mh_parser/vol_split/13 - 1Chronicles/Chapter 27.xml

<div2 id="iCh.xxviii" n="xxviii" next="iCh.xxix" prev="iCh.xxvii" progress="78.62%" title="Chapter XXVII">
<h2 id="iCh.xxviii-p0.1">F I R S T   C H R O N I C L E
S</h2>
<h3 id="iCh.xxviii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iCh.xxviii-p1">In this chapter we have the civil list, including
the military, I. The twelve captains for every separate month of
the year, <scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.1-1Chr.27.15" parsed="|1Chr|27|1|27|15" passage="1Ch 27:1-15">ver. 1-15</scripRef>. II.
The princes of the several tribes, <scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.16-1Chr.27.24" parsed="|1Chr|27|16|27|24" passage="1Ch 27:16-24">ver. 16-24</scripRef>. III. The officers of the
court, <scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.25-1Chr.27.34" parsed="|1Chr|27|25|27|34" passage="1Ch 27:25-34">ver. 25-34</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="iCh.xxviii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27" parsed="|1Chr|27|0|0|0" passage="1Ch 27" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iCh.xxviii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.1-1Chr.27.15" parsed="|1Chr|27|1|27|15" passage="1Ch 27:1-15" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.27.1-1Chr.27.15">
<h4 id="iCh.xxviii-p1.6">The Officers of the Army. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxviii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1015.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.xxviii-p2">1 Now the children of Israel after their number,
<i>to wit,</i> the chief fathers and captains of thousands and
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 <i>were</i> twenty and
four thousand.   2 Over the first course for the first month
<i>was</i> Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course
<i>were</i> twenty and four thousand.   3 Of the children of
Perez <i>was</i> the chief of all the captains of the host for the
first month.   4 And over the course of the second month
<i>was</i> Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course <i>was</i> Mikloth
also the ruler: in his course likewise <i>were</i> twenty and four
thousand.   5 The third captain of the host for the third
month <i>was</i> Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest: and
in his course <i>were</i> twenty and four thousand.   6 This
<i>is that</i> Benaiah, <i>who was</i> mighty <i>among</i> the
thirty, and above the thirty: and in his course <i>was</i>
Ammizabad his son.   7 The fourth <i>captain</i> for the
fourth month <i>was</i> Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah
his son after him: and in his course <i>were</i> twenty and four
thousand.   8 The fifth captain for the fifth month <i>was</i>
Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his course <i>were</i> twenty and
four thousand.   9 The sixth <i>captain</i> for the sixth
month <i>was</i> Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his
course <i>were</i> twenty and four thousand.   10 The seventh
<i>captain</i> for the seventh month <i>was</i> Helez the Pelonite,
of the children of Ephraim: and in his course <i>were</i> twenty
and four thousand.   11 The eighth <i>captain</i> for the
eighth month <i>was</i> Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zarhites:
and in his course <i>were</i> twenty and four thousand.   12
The ninth <i>captain</i> for the ninth month <i>was</i> Abiezer the
Anetothite, of the Benjamites: and in his course <i>were</i> twenty
and four thousand.   13 The tenth <i>captain</i> for the tenth
month <i>was</i> Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites: and in
his course <i>were</i> twenty and four thousand.   14 The
eleventh <i>captain</i> for the eleventh month <i>was</i> Benaiah
the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course
<i>were</i> twenty and four thousand.   15 The twelfth
<i>captain</i> for the twelfth month <i>was</i> Heldai the
Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course <i>were</i> twenty and
four thousand.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxviii-p3">We have here an account of the regulation
of the militia of the kingdom. David was himself a man of war, and
had done great things with the sword; he had brought into the field
great armies. Now here we are told how he marshalled them when God
had given him rest from all his enemies. He did not keep them all
together, for that would have been a hardship on them and the
country; yet he did not disband and disperse them all, for then he
would have left his kingdom naked, and his people would have
forgotten the arts of war, wherein they had been instructed. He
therefore contrived to keep up a constant force, and yet not a
standing army. The model is very prudent. 1. He kept up 24,000
constantly in arms, I suppose in a body, and disciplined, in one
part or other of the kingdom, the freeholders carrying their own
arms and bearing their own charges while they were up. This was a
sufficient strength for the securing of the public peace and
safety. Those that are Israelites indeed must learn war; for we
have enemies to grapple with, whom we are concerned constantly to
stand upon our guard against. 2. He changed them every month; so
that the whole number of the militia amounted to 288,000, perhaps
about a fifth part of the able men of the kingdom. By being thus
distributed into twelve courses, they were all instructed in, and
accustomed to, military exercises; and yet none were compelled to
be in service, and at expenses, above one month in the year (which
they might very well afford), unless upon extraordinary occasions,
and then they might all be got together quickly. It is the wisdom
of governors, and much their praise, while they provide for the
public safety, to contrive how to make it effectual and yet easy,
and as little as possible burdensome to the people. 3. Every course
had a commander in chief over it. Besides the subaltern officers
that were rulers over thousands, and hundreds, and fifties, there
was one general officer to each course or legion. All these twelve
great commanders are mentioned among David's worthies and
champions, <scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.23.8-2Sam.23.39 Bible:1Chr.11.10-1Chr.11.47" parsed="|2Sam|23|8|23|39;|1Chr|11|10|11|47" passage="2Sa 23:8-39,1Ch 11:10-47">2 Sam.
