Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 27:32-34

"Also Jonathan, David`s uncle, was a counsellor, a man of understanding, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king`s sons: And Ahithophel was the king`s counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the king`s friend: and after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the captain of the king`s host was Joab." — 1 Chronicles 27:32-34 (ASV)

IV.—DAVID’S PRIVY COUNCIL (1 Chronicles 27:32–34)

Also Jonathan David’s uncle was a counsellor. —A son of David’s brother Shimeah was named Jonathan (1 Chronicles 20:7; 2 Samuel 21:21). Nothing further is known of the present Jonathan than what is related here.

A wise man, and a scribe. —Rather, a sage and a scholar he was. The word rendered “scribe” (sôphçr) usually corresponds to the γραμματεύς of the New Testament, and so the Septuagint gives it here.

We may remember that in primitive epochs of society, mere writing was esteemed an art, so that a king of England who could write was dubbed Beauclerc, “fine scholar.” Charles the Great never got so far as signing his own name, though he made great efforts to do so.

But writing goes back to a very ancient period among Semitic races, and sôphçr probably means here, as in Ezra 7:6, “a man of letters,” or “skilled in the sacred law.” (See 1 Chronicles 2:55; Isaiah 33:18; Psalms 45:2.) David’s official sôphçr, or scribe, was Shavsha (1 Chronicles 18:16).

Jehiel the son of Hachmoni. —Rather, son of a Hachmonite. (Compare to 1 Chronicles 11:11.)

With the king’s sons —That is, their tutor. The similar lists in 2 Samuel 8:15–18, 1 Chronicles 18:15–17, and 2 Samuel 20:23–26 lack representatives of the two offices mentioned in this verse. Obviously, this account is independent of those.

And Ahithophel was the king’s counsellor. —Rather, a counsellor of the king’s —Ahithophel, the faithless adviser, who committed suicide when his treachery proved unsuccessful (2 Samuel 15:31 and following, 2 Samuel 17:23).

Hushai the Archite. —The faithful counsellor, who baffled the wisdom of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:0).

And after Ahithophel —After his death, Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar, the Ithamarite high priest, were David’s advisers.

Benaiah’s father was named Jehoiada (see 1 Chronicles 27:5, 1 Chronicles 11:22, and 1 Chronicles 18:17), so that David’s counsellor Jehoiada bore the name of his grandfather—a common enough occurrence.

Others assume that the correct reading is “Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,” who may have been an adviser of David, as well as captain of his guard.