Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 12:14

"These of the sons of Gad were captains of the host: he that was least was equal to a hundred, and the greatest to a thousand." — 1 Chronicles 12:14 (ASV)

These were. —This is a subscription (a concluding remark or signature).

Captains of the host. —Literally, heads of the host, that is, chief warriors.

One of the least was over a hundred. —The marginal note is correct. David’s band at this time was about 600 strong.

The rendering of the text is that of the Syriac and Vulgate versions. The Septuagint closely reflects the Hebrew: εἷς τοῖς ἑκατὸν μικρὸς κτλ. For the true meaning, compare Deuteronomy 32:30 and Leviticus 26:8.

The Hebrew text says: “One to a hundred, the little one; and the great one to a thousand.” This, too, is poetic or, at least, rhetorical in character, and quite unlike the chronicler’s usual style.