John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

1 Chronicles 7:1



INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 7



In this chapter are given the genealogies of the tribes of Issachar, 1Ch 7:1 of Benjamin, 1Ch 7:6 Naphtali, 1Ch 7:13, of Manasseh, 1Ch 7:14 of Ephraim, 1Ch 7:20 and of Asher, 1Ch 7:30, even of the chief men of them; and their numbers are reckoned as in the times of David. The tribes of Dan and Zebulun are omitted.



Ver. 1. Now the sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four. The same number is given, Ge 46:13 with a small variation of two of their names, there called Phuvah and Job, from whence so many families sprang, mentioned Nu 26:23, where the names are the same as here.





1 Chronicles 7:2



Ver. 2. And the sons of Tola,.... The eldest son of Issachar, whose posterity are only reckoned by name:



Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father's house, to wit, of Tola; the principal man of his family:



[they] were valiant men of might in their generations, famous for their courage and military exploits, though they sprang from Tola, whose name signifies "a worm"; and which name Bochart {k} conjectures was given him by his parents, because he was so weakly that they had no hopes of raising him; and yet from him sprung such mighty men, and from them such a numerous race, as follows:



whose number was, in the days of David, two and twenty thousand and six hundred; besides those of the posterity of Uzzi, after mentioned. This was at the time Joab took the number of Israel, by the order of David, 1Ch 21:5.



{k} Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 4. c. 21. col. 630.





1 Chronicles 7:3



Ver. 3. And the sons of Uzzi; Izrahiah,.... Including his posterity:



and the sons of Izrahiah; Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishiah, five; together with their father, all reckoned the sons of Uzzi:



all of them chief men; in their father's house, heads of families.





1 Chronicles 7:4



Ver. 4. And with them, by their generations, after the house of their fathers, were bands of soldiers for war,.... Companies of men of military courage and skill, who could and did go out to war upon occasion:



six and thirty thousand [men]; besides the 22,600 Tolaites, 1Ch 7:2,



for they had many wives and sons; having many wives, they had many sons; polygamy was the cause of their large numbers; and that they gave into for the sake of the multiplication of Abraham's seed, according to the divine promise.





1 Chronicles 7:5



Ver. 5. And their brethren among all the families of Issachar,.... As those of Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, 1Ch 7:1



were men of might; valiant and courageous:



reckoned in all, by their genealogies, fourscore and seven thousand; that is, including with these those of Tola and Uzzi before given.





1 Chronicles 7:6



Ver. 6. The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three. Benjamin had ten sons, but three only are mentioned first; the latter of these seems to be the same with Ashbel, Ge 46:21.





1 Chronicles 7:7



Ver. 7. And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five,.... These are thought by some to be the grandsons of Bela, because of the different names in 1Ch 8:3,



heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; principal men in their tribe and families, and of great courage:



and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and four; who sprung from these men.





1 Chronicles 7:8



Ver. 8. And the sons of Becher,.... Another son of Benjamin, 1Ch 7:6,



Zemira, and Joash, and Eliezer and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jerimoth, and Abiah, and Anathoth, and Alameth; the two last of these, according to Kimchi, gave names to two cities in Benjamin, built by them; Anathoth, the native place of Jeremiah the prophet, and Alameth, the same with Bahurim, 2Sa 16:5



all these are the sons of Becher; before named.





1 Chronicles 7:9



Ver. 9. And the number of them,.... Of the posterity of the sons of Becher:



after their genealogy by their generations, heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; as they increased in succeeding ages, and at the time of David:



was twenty thousand and two hundred.





1 Chronicles 7:10



Ver. 10. The sons also of Jediael,.... The third son of Benjamin before mentioned, 1Ch 7:6. Bilhan, including his posterity, as follows:



and the sons of Bilhan; Jeush, and Benjamin; called so after his great grandfather:



and Ehud; who was the second judge in Israel, Jud 3:15



and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tharshish, and Ahishahar; of whom we nowhere else read.





1 Chronicles 7:11



Ver. 11. All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers, mighty men of valour, [were] seventeen thousand and two hundred [soldiers], fit to go out for war and battle. Which, with the above sums put together, make of the tribe of Benjamin, besides what follow, 59,430; who, if numbered by Joab, the account was not given in by him, 1Ch 21:6.





1 Chronicles 7:12



Ver. 12. Shuppim also, and Huppim, the children of Ir,.... The same with Iri, 1Ch 7:7 so that these were not sons of Benjamin, as they seem to be, if they are the same with Muppim and Huppim in Ge 46:21 but his great-grandchildren, and are the same with Shupham and Hupham, from whom families of the tribe of Benjamin sprung, Nu 26:39 the Targum calls them the inhabitants of a city, but of what is not said, unless Geba should be meant, 1Ch 8:6 and



Hushim, the sons of Aher: either the same with Aharah, the third son of Benjamin, 1Ch 8:1 or Ahiram, Nu 26:38, though some read the words, "the sons of another"; whom they suppose to be Dan, who otherwise is omitted; and Hushim is the only son of Dan, Ge 46:23, where the same plural word is used as here; who, they think, is called another, by way of detestation, that tribe being guilty of gross idolatry; but he rather seems to belong to Benjamin.





1 Chronicles 7:13



Ver. 13. The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum,.... Called Shillem, Ge 46:24,



the sons of Bilhah; Jacob's concubine; her grandsons; for Naphtali, the father of them, was her son; from these sprung so many families, after their names, Nu 26:48.





1 Chronicles 7:14



Ver. 14. The sons of Manasseh; Ashriel, whom she bare,.... The wife of Manasseh, as distinguished from his concubine in the next clause; though the Targum reads, in connection with that,



"whom his Aramitess (or Syrian) concubine bare;''



and then adds,



who also bare Machir the father of Gilead; so that Ashriel and Machir were brethren; from which Ashriel sprung the family of the Ashrielites, Nu 26:29 as from Machir the Machirites, Nu 26:29.





1 Chronicles 7:15



Ver. 15. And Machir took to wife the sister of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister's name was Maachah,.... He married into the tribe of Benjamin, a sister of the persons mentioned, 1Ch 7:12 whose name was Maachah:



and the name of the second was Zelophehad; the second son of Manasseh, or of his posterity mentioned; for he was not his immediate son; for he was the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, Nu 27:1



and Zelophehad had daughters; but no sons, the names of his daughters are given, Nu 26:33.





1 Chronicles 7:16



Ver. 16. And Maachah the wife of Machir bare a son, and she called his name Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh,.... He had both these sons by her:



and his sons were Ulam and Rakem, that is, either the sons of Peresh or Sheresh, the nearest, as Kimchi observes.





1 Chronicles 7:17



Ver. 17. And the sons of Ulam: Bedan,.... See 1Sa 12:11



these were the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh; that is, were of his posterity, or belonged to his family; for Ulam and Rakem were sons of a brother of Gilead, 1Ch 7:16.





1 Chronicles 7:18



Ver. 18. And his sister Hammoleketh,.... The sister of Gilead so named; though the Targum renders it "that reigned"; and so Kimchi, that reigned in some part of Gilead; and the Vulgate Latin version translates it, "a queen bare Ishod, and Abiezer, and Mahalah"; Abiezer is the same with Jeezer, from whom a family sprung of that name, Nu 26:30, of which Gideon was, Jud 6:11.





