1 Chronicles 27:32

[See comments on 1 Chronicles 27:25].

Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor, a wise man, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king's sons: No JFB commentary on this verse.

A counsellor, a wise man, and a scribe; either one learned in the laws of God, which were also the laws of the land, by which all their counsels were to be ruled; or, the king’ s secretary. With the king’ s sons, as their tutor or governor.

1 Chronicles 27:32 Also Jonathan David’ s uncle was a counsellor, a wise man, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni [was] with the king’ s sons: Ver. 32. David’ s uncle.] Indeed, his nephew or cousin. A wise man and a scribe.] Prudent and learned. Was with the king’ s sons.] To teach them and train them up.

IV.—DAVID’S PRIVY COUNCIL 1 Chronicles 27:32-34). (32) 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 here related. A wise man, and a scribe.—Rather, a sage and a scholar was he. The word rendered “scribe” (sτphηr) usually answers to the γραμματὲυς of the New Testament, and so the LXX. gives it here. We may remember that in the rude epochs of society mere writing has been 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 sτphηr 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 sτphηr, or scribe, was Shavsha (1 Chronicles 18:16). Jehiel the son of Hachmoni.—Rather, son of a Hachmonite. (Comp. 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. (33) 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 seq., 2 Samuel 17:23). Hushai the Archite.—The faithful counsellor, who baffled the wisdom of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17). (34) 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, and 1 Chronicles 11:22; 1 Chronicles 18:17), so that David’s counsellor Jehoiada bore the name of his grandfather—a common enough occurrence. Others assume that the right reading is “Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,” who may have been an adviser of David, as well as captain of his guard.

32–34 (cp. 1 Chronicles 18:15-17 = 2 Samuel 8:16-18; cp. ib. 2 Samuel 20:23-26). David’s Officers at Court 32. Jonathan David’s uncle] Render (with R.V. mg.) Jonathan David’s brother’s son. This is most probably the “Jonathan son of Shimea David’s brother” of 1 Chronicles 20:7 (= 2 Samuel 21:21). No uncle of David named Jonathan is known. a wise man] R.V. a man of understanding. a scribe] Not the chief scribe; cp. 1 Chronicles 18:16, note. with the king’s sons] As tutor; cp. 2 Kings 10:6.

A list - supplemental in character - of some chief officers of David, not mentioned before.

DAVID’S , 32-34.“This catalogue of the king’s officials forms a supplement to the catalogues of the public officials given in 1 Chronicles 18:15-17; 2 Samuel 8:15-18; 2 Samuel 20:23-26.