1 Chronicles 27

1 Chronicles 27:1

Ch. 1 Chronicles 27:1-15. The Service of the Courses These “courses” are not mentioned elsewhere in the O.T.; but in 1 Kings 5:14 (5:28 Heb.), where however the Heb. word is different, courses of Israelites engaged on Solomon’s building works are mentioned.

1. the chief fathers and captains] R.V. the heads of fathers’ houses and the captains. came in and went out] Came on duty and went off duty; cp. 2 Chronicles 23:8.

1 Chronicles 27:2

2. Jashobeam] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:11, note.

1 Chronicles 27:3

3. Of the children of Perez was the chief] R.V. He was of the children of Perez, the chief. Perez is the Pharez (R.V. “Perez”) of 1 Chronicles 2:4-5.

1 Chronicles 27:4

4. Dodai an Ahohite] Perhaps we should read (cp. 1 Chronicles 11:12), “Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite.” of his course was Mikloth also the ruler] The words are corrupt and are omitted in the LXX. Perhaps the original text said that Mikloth (a Benjamite, 1 Chronicles 8:32) was deputy-ruler over this course. Cp. 1 Chronicles 27:6. in his course likewise] R.V. and in his course.

1 Chronicles 27:5

5. Benaiah] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:22 ff. Jehoiada, a chief priest] R.V. Jehoiada the priest, chief, (“chief” referring to Benaiah).

1 Chronicles 27:6

6. mighty among the thirty and above the thirty] R.V. the mighty man of the thirty, and over the thirty. Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:25. in his course] R.V. of his course (as in 1 Chronicles 27:4).

1 Chronicles 27:7

7. Asahel] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:26, note.

1 Chronicles 27:8

8. Shamhuth the Izrahite] Perhaps to be identified with “Shammoth the Harorite” of 1 Chronicles 11:27; see note there.

1 Chronicles 27:9

9. Ira] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:28.

1 Chronicles 27:10

10. Helez the Pelonite] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:27, note.

1 Chronicles 27:11

11. Sibbecai the Hushathite] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:29, notes. Zarhties] R.V. Zerahites (also 1 Chronicles 27:13). Descendants of Zerah, son of Judah; 1 Chronicles 2:4.

1 Chronicles 27:12

12. Abiezer the Anathothite] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:28.

1 Chronicles 27:13

13. Maharai the Netophathite] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:30.

1 Chronicles 27:14

14. Benaiah the Pirathonite] Cp. 1 Chronicles 11:31.

1 Chronicles 27:15

15. Heldai] Called Heled in 1 Chronicles 11:30. of Othniel] Cp. Judges 1:13; Judges 3:9. Thus Heldai was not of pure Israelite descent, but belonged to the Kenizzites (Kenaz), a younger branch of the Calebites, who, it seems, were a tribe incorporated into Judah either shortly before or during the conquest of Canaan. See Hastings’ Bible Dict. Art. Caleb.

1 Chronicles 27:16-17

16–24. The Princes of the Tribes of Israel Cp. Numbers 1:2-15 where Moses is enjoined to have with him a representative of each tribe at the numbering of the people; cp. 1 Chronicles 27:23-24 below. In the present list the tribes of Gad and Asher are omitted, probably accidentally. 17. Of the Levites] R.V. of Levi. Hashabiah] Perhaps the person mentioned in 1 Chronicles 26:30. The name is common among Levites. of the Aaronites, Zadok] R.V. of Aaron, Zadok. Cp. 1 Chronicles 12:27-28, whence we may conclude that Zadok succeeded Jehoiada as ruler.

1 Chronicles 27:18

18. Elihu] Perhaps the “Eliab” of 1 Samuel 16:6; cp. R.V. mg.

1 Chronicles 27:21

21. Gilead] “Gilead” is strictly speaking the name of the district between the Jabbok and Moab, in which the tribes of Gad and Reuben dwelt. Here it is used less precisely to include Bashan, the district N.E. of Jordan in which the half tribe of Manasseh lived. Iddo] Spelt quite differently in Heb. from the name of the father of the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 1:1). Abner] 1 Samuel 14:50-51.