1 Chronicles 7:19



Ver. 19. And the sons of Shemida,.... Another son of Gilead's sister, unless the same with Ishod; from him sprung the family of the Shemidaites, Nu 26:30



were, Ahian, and Shechem, and Likhi, and Aniam; from Shechem came the family of the Shethemites, as from Likhi, if he is the same with Helek, as probably he may be, was the family of the Helekites, Nu 26:30.





1 Chronicles 7:20



Ver. 20. And the sons of Ephraim,.... A son of Joseph, and father of a tribe of this name, whose genealogy through five generations follows: Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eladah, Tahath; the second.





1 Chronicles 7:21



Ver. 21. And Zabad his son,.... Not the son of Tahath the second last mentioned, but the son of Ephraim, a second son of his:



and Shuthelah; his son, the son of Zabad, called after his uncle's name, 1Ch 7:20



and Ezer, and Elead; two other sons of Zabad:



whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew: that is, Zabad and his three sons; these the men of Gath slew, who were Philistines that dwelt there, and were originally of Egypt, and were born in that land, but had removed into Palestine, which had its name from them, of which Gath was one of its cities; and this bordering upon the land of Goshen, or being near it, where the Israelites dwelt, they made inroads upon them, and plundered them:



because they came down to take away their cattle; and the sons, the grandsons of Ephraim, resisted them, and so were slain: and that the aggressors were not the Ephraimites, who went out of Egypt before their time, and fell upon the men of Gath, born in the land of the Philistines, in order to dispossess them of their land and substance, and were slain by them, which is the sense of the Targum and other writers, both Jewish and Christian; but the men of Gath, as is clear from this circumstance, that they



came down, as men did when they went from Palestine to Egypt, not when they went from Egypt to Palestine, then they "went up"; which would have been the phrase used, if this had been an expedition of the Ephraimites into Palestine; besides, it is not reasonable to think, that the Ephraimites, addicted to husbandry and cattle, and not used to war, should engage in such an enterprise; but rather the men of Gath, or the Philistines, who were a warlike people, and given to spoil and plunder; this, according to a learned chronologer {l}, was seventy four years after Jacob went down to Egypt, and one hundred and forty years before the children of Israel came from thence.



{l} Nic. Abrami Pharus, l. 9. c. 21. p. 242.





1 Chronicles 7:22



Ver. 22. And Ephraim their father mourned many days,.... For the loss of his son and grandchildren for the above fact was done while the Israelites were in Egypt, and Ephraim the patriarch yet alive; nor is there any need to suppose another Ephraim, different from him:



and his brethren came to comfort him; some of the heads of the other tribes of Israel, particularly Manasseh, with some of his family.





1 Chronicles 7:23



Ver. 23. And when he went in to his wife,.... After his grief and sorrow in part at least had subsided:



she conceived and bare a son; which in some measure made up for the loss he had sustained:



and he called his name Beriah; which signifies being "in evil" or calamity, he being born in an evil time:



because it went evil with his house; or evil was in his house, as Noldius {m}, in his family; a great calamity had befallen it.



{m} Ebr. Concord. Part. No. 750. p. 165.





1 Chronicles 7:24



Ver. 24. And his daughter was Sherah,.... That is, the daughter of Beriah; not an immediate daughter, but a descendant of his, otherwise she could not have reached the times of Joshua, as she did by what follows:



who built Bethhoron the nether, and the upper; which were cities on the border of the tribe of Ephraim; which the Israelites having taken from the Canaanites, and destroyed, she rebuilt, see Jos 16:3



and Uzzensherah; which was called after her own name, and to distinguish it from another place called Uzzen; though of neither of them do we read elsewhere.





1 Chronicles 7:25



Ver. 25-27. And Rephah was his son,.... The son of Beriah, whose genealogy from him is traced down to Joshua in this and the two following verses, and stands thus: after Rephah, Resheph, Telah, Tahan, Laadan, Ammihud, Elishama, who was prince of the tribe of Ephraim in the wilderness, Nu 1:10, then Non or Nun, whose son was Jehoshua or Joshua.





1 Chronicles 7:26



Ver. 26. See Gill on "1Ch 7:25"





1 Chronicles 7:27



Ver. 27. See Gill on "1Ch 7:25"





1 Chronicles 7:28



Ver. 28. And their possessions and habitations,.... That is, of the sons of Ephraim, when come into the land of Canaan:



were Bethel, and the towns thereof; the villages belonging to it, which was formerly called Luz, and was the border of Ephraim, Jos 16:7



and eastward Naaran: the same with Naarath, Jos 16:7



and westward Gezer, with the towns thereof; of which see

Jos 16:3,



and Shechem also, and the towns thereof; which was a city of refuge in Mount Ephraim, Jos 20:7



unto Gaza, and the towns thereof; not Gaza, a city of the Philistines, for the tribe of Ephraim did not reach so far; the Targum calls it Aiah; it may be read Adaza, as in the margin of our Bibles.





1 Chronicles 7:29



Ver. 29. And by the borders of the children of Manasseh,.... Of the half tribe of Manasseh on this side Jordan: near to them the Ephraimites dwelt, even near to



Bethshean and her towns, Taanach and her towns, Megiddo and her towns, Dor and her towns; of all which places see Jos 17:11,



in these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel; the Ephraimites, in those mentioned in 1Ch 7:28, and the Manassites, in those that are here mentioned; who were both the children or posterity of Joseph, the beloved son of Israel.





1 Chronicles 7:30



Ver. 30,31. The son of Asher,.... Which, and his two grandsons born before Jacob went down to Egypt, are here reckoned as in Ge 46:17 only it is here added Malchiel his second grandson,



who is the father of Birzavith; which Jarchi interprets, prince of a city of this name, which signifies pure oil; which it might have from the abundance of olives about it, Asher being a tribe which abounded with them, see De 33:24 though some of the Rabbins take it to be the name of a man, whose daughters, they say, as Jarchi observes, were very beautiful, having much oil to anoint with, and were married to kings and priests anointed with oil.





1 Chronicles 7:31



Ver. 31. See Gill on "1Ch 7:30".





1 Chronicles 7:32



Ver. 32. And Heber,.... The other grandson of Asher; and son of Beriah;



begat Japhlet, and Shomer, and Hotham, and Shuah their sister; a place on the borders of Ephraim is called the coast of Japhleti; but whether from this Japhlet is uncertain.





1 Chronicles 7:33



Ver. 33. And the sons of Japhlet; Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath; these are the children of Japhlet. Of whom we read not elsewhere,





1 Chronicles 7:34



Ver. 34. And the sons of Shamer,.... Or Shomer, the brother of Japhlet, 1Ch 7:32.



Ahi, and Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram; of whom nothing is known but their names.





1 Chronicles 7:35



Ver. 35. And the sons of his brother Helem,.... Or Helem his brother, that is, the brother of Shomer, who, according to Hillerus {n}, is Hotham, 1Ch 7:32.



Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh, and Aram; nowhere else mentioned.



{n} Onomastic. Sacr. p. 551.





1 Chronicles 7:36



Ver. 36,37. And the sons of Zophah,.... The eldest of the sons of Helem:



Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah, Bezer; and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera; in all eleven.





1 Chronicles 7:37



Ver. 37. See Gill on "1Ch 7:36".





1 Chronicles 7:38



Ver. 38. And the sons of Jether,.... The same with Ithran, the last of Zophah's sons but one, 1Ch 7:37,



Jephunneh, and Pispah, and Ara; not Jephunneh the father of Caleb; he was not of the tribe of Asher, but of Judah.





