Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 12:23

"And these are the numbers of the heads of them that were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of Jehovah." — 1 Chronicles 12:23 (ASV)

II. THE NUMBER OF THE WARRIORS WHO MADE DAVID KING IN HEBRON AFTER SAUL’S DEATH (1 Chronicles 12:23–40).

And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war. —Literally, And these are the numbers of the heads of those equipped for warfare. “Heads” may mean one of two things:

1. Individuals, as in Judges 5:30 (though “skull” (gulgôleth) is more common in this sense).
2. “Totals” or “bands,” as in Judges 7:16.

The latter interpretation seems preferable here.

The Vulgate and Septuagint translate the term as “chiefs of the army.” However, no chiefs are named in the list, except those of the Aaronites (1 Chronicles 12:27–28). Therefore, we cannot suppose, based on a single ambiguous term in the heading, that the chronicler has altered the character of the entire list. The Syriac version omits the whole verse.

And came to David. —The word “And” is missing in the Hebrew. The phrase “They came to David at Hebron,” and so on, is a parenthesis, unless a relative pronoun has dropped out.

To turn the kingdom. —Literally, to bring it around, diverting it from the direct line of natural succession (1 Chronicles 10:14).

According to the word. —Literally, mouth (1 Chronicles 11:3; 1 Chronicles 11:10). What Jehovah had spoken through Samuel was essentially the word from his own mouth.