xxiii. and 1 Chron. xi.</scripRef> They had first signalized
themselves by their great actions and then they were advanced to
those great preferments. It is well with a kingdom when honour thus
attends merit. Benaiah is here called <i>a chief priest,</i>
<scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.5" parsed="|1Chr|27|5|0|0" passage="1Ch 27:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. But,
<i>cohen</i> signifying both a <i>priest</i> and a <i>prince,</i>
it might better be translated here <i>a chief ruler,</i> or (as in
the margin) <i>a principal officer.</i> Dodai had Mikloth
(<scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.4" parsed="|1Chr|27|4|0|0" passage="1Ch 27:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>) either for
his substitute when he was absent or infirm, or for his successor
when he was dead. Benaiah had his son under him, <scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.6" parsed="|1Chr|27|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 27:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Asahel had his son after him
(<scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.7" parsed="|1Chr|27|7|0|0" passage="1Ch 27:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), and by this
it seems that this plan of the militia was laid in the beginning of
David's reign; for Asahel was killed by Abner while David reigned
in Hebron. When his wars were over he revived this method, and left
the military affairs in this posture, for the peaceable reign of
his son Solomon. When we think ourselves most safe, yet, while we
are here in the body, we must keep in a readiness for spiritual
conflicts. <i>Let not him that girdeth on the harness boast as he
that puts it off.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="iCh.xxviii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.16-1Chr.27.34" parsed="|1Chr|27|16|27|34" passage="1Ch 27:16-34" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.27.16-1Chr.27.34">
<h4 id="iCh.xxviii-p3.7">The Military Force. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxviii-p3.8">b. c.</span> 1015.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.xxviii-p4">16 Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the
ruler of the Reubenites <i>was</i> Eliezer the son of Zichri: of
the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maachah:   17 Of the
Levites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of the Aaronites, Zadok:
  18 Of Judah, Elihu, <i>one</i> of the brethren of David: of
Issachar, Omri the son of Michael:   19 Of Zebulun, Ishmaiah
the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jerimoth the son of Azriel:  
20 Of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah: of the
half tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah:   21 Of the
half <i>tribe</i> of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah:
of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner:   22 Of Dan, Azareel
the son of Jeroham. These <i>were</i> the princes of the tribes of
Israel.   23 But David took not the number of them from twenty
years old and under: because the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xxviii-p4.1">Lord</span> had said he would increase Israel like to
the stars of the heavens.   24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began
to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it
against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the
chronicles of king David.   25 And over the king's treasures
<i>was</i> Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the storehouses in
the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the castles,
<i>was</i> Jehonathan the son of Uzziah:   26 And over them
that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground <i>was</i>
Ezri the son of Chelub:   27 And over the vineyards <i>was</i>
Shimei the Ramathite: over the increase of the vineyards for the
wine cellars <i>was</i> Zabdi the Shiphmite:   28 And over the
olive trees and the sycamore trees that <i>were</i> in the low
plains <i>was</i> Baal-hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of
oil <i>was</i> Joash:   29 And over the herds that fed in
Sharon <i>was</i> Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds <i>that
were</i> in the valleys <i>was</i> Shaphat the son of Adlai:  
30 Over the camels also <i>was</i> Obil the Ishmaelite: and over
the asses <i>was</i> Jehdeiah the Meronothite:   31 And over
the flocks <i>was</i> Jaziz the Hagerite. All these <i>were</i> the
rulers of the substance which <i>was</i> king David's.   32
Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor, a wise man, and a
scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni <i>was</i> with the king's
sons:   33 And Ahithophel <i>was</i> the king's counsellor:
and Hushai the Archite <i>was</i> the king's companion:   34
And after Ahithophel <i>was</i> Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and
Abiathar: and the general of the king's army <i>was</i> Joab.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxviii-p5">We have here an account,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxviii-p6">I. Of the princes of the tribes. Something
of the ancient order instituted by Moses in the wilderness was