1 Chronicles 7:39



Ver. 39. And the sons of Ulla,.... Who either was the son of Ara, last mentioned, or another son of Jether:



Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia; here ends the genealogy of Asher; the last of the tribes; Dan and Zebulun not being reckoned at all.





1 Chronicles 7:40



Ver. 40. All these were the children of Asher, heads of their father's house,.... Principal men in their tribe, and respective families:



choice and mighty men of valour; these were some selected from others, being eminent for their courage and valour:



chief of the princes; or chief princes; the Vulgate Latin version is, dukes of dukes, they were heads of their fathers' families:



[and] the number throughout the genealogy that were apt to war, and to battle, [was] twenty and six thousand [men]; that is, in the days of David, 1Ch 7:4, this was the number, not of their chief men, nor of all the people in the tribe, but of their militia.

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

1 Chronicles 8:1



INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 8



In this chapter the genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin is reconsidered, and several of the principal men and families in it are taken notice of, which were not before; or a further account is given of them, as of the sons and grandsons of Benjamin, 1Ch 8:1, of Ehud, 1Ch 8:5, of Shaharaim, 1Ch 8:8, of Elpaal and Beriah, 1Ch 8:12 of Shimhi, 1Ch 8:19, of Shashak, 1Ch 8:22, of Jeroham, 1Ch 8:26, of Jehiel the father of Gibeon, 1Ch 8:28, of Ner, and particularly Saul, 1Ch 8:33 and of Jonathan, and his posterity, 1Ch 8:34.



Ver. 1. Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn,.... See 1Ch 7:6. The genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin is reviewed, because it joined and kept close with Judah in the worship of God, went into captivity, and returned out of it with it; and this review is made chiefly for the sake of Saul, and his posterity, the first king of Israel, who was of it, and in whose posterity this genealogy ends:



Ashbel the second; supposed to be the same with Jediael, 1Ch 7:6, see Ge 46:21



and Aharah the third; the same with Aher, 1Ch 7:13, and with Ahiram, Nu 26:38.





1 Chronicles 8:2



Ver. 2. Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. Nohah is supposed by some to be the same with Becher, 1Ch 7:6 and by others with Naaman, Ge 46:21, as Rapha, the same with Rosh there.





1 Chronicles 8:3



Ver. 3. The sons of Bela were Addar, and Gera, and Abihud. The first of these is thought to be the same with Ard, mentioned among the sons of Benjamin, Ge 46:21 but was one of his grandsons, see Nu 26:40 as Gera also was.





1 Chronicles 8:4



Ver. 4,5. And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah, and Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram. These were all the sons of Bela; one of the name of Naaman is reckoned among the sons of Benjamin, Ge 46:21 and from this grandson the family of the Naamanites are named, Nu 26:40, and Ahoah is by some thought to be the same with Ehi, mentioned in

Ge 46:21 as one of Benjamin's sons. Some take the three last to be the sons of Ehud, spoken of in the next verse; but Shephuphan and Huram seem to be the same with Shupham and Hupham, Nu 26:39.





1 Chronicles 8:5



Ver. 5. See Gill on "1Ch 8:4".





1 Chronicles 8:6



Ver. 6. And these are the sons of Ehud,.... Not he that was a judge in Israel, Jud 3:15 but perhaps a son of Huram the last mentioned; for not the three last are his sons, as some think, but the three following in the next verse; what follows being to be read in a parenthesis:



(these are the heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba;) a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 18:24 namely, those sons of Ehud, after mentioned, were principal men in that tribe, and chief of the inhabitants of the city of Geba:



and they removed them to Manahath; the name of a country referred to in 1Ch 2:52 according to Jarchi, which was in the tribe of Judah; Geba being too small, either the inhabitants of Geba removed them, or they removed themselves, or their fathers removed them, 1Ch 8:7, or it may be read impersonally, they were removed thither for the sake of a better habitation; the Targum adds,



"to the land of the house of Esau,''



to Edom; which is not likely.





1 Chronicles 8:7



Ver. 7. And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera,.... Or, to wit, Naaman, &c. so the words are to be connected with



these are the sons or Ehud, in the preceding verse:



he removed them; to the above place, that is, either Gera, or rather Ehud, he advised them, directed and enjoined them to go thither, as being most convenient for them:



and he begat Uzza and Ahihud; after he had removed his other sons.





1 Chronicles 8:8



Ver. 8. And Shaharaim,.... Who was either a son of Ahihud, or rather a brother of his, another son of Ehud:



begat children in the country of Moab; whither he might go on account of the famine, as Elimelech did, Ru 1:1, after he had sent them away; which some understand of those that were removed from Geba to Manahath, 1Ch 8:6, but a different word is here used; and besides Shaharaim seems to be one of those that were removed. Kimchi takes Shilhootham, we render "had sent them away", to be the name of his first wife, of whom he begat children in Moab; but it seems best to render and interpret the words in connection with what follows: he begat children in Moab,



after he had sent them away; even Hushim and Baara his wives; after he had divorced them, for some reasons he had, he begat children of another wife, later mentioned.





1 Chronicles 8:9



Ver. 9,10. And he begat of Hodesh his wife,.... That is, he, I say, begat, namely, Shaharaim; the Targum makes this Hodesh to be the same with Baara, called so because she was newly espoused; but wrongly: the sons begotten of her were the seven following;



Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcham, Jeuz, Shachia, and Mirma. These were his sons; the sons of Shaharaim by his wife Hodesh:



heads of the fathers; of the houses or families of their father.





1 Chronicles 8:10



Ver. 10 See Gill on "1Ch 8:9".





1 Chronicles 8:11



Ver. 11. And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal. Before he sent her away, or divorced her, 1Ch 8:8.





1 Chronicles 8:12



Ver. 12. The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed,.... Besides those in 1Ch 8:14



who built Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof; not Shamed, but Elpaal his father, so the Targum; and the Talmudists say {o}, these were walled cities from the days of Joshua the son of Nun, and were destroyed in the days of the concubine in Gibea, and Elpaal came and rebuilt them; they were inhabited by the Benjaminites, upon their return from the Babylonish captivity, Ne 11:35 they were near to each other; according to a Jewish chronologer {p}, it was three miles from the one to the other; Lod is the same with Lydda, in Ac 9:32.



{o} T. Hieros. Megillah, fol. 70. 1. & T. Bab Megillah, fol. 4. 1. So the Targum. {p} Juchasin, fol. 39. 2.





1 Chronicles 8:13



Ver. 13. Beriah also, and Shema,.... These were sons of Elpaal:



who were heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon; which, though in the tribe of Dan, Jos 19:42 might afterwards come into the possession of Benjamin; or this may be another place of the same name in Benjamin; or, however, might be inhabited by Benjaminites, upon the return from captivity, who descended from those men:



who drove away the inhabitants of Gath; dispossessed them of their city, in revenge for what they had done to the Ephraimites, 1Ch 7:21.





1 Chronicles 8:14



Ver. 14. And Ahio, Shashak, and Jerimoth. These were also sons of Elpaal.





1 Chronicles 8:15



Ver. 15,16. And Zebadiah,.... And all that follow in this and the next verse were the sons of Beriah the son of Elpaal; namely,



Arad, Ader, Michael, Ispah, and Joha.





1 Chronicles 8:16



Ver. 16. See Gill on "1Ch 8:15"





1 Chronicles 8:17



Ver. 17,18. And Zebadiah, and Meshullam,.... These, with those that follow,



Hezeki, Heber, Ishmerai, Jezliah, and Jobab, were the sons of Elpaal





1 Chronicles 8:18



Ver. 18. See Gill on "1Ch 8:17".





