentils are so similar in Hebrew that we may fairly explain the diversity as an accidental corruption of the text.
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