I Chronicles 12:20
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When David went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
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…
Open source ↗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).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them as leaders over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and as officers for your tribes.
Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”