Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Chronicles 27
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Chronicles 27
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Chronicles 27
"Now the children of Israel after their number, [to wit], the heads of fathers` [houses] and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers that served the king, in any matter of the courses which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year-of every course were twenty and four thousand." — 1 Chronicles 27:1 (ASV)
This verse is a general heading for the list in 1 Chronicles 27:2–15. The heading has been taken from a fuller and more elaborate description of David’s army, of which the writer of Chronicles gives us only an abridgement.
Omitting the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the officers (probably “scribes”) who served the king, the author is content to record only the “chief fathers,” or heads of the divisions (1 Chronicles 28:1), and the number of Israelites in each course.
"Over the first course for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand." — 1 Chronicles 27:2 (ASV)
Jashobeam - Jashobeam is mentioned in marginal references as the chief of David’s mighty men. He is called in 1 Chronicles 11:11 the son of Hachmoni. We learn from 1 Chronicles 27:3 that he was of the tribe of Judah, being descended from Perez (or Pharez), the son of Judah, from whom David himself was descended. See 1 Chronicles 2:3–15.
"And over the course of the second month was Dodai the Ahohite, and his course; and Mikloth the ruler: and in his course were twenty and four thousand." — 1 Chronicles 27:4 (ASV)
The words “Eleazar, son of,” have probably been omitted before the name Dodai (or Dodo). According to Jewish tradition, Eleazar (1 Chronicles 11:12) was David’s cousin, as his father, Dodai, was Jesse’s brother. Mikloth was probably second in command to Eleazar.
"The third captain of the host for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, chief: and in his course were twenty and four thousand." — 1 Chronicles 27:5 (ASV)
A chief priest—Rather, “the chief priest”—an expression which means not the high priest, but probably the high priest’s deputy, who is sometimes called “the second priest” (2 Kings 25:18).
"The fourth [captain] for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand." — 1 Chronicles 27:7 (ASV)
Asahel died before the courses described here could have been instituted. Perhaps the arrangements of David in his later years were based on institutions belonging to the period of his reign at Hebron.
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