1 Chronicles 8:19



Ver. 19-21. And Jakim,.... With all the rest in these verses, namely,



Zichri, Zabdi, Elienai, Zilthai, Eliel, Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath, were the sons of Shimhi, the same with Shema brother of Beriah, and son of Elpaal, 1Ch 8:13.





1 Chronicles 8:20



Ver. 20. See Gill on "1Ch 8:19".





1 Chronicles 8:21



Ver. 21. See Gill on "1Ch 8:19".





1 Chronicles 8:22



Ver. 22-25. And Ishpan, and Heber,.... And all that follow to the end of these verses,



Eliel, Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, Hananiah, Elam, Antothijah, Iphedeiah, and Penuel, were the sons of Shashak, another son of Elpaal, 1Ch 8:14.





1 Chronicles 8:23



Ver. 23. See Gill on "1Ch 8:22".





1 Chronicles 8:24



Ver. 24. See Gill on "1Ch 8:22".





1 Chronicles 8:25



Ver. 25. See Gill on "1Ch 8:22".





1 Chronicles 8:26



Ver. 26,27. And Shamsherai,.... Who, with those next mentioned,



Shehariah, Athaliah, Jaresiah, Eliah, and Zichri, [were the sons of] Jeroham, who perhaps is the same with Jerimoth, another son of Elpaal, 1Ch 8:14 who makes a considerable figure in this genealogy. Kimchi observes that it is a tradition {q} that this Eliah is Elijah the prophet, who was of the seed of Rachel.



{q} Shemoth Rabba, sect. 40. fol. 138. 4.





1 Chronicles 8:27



Ver. 27. See Gill on "1Ch 8:26".





1 Chronicles 8:28



Ver. 28. These were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief [men],.... All from 1Ch 8:14, the sons of Elpaal and their sons:



these dwelt in Jerusalem; part of which always belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, see Jos 15:63.





1 Chronicles 8:29



Ver. 29. And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon,.... The builder of the city, and prince of the inhabitants of it, which was in the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 18:25 whose name was Jehiel, 1Ch 9:35,



(whose wife's name was Maachah;) of which name were many, see 1Ch 2:48.





1 Chronicles 8:30



Ver. 30,31. And his firstborn son Abdon,.... That is, Jehiel's, the father or prince of Gibeon; other sons follow:



Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, and Zacher; called Zechariah, 1Ch 9:37 and between Baal and Nadab, Ner is placed, 1Ch 9:36 and another son is added at the end of 1Ch 9:37, Mikloth next mentioned.





1 Chronicles 8:31



Ver. 31. See Gill on "1Ch 8:30".





1 Chronicles 8:32



Ver. 32. And Mikloth begat Shimeah,.... Called Shimeam, 1Ch 9:38



and these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them; in another part of the city, right beside them.





1 Chronicles 8:33



Ver. 33. And Ner begat Kish,.... Who also is called Abiel, as the Targum here adds; for Ner had two names, as other Jewish writers likewise say {r}, see 1Sa 9:1,



and Kish begat Saul; the first king of Israel, for whose sake chiefly the genealogy of Benjamin is revised and enlarged in this chapter:



and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal, see 1Sa 31:2. Abinadab is called Ishui, 1Sa 14:49 and Eshbaal is the same with Ishbosheth, 2Sa 2:8, so Baal and Bosheth are used of the same idol of which they are names, Ho 9:10.



{r} Vajikra Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 152. 4.





1 Chronicles 8:34



Ver. 34. And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal,.... The same with Mephibosheth, 2Sa 4:4 so Jerubbaal is called Jerubbesheth, Jud 6:32



and Meribbaal begat Micah; called his young son in David's time, 2Sa 9:12.





1 Chronicles 8:35



Ver. 35. And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz. The last but one is called Tahrea, 1Ch 9:41, where Ahaz is left out, though supplied in our version.





1 Chronicles 8:36



Ver. 36. And Ahaz begat Jehoadah,.... Called Jarah, 1Ch 9:42



and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza; the same account is given, 1Ch 9:42.





1 Chronicles 8:37



Ver. 37. And Moza begat Binea; Rapha was his son,.... Called Rephaiah, 1Ch 9:43.



Elasah his son; whose name is Eleasah, 1Ch 9:43.



Azel his son.





1 Chronicles 8:38



Ver. 38. And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bochim, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan,.... Which make the said number:



all these were the sons of Azel; his family was large.





1 Chronicles 8:39



Ver. 39. And the sons of Eshek his brother,.... The brother of Azel; who he was is not known, unless he is the same with Elasah, as is conjectured:



[were] Ulam his firstborn, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third.





1 Chronicles 8:40



Ver. 40. And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour,.... Men of great fortitude and courage, though their names are not expressed:



archers; skilful in the use of the bow and arrows, as the Benjaminites formerly were famous for slinging stones:



and had many sons, and sons' sons, an hundred and fifty; so that the posterity of Jonathan, whose genealogy is drawn down from 1Ch 8:34 hither, were very great; and greater still, according to the Vulgate Latin version, in which the number is 150,000 in the edition of Sixtus the fifth, and so in most MSS of that version {s}



all these are of the sons of Benjamin; his posterity, whose names are given in this chapter.



{s} See James of the Contrariety of the Popish Bibles, p. 294.

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

1 Chronicles 9:1



INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 9



The genealogies of the several tribes being given, according as they were written in the books of the kings of Israel, 1Ch 9:1, an account follows of those who first settled in Jerusalem after their return from the Babylonish captivity; of the Israelites, 1Ch 9:2, of the priests, 1Ch 9:10 of the Levites, and of the charge and offices of several of the priests and Levites, 1Ch 9:14, and the chapter is concluded with a repetition of the genealogy of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of Israel, 1Ch 9:35.



Ver. 1. So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies,.... Not now by the writer of this book in the preceding chapters; for two of the tribes are not reckoned at all, and the rest but in part; but there had been kept an exact account of them:



and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel; not in the canonical book or books of Kings, but in the annals, journals, and diaries, which each king took care to be kept with some exactness, often referred to in the preceding books; out of which this writer, under a divine direction, had taken what was proper to be continued, and had carried the genealogy down to the captivity of the ten tribes; but the genealogy being lost with them, he could proceed no further, nor say anything more concerning them:



but Judah; for so the word should be stopped, and read according to the Hebrew accents:



[who] were carried away to Babylon for their transgression; their idolatry, and were now returned again; of them the writer proposes to give a further account.





1 Chronicles 9:2



Ver. 2. Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities,.... Who first returned from Babylon upon the proclamation of Cyrus, and enjoyed their former possessions, and dwelt in the cities they had before, or in such as were allotted them, or they chose:



[were], the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims; the whole body that returned were divided into four classes, as they had been before the captivity; the Israelites were the common people in general, the body politic; the priests, the ecclesiastics, who officiated in sacred things; the Levites, who ministered to them; and the Nethinims were such persons as were "given", as the word signifies, to do servile work for the sanctuary, as, to be hewers of wood and drawers of water; such were the Gibeonites, Jos 9:27, and such as were appointed by David for such work, see Ezr 8:20.