1 Chronicles 27:23

23. took not the number] (Cp. the note at the head of this paragraph). The Chronicler notices that David conformed to the regulation given in Numbers 1:3, viz., that only those above twenty years old, and not those below twenty, were to be numbered.

1 Chronicles 27:24

24. he finished not] Cp. 1 Chronicles 21:6. because there fell wrath for it against Israel] R.V. and there came wrath for this upon Israel. in the account of] R.V. into the account in. A summary of the numbers of David’s census is given in 1 Chronicles 21:5 and also (with divergences) in 2 Samuel 24:9. The Chronicler probably means in the present passage that the details of the census were not entered in the official records. the chronicles] Lit. the acts of the days; cp. Introduction, § 1.

1 Chronicles 27:25

25–31. Various Officers of the King Twelve different officers are named here who acted as stewards of king David’s property. 25. treasures … storehouses] R.V. treasuries … treasuries (the same Heb. word is repeated). castles] Lit. towers; cp. 2 Chronicles 26:10; 2 Chronicles 27:4. Jehonathan] R.V. Jonathan.

1 Chronicles 27:27

27. the Ramathite] The well-known Ramah was in Benjamin, but there was also a Ramah (or Ramoth) of the South (Joshua 19:8; 1 Samuel 30:27) from which the epithet “Ramathite” might be derived. the Shiphmite] The adjective is probably derived from “Siphmoth” (1 Samuel 30:28), the name of a place in the south of Judah. We should read either “Siphmite” here, or “Shiphmoth” in 1 Sam.

1 Chronicles 27:28

28. sycomore] The fig-mulberry, a tree having leaves like mulberry-leaves, and bearing a fruit resembling figs. Cp. 2 Chronicles 1:15; Amos 7:14. in the low plains] R.V. in the lowland. Heb. Shephelah. See note on 2 Chronicles 1:15 (“vale”). Gederite] i.e. inhabitant of “Geder” (Joshua 12:13), perhaps another form of “Gederah” (ib. Joshua 15:36). A place in the south of Judah is intended in any case.

1 Chronicles 27:29

29. Sharon] The great maritime plain bounded on the East by the “lowland” (Shephelah). “The valleys” would probably be the depressions among the hills of the Shephelah which open out into Sharon; cp. Son 2:1.

1 Chronicles 27:30

30. Obil] The name is a form of the Arabic word âbil, “one who feeds camels.” the Meronothite] Meronoth was perhaps near Gibeon and Mizpah; cp. Nehemiah 3:7.

1 Chronicles 27:31

31. Hagerite] R.V. Hagrite; cp. 1 Chronicles 5:10.

1 Chronicles 27:32

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.

1 Chronicles 27:33

33. Ahithophel] See 2 Samuel 15:31; 2 Samuel 16:20 to 2 Samuel 17:23. Hushai] See 2 Samuel 15:32-37; 2 Samuel 16:16-19; 2 Samuel 17:5-16. Archite] The meaning of this word is unknown; it has no connexion with the “Arkite” of 1 Chronicles 1:15. king’s companion] R.V. king’s friend; cp. 2 Samuel 16:16. Cp. Erman. Ancient Egypt, Eng. Tr. p. 72. “Special titles served to signify the degree of rank the great men held with respect to the king [of Egypt]. In old times the most important were the friend and the well-beloved friend of the king.” The Greek kings of Syria granted similar titles to their chief dependants; cp. 1Ma 2:18 (R.V. with marg.).

1 Chronicles 27:34

34. after Ahithophel] Cp. 1 Chronicles 27:7, note. Jehoiada the son of Benaiah] Either we must read, “Benaiah the son of Jehoiada” (cp. 1 Chronicles 18:17), or we must assume that a person known only from this passage is meant. and Abiathar] Probably such a phrase as “And Zadok and Abiathar were priests” (cp. 2 Samuel 20:25) originally stood here. the general of the king’s army] R.V. the captain of the king’s host.