Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 3:9

"All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister." — 1 Chronicles 3:9 (ASV)

Sons of the concubines. —David’s concubines (pilagshim, παλλακαί) are mentioned several times in Samuel (for example, 2 Samuel 12:11), but their sons are mentioned here only. However repugnant to modern ideas, it was and is part of the customary grandeur of an Eastern potentate to possess a harem of many wives.

And Tamar (was) their sister. —Not the only one, but the sister whose unhappy fate had made her famous (2 Samuel 13:0).

A comparison of the above lists of David’s sons with the parallels in Samuel makes it improbable that they were drawn from that source, for the following reasons:

1. The Hebrew text of the chronicle appears, in this instance, to be quite as original as that of Samuel.
2. Some of the names differ, without our being able to decide in favor of one or the other text.
3. The form of the lists is different, especially that of the second.

The chronicler alone gives the number of the four and nine sons, assigning the former to “Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel,” and arranging the latter in three triads. Furthermore, 1 Chronicles 3:9 also is missing in Samuel.