1 Chronicles 9:3



Ver. 3. And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin,.... Of which tribes were the largest number that went into, and returned out of, captivity:



and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh; such of those tribes who had joined the others when Jeroboam introduced his idolatry, or had fled to them when Samaria was besieged and taken by Shalmaneser, and so went into captivity with Judah, and now returned; and as many of them as took the advantage of the proclamation of Cyrus, who were carried captive with the ten tribes.





1 Chronicles 9:4



Ver. 4. Uthai, the son of Ammihud,.... Called Athaiah, Ne 11:4 though his ancestors there are differently reckoned here; his genealogy here is traced from his father Ammihud, through Omri, Imri, Bani, Pharez, to Judah.





1 Chronicles 9:5



Ver. 5. And of the Shilonites,.... Not called so from the city of Shiloh, which was in Ephraim; whereas these here intended were of the tribe of Judah, and were either the descendants of a man whose name was Shiloni, Ne 11:5 or rather these are the same with the Shelanites, Nu 26:20 so called from Shelah the son of Judah; and so the Targum here is,



"and of the tribe of Shelah:''



Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons; the same with Maaseiah, Ne 11:5.





1 Chronicles 9:6



Ver. 6. And of the sons of Zerah,.... Another son of Judah:



Jeuel, and their brethren; six hundred and ninety; or their kinsmen; for this number includes all of the posterity of Pharez, Shelah and Zerah mentioned.





1 Chronicles 9:7



Ver. 7. And of the sons of Benjamin,.... Who were of the tribe of Benjamin, and went with Judah into captivity, and returned with them, and such of them as dwelt in Jerusalem before that:



Sallu the son of Meshullam; whose pedigree is differently given, Ne 11:7,



the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenaah; perhaps these men had two names, there called Joel and Pedaiah.





1 Chronicles 9:8



Ver. 8. And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham,.... Who with two more, Elah and Meshullam, whose ancestors are given, of whom we have no mention elsewhere, were all of the tribe of Benjamin, said to settle at Jerusalem.





1 Chronicles 9:9



Ver. 9. And their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred amd fifty and six,.... Which was the number of the Benjaminites there resident put together, and which greatly exceeded that of Judah, 1Ch 9:6



all these men were chief of the fathers, in the house of their fathers; principal men in the families of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, even all the seven before mentioned.





1 Chronicles 9:10



Ver. 10. And of the priests,.... Who returned and dwelt at Jerusalem:



Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin; Jedaiah was the son of Jehoiarib, and Jachin is called Jachin, Ne 11:10.





1 Chronicles 9:11



Ver. 11. And Azariah the son of Hilkiah,.... That is, the son of Azariah, whose name was Seraiah, see 1Ch 6:13, whose pedigree is traced up from Hilkiah through Meshullam, called Shallum, 1Ch 6:12. Zadok, Meraioth, to Ahitub,



the ruler of the house of God; high priest in it; which is to be understood of Ahitub, and not of Azariah or Seraiah in the time of Ezra; for Joshua was then high priest.





1 Chronicles 9:12



Ver. 12. And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur,.... In this genealogy, between Jeroham and Pashur, were three more here omitted, Pelaliah, Amzi, Zechariah, Ne 11:12, and then Pashur the son of Malchijah, as here:



and Maasiai the son of Adiel; whose pedigree is traced up from hence, through Jahzerah, Meshullam, Meshillemith, to Immer; one of the five heads of the courses settled by David, 1Ch 24:14. The names of this man, and of his ancestors, are given, with some variation, in

Ne 11:13.





1 Chronicles 9:13



Ver. 13. And their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, one thousand and seven hundred and threescore. These, with other priests, made up this number, which was greater than those of Judah and Benjamin, that dwelt in Jerusalem, put together:



very able men for the work of the service of the house of God: men that had not only strength of body, which some part of the work of the priests required; but had courage and fortitude of mind to set about the service of God with cheerfulness, and to preserve it from corruption.





1 Chronicles 9:14



Ver. 14. And of the Levites,.... Having given an account of the two first classes of the people, the Israelites and priests, the author of the book now proceeds to the Levites, the third class; and the first mentioned is Shemaiah, whose ancestors, Hashub, Azrikam, and Hashabiah,



[were] of the sons of Merari; the third son of Levi.





1 Chronicles 9:15



Ver. 15. And Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah,.... Four more of the chief of the Levites, the pedigree of the last of which is traced up by Micah and Zichri to Asaph, the singer in the times of David, a descendant of Gershon, the first son of Levi; the first of these is thought by Hillerus {t} to be the same with Bakbukiah, Ne 11:17.



{t} Onamastic. Sacr. p. 401, 548.





1 Chronicles 9:16



Ver. 16. And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah,.... Called Abda the son of Shammua, Ne 11:17



the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; who was Ethan, another of the singers in the time of David:



and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites; the villages about Netophah, which was in the tribe of Judah, 1Ch 2:54, Ne 7:26 which may be understood either of Elkanah, the ancestor of Berechiah, whose dwelling was there; or of Berechiah, and must be rendered,



who had dwelt there; for now he dwelt at Jerusalem.





1 Chronicles 9:17



Ver. 17. And the porters,.... Or keepers of the gates of the tabernacle:



were Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren; Shallum was the chief; of these four porters, and their brethren.





1 Chronicles 9:18



Ver. 18. Who hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward,.... At the gate through which the king went into the temple, and was at the east of it; and here these porters were placed in the same order after the captivity, and their return from it, as before:



they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi; or in the camp of Levi, which was placed around the tabernacle, as in the wilderness: the Septuagint version is, "these are the gates of the camp of the children of Levi"; at which these porters were placed.





1 Chronicles 9:19



Ver. 19. And Shallum the son of Kore,.... The same as in 1Ch 9:17 whose pedigree is traced up to Ebiasaph the son of Korah, see Ex 6:24



and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites; so called, because they descended from Korah:



[were over] the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle; until the temple was built:



and their fathers being over the host of the Lord; the Levites, who were the Lord's army, and whose service is represented as a warfare, Nu 4:5



[were] keepers of the entry; into the tabernacle, that none might enter that were impure; or into the court of the priests, excepting priests; or into the holiest of all, as Kimchi suggests.





1 Chronicles 9:20



Ver. 20. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past,.... Over the host, over the Levites, and the chief of them; which is to be understood of Phinehas the son of Eleazar, in the time of Moses, who succeeded his father in that post, see Nu 3:32 though some think, as Kimchi observes, that this was not Phinehas the priest, but a certain Levite of this name in this post; but since he is said to be in time past, it may very well be understood of him: and it also is observed,



and the Lord was with him; inspiring him with zeal for his honour and glory, assisting and strengthening him to do his will and work, as particularly in the affair of Zimri, Nu 25:7, the Targum is,



"the Word of the Lord was for his help;''



this may be said for the encouragement of him that was in the same office now.





1 Chronicles 9:21



Ver. 21. And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah,.... Some think this refers to one that was in the times of David; but it seems rather to respect one that was after the Babylonish captivity, see 1Ch 26:1 though he and his brethren were in an office established in the times of David, and the order of which was now, as then, observed:



was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: who was the chief porter, and kept the door; either that led into the outer court, and kept out all unclean persons from entering there; or that which led into the court of the priests, that none but priests might enter there.





1 Chronicles 9:22



Ver. 22. All those that were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve,.... As fixed in the days of David, and might not be fewer:



these were reckoned by their genealogies in their villages; where they dwelt:



whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office; the scheme was first drawn by Samuel the prophet, and communicated to David, who put it into execution, to be constantly and perpetually observed.