still kept up, that every tribe should have its prince or chief. It
is probable that it was kept up all along, either by election or by
succession, in the same family; and those are here named who were
found in that office when this account was taken. Elihu, or Eliab,
who was prince of Judah, was the eldest son of Jesse, and descended
in a right line from Nahshon and Salmon, the princes of this tribe
in Moses's time. Whether these princes were of the nature of
lord-lieutenants that guided them in their military affairs, or
chief-justices that presided in their courts of judgment, does not
appear. Their power, we may suppose, was much less now that all the
tribes were united under one king than it had been when, for the
most part, they acted separately. Our religion obliges us to be
subject, not only to <i>the king as supreme, but unto governors
under him</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.13-1Pet.2.14" parsed="|1Pet|2|13|2|14" passage="1Pe 2:13,14">1 Pet. ii. 13,
14</scripRef>), the princes that decree justice. Of Benjamin was
Jaaziel the son of Abner, <scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.21" parsed="|1Chr|27|21|0|0" passage="1Ch 27:21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. Though Abner was David's enemy, and opposed his
coming to the throne, yet David would not oppose the preferment of
his son, but perhaps nominated him to this post of honour, which
teaches us to render good for evil.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxviii-p7">II. Of the numbering of the people,
<scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.23-1Chr.27.24" parsed="|1Chr|27|23|27|24" passage="1Ch 27:23,24"><i>v.</i> 23, 24</scripRef>. It is
here said, 1. That when David ordered the people to be numbered he
forbade the numbering of those under twenty years old, thinking
thereby to save the reflection which what he did might otherwise
cast upon the promise that they should be innumerable; yet it was
but a poor salvo, for it had never been customary to number those
under twenty, and the promise of their numbers chiefly respected
the effective men. 2. That the account which David took of the
people, in the pride of his heart, turned to no good account; for
it was never perfected, nor done with exactness, nor was it ever
recorded as an authentic account. Joab was disgusted with it, and
did it by halves; David was ashamed of it, and willing it should be
forgotten, because there fell wrath for it against Israel. A good
man cannot, in the reflection, please himself with that which he
knows God is displeased with, cannot make use of that, nor take
comfort in that, which is obtained by sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xxviii-p8">III. Of the officers of the court. 1. The
<i>rulers of the</i> king's <i>substance</i> (as they are called,
<scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.31" parsed="|1Chr|27|31|0|0" passage="1Ch 27:31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>), such as had
the oversight and charge of the king's tillage, his vineyards, his
olive-yards, his herds, his camels, his asses, his flocks. Here are
no officers for state, none for sport, no master of the wardrobe,
no master of the ceremonies, no master of the horse, no master of
the hounds, but all for service, agreeable to the simplicity and
plainness of those times. David was a great soldier, a great
scholar, and a great prince, and yet a great husband of his estate,
kept a great deal of ground in his own hand, and stocked it, not
for pleasure, but for profit; for the king himself is <i>served of
the field,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.9" parsed="|Eccl|5|9|0|0" passage="Ec 5:9">Eccles. v. 9</scripRef>.
Those magistrates that would have their subjects industrious must
themselves be examples of industry and application to business. We
find, however, that afterwards the poor of the land were thought
good enough to be vine-dressers and husbandmen, <scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.25.12" parsed="|2Kgs|25|12|0|0" passage="2Ki 25:12">2 Kings xxv. 12</scripRef>. Now David put his great men
to preside in these employments. 2. The attendants on the king's
person. They were such as were eminent for wisdom, being designed
for conversation. His uncle, who was a wise man and a scribe, not
only well skilled in politics, but well read in the scriptures, was
his counsellor, <scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.27.32" parsed="|1Chr|27|32|0|0" passage="1Ch 27:32"><i>v.</i>
32</scripRef>. Another, who no doubt excelled in learning and
prudence, was tutor to his children. Ahithophel, a very cunning
man, was his counsellor: but Hushai, an honest man, was his
companion and confidant. It does not appear that he had many
counsellors; but those he had were men of great abilities. Much of
the wisdom of princes is seen in the choice of their ministry. But
David, though he had all these trusty and well-beloved cousins and
counsellors about him, preferred his Bible before them all.
<scripRef id="iCh.xxviii-p8.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.24" parsed="|Ps|119|24|0|0" passage="Ps 119:24">Ps. cxix. 24</scripRef>, <i>Thy
testimonies are my delight and my counsellors.</i></p>
</div></div2>