1 Chronicles 12:20 Kommentar

What the mighty men did towards making David king we read in the foregoing chapter. Here we are told what the many did towards it. It was not all at once, but gradually, that David ascended the throne. His kingdom was to last; and therefore, like fruits that keep longest, it ripened slowly. After he had long waited for the vacancy of the throne, it was at two steps and those above seven years distant, that he ascended it. Now we are here told, I. What help came in to him to Ziklag, to make him king of Judah (v. 1-22). II. What help came in to him in Hebron, to make him king over all Israel, above seven years after (v. 23-40).

Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag,.... Given him by Achish to live in, when he fled from Saul, Sa1 27:6. while he yet kept himself close, because of Saul the son of Kish; when he was an exile from his own country, and obliged to live retired in a foreign one, because of Saul's persecution of him, and seeking to take away his life: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war; not against Saul, with whom David had none, but with the Amalekites, and others, Sa1 27:8.

And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war,.... That were trained up to it, and accounted for it: and came to David to Hebron; after the death of Ishbosheth and Abner, and when David had reigned seven years in Hebron: to turn the kingdom of Saul to him; to transfer it to him and his family: according to the word of the Lord; by Samuel, which they were acquainted with; and the number of those of the children of Judah, who made him their king already, and so there was the less need of a numerous appearance of them, were 6800 armed men, Ch1 12:24, of the tribe of Simeon, valiant men, 7100, Ch1 12:25, of the children of Levi 4600, Ch1 12:26, of the Aaronites or priests, with Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, according to Jarchi and Kimchi, at the head of them, 3700, Ch1 12:27, besides Zadok, a young man of the line of Eleazar, who was made high priest in the time of Solomon, who brought with him twenty two captains, Ch1 12:28 the heads of the courses of the priests, which were afterwards twenty four, Ch1 24:4 of the tribe of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, the greatest part of whom had been sticklers for the continuance of the kingdom in the family of Saul, 3000, Ch1 12:29, of the tribe of Ephraim, valiant men, 20,800, Ch1 12:30, of the half tribe of Manasseh on this side Jordan, whose names were pricked down, being given, to make David king, 18,000, Ch1 12:31, and of the tribe of Issachar, two hundred of the heads of them; men of knowledge and understanding, either in chronology or astrology, or in the proper seasons for husbandry, or for the fixing the beginning of years and months, and the intercalation of them, for keeping the several festivals; or rather were men of prudence and wisdom, and knew that this was the proper time for making David king, Ishbosheth and Abner his general being dead; and as they were men in high esteem for their parts and abilities, their brethren were at their beck and command, Ch1 12:30, and of the tribe of Zebulun, warlike men, skilful in war, and well armed, 50,000 men; and their numerous appearance showed that they were hearty and sincere, being the greatest number of all the tribes, Ch1 12:33, and of the tribe of Naphtali, 1000 captains, and with them armed men, 37,000, Ch1 12:34 and of the tribe of Dan, men skilled in war, 28,600, Ch1 12:35 and of the tribe of Asher, warlike men, 40,000, Ch1 12:36 and of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, on the other side Jordan, military men, well armed, 120,000, Ch1 12:37, which in all made 348,800 men, and upwards.

The different persons, captains, etc., who joined themselves to David at Ziklag, vv. 1-22. Those who joined him at Hebron, out of the different tribes; Judah, Simeon, Levi, the house of Aaron, Benjamin, Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, Zebulun, Naphtali, Dan, Asher, Reuben, etc., to the amount of a hundred and twenty thousand, Ch1 12:23-37. Their unanimity, and the provisions they brought for his support, Ch1 12:38-40.

THE COMPANIES THAT CAME TO DAVID AT ZIKLAG. (1Ch. 12:1-22) Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag--There are three lists given in this chapter, arranged, apparently, according to the order of time when the parties joined the standard of David. while he yet kept himself close because of Saul--that is, when the king's jealousy had driven him into exile from the court and the country. Ziklag--(See on Sa1 27:6). It was during his retirement in that Philistine town that he was joined in rapid succession by the heroes who afterwards contributed so much to the glory of his reign.

As he went to Ziklag--If those Manassites joined him on his return to Ziklag, after his dismissal from the Philistine army, then their arrival took place before the battle of Gilboa could have been fought (compare Sa1 29:11). Convinced of the desperate state of Saul's affairs, they abandoned him, and resolved to transfer their allegiance to David. But some learned men think that they came as fugitives from that disastrous field [CALMET and EWALD]. captains of the thousands . . . of Manasseh--Those seven were commanders of the large military divisions of their tribe.

Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag,.... Given him by Achish to live in, when he fled from Saul, Sa1 27:6. while he yet kept himself close, because of Saul the son of Kish; when he was an exile from his own country, and obliged to live retired in a foreign one, because of Saul's persecution of him, and seeking to take away his life: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war; not against Saul, with whom David had none, but with the Amalekites, and others, Sa1 27:8.

And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war,.... That were trained up to it, and accounted for it: and came to David to Hebron; after the death of Ishbosheth and Abner, and when David had reigned seven years in Hebron: to turn the kingdom of Saul to him; to transfer it to him and his family: according to the word of the Lord; by Samuel, which they were acquainted with; and the number of those of the children of Judah, who made him their king already, and so there was the less need of a numerous appearance of them, were 6800 armed men, Ch1 12:24, of the tribe of Simeon, valiant men, 7100, Ch1 12:25, of the children of Levi 4600, Ch1 12:26, of the Aaronites or priests, with Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, according to Jarchi and Kimchi, at the head of them, 3700, Ch1 12:27, besides Zadok, a young man of the line of Eleazar, who was made high priest in the time of Solomon, who brought with him twenty two captains, Ch1 12:28 the heads of the courses of the priests, which were afterwards twenty four, Ch1 24:4 of the tribe of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, the greatest part of whom had been sticklers for the continuance of the kingdom in the family of Saul, 3000, Ch1 12:29, of the tribe of Ephraim, valiant men, 20,800, Ch1 12:30, of the half tribe of Manasseh on this side Jordan, whose names were pricked down, being given, to make David king, 18,000, Ch1 12:31, and of the tribe of Issachar, two hundred of the heads of them; men of knowledge and understanding, either in chronology or astrology, or in the proper seasons for husbandry, or for the fixing the beginning of years and months, and the intercalation of them, for keeping the several festivals; or rather were men of prudence and wisdom, and knew that this was the proper time for making David king, Ishbosheth and Abner his general being dead; and as they were men in high esteem for their parts and abilities, their brethren were at their beck and command, Ch1 12:30, and of the tribe of Zebulun, warlike men, skilful in war, and well armed, 50,000 men; and their numerous appearance showed that they were hearty and sincere, being the greatest number of all the tribes, Ch1 12:33, and of the tribe of Naphtali, 1000 captains, and with them armed men, 37,000, Ch1 12:34 and of the tribe of Dan, men skilled in war, 28,600, Ch1 12:35 and of the tribe of Asher, warlike men, 40,000, Ch1 12:36 and of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, on the other side Jordan, military men, well armed, 120,000, Ch1 12:37, which in all made 348,800 men, and upwards.