1 Chronicles 9:23



Ver. 23. So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the Lord,.... They that were appointed in David's time to watch the gates of the temple, their posterity succeeded them in that office; for it was hereditary:



namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards; that which was at Gibeon in David's time, and now one was erected until the temple was built.





1 Chronicles 9:24



Ver. 24. In four quarters were the porters,.... For, according to the Targum on 1Ch 9:22 there were twenty four wards:



towards the east, west, north, and south; and, as the same paraphrase has it, six wards to the east, six to the west, six to the north, and six to the south.





1 Chronicles 9:25



Ver. 25. And their brethren, which were in their villages,.... Assigned them to dwell in:



were to come after seven days from time to time with them; there was a new course of them every week; the old ones went off of duty, and another course succeeded, which came out of the villages where they dwelt, and the old course retired to theirs.





1 Chronicles 9:26



Ver. 26. For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office,.... The four chief porters who were over all the two hundred and twelve, and had one over them, 1Ch 9:17, these were never changed, nor went into the country villages; but were always upon the spot, and in their office, superintending the rest:



and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God; see

1Ch 26:20.





1 Chronicles 9:27



Ver. 27. And they lodged round about the house of God,.... In chambers on the outward wall about it, that they might be near to do their office:



because the charge was upon them; to guard the house:



and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them; that is, the opening of the doors of the mountain of the house, and the court of women; for as for others, that appertained to the priests, as Dr. Lightfoot {u} observes; under the second temple, it is said {w}, Ben Geber was over the shutting of the gates in the evening, and so of opening in the morning.



{u} Temple-Service, c. 7. sect. 1. {w} Misn. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 1.





1 Chronicles 9:28



Ver. 28. And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale. Which the priests used in sacrificing, and which the Levites brought to them, and returned again to their proper places.





1 Chronicles 9:29



Ver. 29. Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments of the sanctuary,.... They were committed to their care; they delivered them out on occasion, and their business was to see that they were returned when they had done their use and service:



and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices; which were used in meat offerings, drink offerings, &c. see 1Ch 26:20 under the second temple, Ahiah was over the libations or drink offerings {x}.



{x} Ibid. (Misn. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 1.)





1 Chronicles 9:30



Ver. 30. And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices. For though the Levites had the care of the spices, they might not make the ointment with them, only the priests, see Ex 30:23.





1 Chronicles 9:31



Ver. 31. And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite,.... Of whom see 1Ch 9:19,



had the set office over the things that were made in the pans; the meat offerings that were made in pans; and so had the care of the fine flour, oil, and frankincense used in them, which he delivered to the priests when necessary, see Le 2:5, the Septuagint version is,



"over the works of the sacrifice of the pan of the high priest;''



as if it respected peculiarly his meat offering, Le 6:20, we read in the Misnah {y} of the offerings of the high priest, as expressed by this word, which it signifies, and not pans, but what was fried in them {z}; and Ben Melech on the place says, this man was an high priest who offered every day the tenth part of an ephah in a pan, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening, according to Le 6:20, but that cannot be, for certain it is he was a Levite, as the text expresses it.



{y} Menachot, c. 11. sect. 3. & Tamid, c. 1. sect. 3. {z} Vid. Sheringham. in Misn. Yoma, c. 2. sect. 3. p. 16.





1 Chronicles 9:32



Ver. 32. And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath,.... Twelve loaves of which were set every week before the ark upon the shewbread table, and the old ones taken away: now the work of these Levites was to make this shewbread, and get it ready every week to be set upon the table, and which was done not by them, but by priests; under the second temple, the family of Garmu was set over this work {a}.



{a} Misn. Shekalim, ut supra. (c. 5. sect. 1.)





1 Chronicles 9:33



Ver. 33. And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites,.... Others of them were employed in singing, and were masters of the song, and presided in that service, see 1Ch 6:31 who remaining



in the chambers were free; from all other work and service; and there they abode, even in the chambers of the temple, that they might be near to perform their work, and not be defiled, and made unfit for it:



for they were employed in that work day and night; some or other of them, either in composing or singing psalms and hymns, or teaching others how to sing them.





1 Chronicles 9:34



Ver. 34. These chief fathers of the Levites were chief throughout their generations,.... Even all before made mention of in this chapter:



these dwelt at Jerusalem; always resided there, and did not in turns go into the country villages, as the inferior Levites did; their office requiring them to be constantly there, being chief of the porters, singers, &c. who had the superintendency and direction of the rest.





1 Chronicles 9:35



Ver. 35-44. And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon,.... Whose name is here mentioned, which is not in 1Ch 8:29. Jehiel,



whose wife's name was Maachah; as there, but here called his sister, as a wife sometimes is, Ge 20:2. From hence to the end of the chapter is a repetition of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of Israel; which is made to lead on to and connect the following history of the kings of Judah, begun in this book, and carried on in the next unto the Babylonish captivity, see 1Ch 8:29, and the notes there.





1 Chronicles 9:36



Ver. 36. See Gill on "1Ch 9:35".





1 Chronicles 9:37



Ver. 37. See Gill on "1Ch 9:35".





1 Chronicles 9:38



Ver. 38. See Gill on "1Ch 9:35".





1 Chronicles 9:39



Ver. 39. See Gill on "1Ch 9:35".





1 Chronicles 9:40



Ver. 40. See Gill on "1Ch 9:35".





1 Chronicles 9:41



Ver. 41. See Gill on "1Ch 9:35".





1 Chronicles 9:42



Ver. 42. See Gill on "1Ch 9:35".





1 Chronicles 9:43



Ver. 43. See Gill on "1Ch 9:35".





1 Chronicles 9:44



Ver. 44. See Gill on "1Ch 9:35".

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

1 Chronicles 10:1



INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 10



This part, 1Ch 10:1 which gives an account of the last battle of Saul with the Philistines, and of his death and burial, is the same with 1Sa 31:1 see the notes there; the cause of his death follows in 1Ch 10:13.



Ver. 1. See Gill on "1Sa 31:1"





1 Chronicles 10:2



Ver. 2. See Gill on "1Sa 31:2"





1 Chronicles 10:3



Ver. 3. See Gill on "1Sa 31:3"





1 Chronicles 10:4



Ver. 4. See Gill on "1Sa 31:4"





1 Chronicles 10:5



Ver. 5. See Gill on "1Sa 31:5"





1 Chronicles 10:6



Ver. 6. See Gill on "1Sa 31:6"





1 Chronicles 10:7



Ver. 7. See Gill on "1Sa 31:7"





1 Chronicles 10:8



Ver. 8. See Gill on "1Sa 31:8"





1 Chronicles 10:9



Ver. 9. See Gill on "1Sa 31:9"





1 Chronicles 10:10



Ver. 10. See Gill on "1Sa 31:10"





1 Chronicles 10:11



Ver. 11. See Gill on "1Sa 31:11"





1 Chronicles 10:12



Ver. 12. See Gill on "1Sa 31:12"





1 Chronicles 10:13



Ver. 13. So Saul died for his transgression,....

See Gill on "1Sa 31:13" A violent and dishonourable death, which was suffered on account of the sins he was guilty of:



one was, which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not; both in not staying for Samuel the time appointed, and by sparing the Amalekites whom he was bid to destroy, 1Sa 13:13



and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; what he should do with respect to engaging in battle with the Philistines, 1Sa 28:8 which to do was contrary to an express command of God, Le 19:31.





1 Chronicles 10:14



Ver. 14. And inquired not of the Lord,.... For though he did inquire in some sense in an external, careless, and hypocritical manner, yet not done seriously, sincerely, and heartily, nor with constancy; it was accounted as if he inquired not at all, 1Sa 28:6 the Targum adds another reason of his death, because he killed the priests of Nob; but that is not in the text:



therefore he slew him; or suffered him to be slain:



and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse; translated the kingdom of Israel out of Saul's family, upon his death, into Jesse's, even unto David; for the sake of which observation this short account is given of the last end of Saul.

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

1 Chronicles 11:1



INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 11



This chapter treats of David's being anointed king by all Israel, 1Ch 11:1, which agrees with 2Sa 5:1

See Gill on "2Sa 5:1" See Gill on "2Sa 5:2" See Gill on "2Sa 5:3" and of his taking Jerusalem from the Jebusites, 1Ch 11:4 the account of which we have 2Sa 5:6.

See Gill on "2Sa 5:6" See Gill on "2Sa 5:7" See Gill on "2Sa 5:8" See Gill on "2Sa 5:9" See Gill on "2Sa 5:10" only here we are told, that it was Joab that smote the Jebusites first, and so was made chief captain according to David's promise; and that he also repaired the rest of the city David built round about; perhaps the fortifications demolished in taking it, 1Ch 11:6 or rather, as others give the sense, he "saved alive" {b} those that remained in the city, after he had slain the lame and the blind; though a learned {c} writer conjectures it should be read, "and Joab hyhy was made

rv the governor of the city"; and the Targum is,



"Joab governed the rest of the city.''



And then follows an account of David's mighty men and worthies, 1Ch 11:10 of whom see the notes on

See Gill on "2Sa 23:8" See Gill on "2Sa 23:9" See Gill on "2Sa 23:10" See Gill on "2Sa 23:11" See Gill on "2Sa 23:12" See Gill on "2Sa 23:13" See Gill on "2Sa 23:14" See Gill on "2Sa 23:15" See Gill on "2Sa 23:16" See Gill on "2Sa 23:17" See Gill on "2Sa 23:18" See Gill on "2Sa 23:19" See Gill on "2Sa 23:20" See Gill on "2Sa 23:21" See Gill on "2Sa 23:22" See Gill on "2Sa 23:23" See Gill on "2Sa 23:24" See Gill on "2Sa 23:25" See Gill on "2Sa 23:26" See Gill on "2Sa 23:27" See Gill on "2Sa 23:28" See Gill on "2Sa 23:29" See Gill on "2Sa 23:30" See Gill on "2Sa 23:31" See Gill on "2Sa 23:32" See Gill on "2Sa 23:33" See Gill on "2Sa 23:34" See Gill on "2Sa 23:35" See Gill on "2Sa 23:36" See Gill on "2Sa 23:37" See Gill on "2Sa 23:38" See Gill on "2Sa 23:39" and others are added here, 1Ch 11:42 of whom we know no more than their names.



{b} rav ta hyxy "vivas conservavit urbis reliquias", Junius & Tremellius; Strigelius in Poli Synops. in loc. {c} Dr. Kennicot's State of the Hebrew Text, dissert. 1. p. 54.





1 Chronicles 11:2



Ver. 2. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:3



Ver. 3. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:4



Ver. 4. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:5



Ver. 5. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:6



Ver. 6. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:7



Ver. 7. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:8



Ver. 8. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:9



Ver. 9. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:10



Ver. 10. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:11



Ver. 11. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:12



Ver. 12. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:13



Ver. 13. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:14



Ver. 14. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:15



Ver. 15. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:16



Ver. 16. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:17



Ver. 17. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:18



Ver. 18. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:19



Ver. 19. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:20



Ver. 20. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:21



Ver. 21. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:22



Ver. 22. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:23



Ver. 23. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:24



Ver. 24. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:25



Ver. 25. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:26



Ver. 26. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:27



Ver. 27. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:28



Ver. 28. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:29



Ver. 29. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:30



Ver. 30. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:31



Ver. 31. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:32



Ver. 32. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:33



Ver. 33. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:34



Ver. 34. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:35



Ver. 35. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:36



Ver. 36. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:37



Ver. 37. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:38



Ver. 38. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:39



Ver. 39. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:40



Ver. 40. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:41



Ver. 41. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:42



Ver. 42. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:43



Ver. 43. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:44



Ver. 44. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:45



Ver. 45. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:46



Ver. 46. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"





1 Chronicles 11:47



Ver. 47. See Gill on "1Ch 11:1"

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

1 Chronicles 12:1



INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 12



This chapter gives an account of those that came to David at different times, and joined and assisted him both before the death of Saul, and when persecuted by him, and after he was made king of Judah in Hebron, and before he was king of all Israel, in order to it; of the Benjaminites that came to him when at Ziklag, 1Ch 12:1 of the Gadites that came to him when in the hold, 1Ch 12:8 of some of Judah and Benjamin, who came to him in the same place, 1Ch 12:16, and of the Manassites at the time he came with the Philistines against Saul, 1Ch 12:19 and the number of the several tribes are given, that came to him at Hebron to make him king over all Israel, 1Ch 12:23.



Ver. 1. Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag,.... Given him by Achish to live in, when he fled from Saul, 1Sa 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, 1Sa 27:8.





1 Chronicles 12:2



Ver. 2. They were armed with bows,.... Much used in war in those times:



and could use both the right hand and the left, in hurling stones, and shooting arrows out of a bow; they were ambidextrous; who could sling stones, or shoot arrows, with either, which was no small advantage to them:



even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin; they were of the tribe of Benjamin, of which Saul was, and so his brethren; and they might be, at least some of them, his relations and kinsmen; who observing the unreasonableness of Saul's enmity to David, and detesting his cruelty, and sensible of the innocence of David, and of the service he had done his country; and perhaps not being ignorant of his divine right and title to the kingdom, went over to him, to comfort, strengthen, and assist him.





1 Chronicles 12:3



Ver. 3. The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite,.... Who was of Gibeah, in the tribe of Benjamin, sometimes called Gibeah of Benjamin, and of Saul, it being his birthplace, see

1Sa 11:4 and so these might be some of his kindred:



and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; there is one of this name in the posterity of Jonathan, 1Ch 8:36 who might be so called after some of his relations:



and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite; or Anethothite, as the Vulgate Latin version, who was of Anathoth, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, the native place of Jeremiah the prophet.





1 Chronicles 12:4



Ver. 4. And Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty,.... That came with him, and he had the command of; this man was of Gibeon, another city in the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 18:25



and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad, the Gederathite; one of Gederah, a city in the tribe of Judah, perhaps on the borders of that and Benjamin; Joram speaks of it as belonging to the country of the city Aelia or Jerusalem.





1 Chronicles 12:5



Ver. 5. Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite. A native of Haruph or Hariph, see Ne 7:24.





1 Chronicles 12:6



Ver. 6. Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites. Not Korahites, descendants of Levi, 1Ch 9:19, but the posterity of Korah a Benjaminite.





1 Chronicles 12:7



Ver. 7. And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. A city in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:58 and might now belong to Benjamin; or this was another city of the same name in that tribe.





1 Chronicles 12:8



Ver. 8. And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David, into the hold to the wilderness,.... Men of the tribe of Gad, who lived on the other side Jordan; these separated themselves from the rest of their tribe, from their families and dwellings, and from the government of Saul, and came over to David, and joined him either when he was in some strong hold in the wilderness of Ziph, or Maon, 1Sa 23:14, or, as some think, when he was at Ziklag, in the hold there, said to be in the wilderness of Judah:



men of might, and men of war, fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler; warlike, valiant, and courageous men, well skilled in military discipline: whose faces were like the face of lions; bold, stern, and fierce. The philosopher observes {d}, that of all creatures the lion most resembles a man, having a great mouth, a square face and forehead, large eye brows, &c.



and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; which are remarkable for their swiftness on the mountains, see So 2:17. Aelianus {e} speaks of one sort of them that run as swift as a tempest. These Gadites, as with their undaunted looks and courage, intimidated their enemies, and put them to flight, so they were swift to pursue them, and overtake them.



{d} Aristot. Physiognom. c. 5. {e} De Animal. l. 14. c. 14.





1 Chronicles 12:9



Ver. 9-13. Ezer the first,.... This, and those that follow, are the names of the Gadites given, according to their age, or merit, or order in coming to David: Obadiah, Eliab, Mishmannah, Jeremiah, Attai, Eliel, Johanan, Elzabad, Jeremiah, Machbanai; in all eleven.





1 Chronicles 12:10



Ver. 10. See Gill on "1Ch 12:9".





1 Chronicles 12:11



Ver. 11. See Gill on "1Ch 12:9".





1 Chronicles 12:12



Ver. 12. See Gill on "1Ch 12:9".





1 Chronicles 12:13



Ver. 13. See Gill on "1Ch 12:9".





1 Chronicles 12:14



Ver. 14. These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host,.... Of the militia in their own country, and of the men they brought with them; or they were such afterwards in David's army:



one of the least was over one hundred, and the greatest over thousand; not that they were so when they came, or brought over such a number of men with them under their command; but they were promoted by David, when he came to the throne, to be centurions and chiliarchs; according to Jarchi, the sense is, that the least of them would put to flight and pursue one hundred, and the greatest of them 1000, and so fulfilled the passage in Le 26:8.





1 Chronicles 12:15



Ver. 15. These are they that went over Jordan in the first month,.... The month Nisan or Ab; as they must come over Jordan to come to David, since they dwelt on the other side of it:



when it had overflown all its banks; as it did at this time of the year, see Jos 3:15 which is observed to show both the time of the year when they came over, and their zeal and ardour to assist David, and their boldness and intrepidity; fearless of danger, they threw themselves into Jordan, and swam over it, in all probability when the waters of it were so deep they could not ford it, and so rapid that they were in danger of being carried away with them:



and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both towards the east, and towards the west; who dwelt in the valleys, or plains of Jordan east and west; who seeing a number of men come over, took them for enemies, and fled, so Kimchi; or, as others think, these were the Philistines, who, on the defeat of Saul, took possession of the cities of Israel, in the valleys forsaken by them, 1Sa 31:7 or rather these were the Moabites or Arabs, who made incursions into the land of Israel for prey, the Gadites met with, when they came over Jordan.





1 Chronicles 12:16



Ver. 16. And there came of the men of Benjamin, and of Judah,.... Besides those before mentioned, 1Ch 12:2,



to the hold unto David; the same as in 1Ch 12:8.





1 Chronicles 12:17



Ver. 17. And David went out to meet them,.... Out of the hold where he was; either out of respect and deference to them, some of them being persons of eminence; or it may be out of suspicion, fearing they were not his friends, being, it may be, chiefly of the tribe of Benjamin, and therefore was desirous of sounding them before he admitted them:



and said unto them, if ye be come peaceably unto me to help me; if they were come with a good will to him, and intention to help him against his enemy, and protect him:



mine heart shall be knit unto you; they should have such a share in his affections, that their hearts would be as one, as his and Jonathan's were, 1Sa 18:1,



but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies; into the hands of Saul, and his courtiers, that sought his life:



seeing there is no wrong in mine hands; no injury done by him to Saul, or to them, or to any other:



the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it; he that sees all things, let him revenge it; and it is not only a wish that he would, but a prayer of faith that so it would be.





1 Chronicles 12:18



Ver. 18. Then the spirit came upon Amasai,.... Or "clothed" {f} him; a spirit of fortitude, as the Targum, of strength, courage, and presence of mind, with which he was endowed, covered, and clothed as with a garment; this was a sister's son of David's, see 2Sa 17:25



who was chief of the captains; of them that came at this time with him to David; he was afterwards Absalom's general, and designed to be David's, but was murdered by Joab:



and he said, thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse; which being spoken in this short and concise manner, as the supplement shows, denotes the vehemency with which he spake, and is expressive of their cordial fidelity to him, and their resolution to abide by him at all events:



peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; wishing all prosperity, temporal and spiritual, to him and all his confederates and auxiliaries, among whom they reckoned themselves:



for thy God helpeth thee; which they perceived by the remarkable deliverances of him out of the hand of Saul, when in imminent danger; the Targum is,



"for the Word of the Lord is for thy help:''



then David received them; into the hold, and admitted them as his friends:



and made them the captains of the band; they brought with them; or in later times, when he came to the throne.



{f} hvbl "induit", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.





1 Chronicles 12:19



Ver. 19. And there fell some of Manasseh to David,.... Of the tribe of Manasseh; they took his part, and on his side, and joined him:



when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; which was a strong proof of their cordial attachment to him:



but they helped them not: the Philistines; neither David nor his men, nor the Manassites that joined them:



for the lords of the Philistines, upon advisement; counsel taken among themselves: sent him away; that is, David and his men:



saying, he will fall to his master Saul, to the jeopardy of our heads; meaning, that he would go off with his troops to Saul, and betray them into his hands, and with their heads make his peace with him, see

1Sa 29:4.





1 Chronicles 12:20



Ver. 20. As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh,.... Others besides the former, who joined him when he went with the Philistines; these joined him when he was dismissed from them, and was returning to Ziklag: namely,



Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh; that tribe being, as the rest were, divided into hundreds and thousands; these were captains over the thousands of the militia of the tribe.





1 Chronicles 12:21



Ver. 21. And they helped David against the band of the rovers,.... The Amalekites, who, while he was gone with the Philistines, had seized on Ziklag, and burnt it, and carried the women captive, with what spoil they could make; these coming to David thus opportunely, assisted him in his pursuit and defeat of them:



for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host; or army of David.





1 Chronicles 12:22



Ver. 22. For at that time, day by day, there came to David to help him,.... Particularly after the defeat of Saul by the Philistines, unto the time that David came to Hebron:



until it was a great host, like the host of God; the heavenly host, the angels; so the Targum.





1 Chronicles 12:23



Ver. 23-37. 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, 1Ch 12:24, of the tribe of Simeon, valiant men, 7100, 1Ch 12:25, of the children of Levi 4600, 1Ch 12:26, of the Aaronites or priests, with Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, according to Jarchi and Kimchi, at the head of them, 3700, 1Ch 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, 1Ch 12:28 the heads of the courses of the priests, which were afterwards twenty four, 1Ch 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, 1Ch 12:29, of the tribe of Ephraim, valiant men, 20,800, 1Ch 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, 1Ch 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, 1Ch 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, 1Ch 12:33, and of the tribe of Naphtali, 1000 captains, and with them armed men, 37,000, 1Ch 12:34 and of the tribe of Dan, men skilled in war, 28,600, 1Ch 12:35 and of the tribe of Asher, warlike men, 40,000, 1Ch 12:36 and of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, on the other side Jordan, military men, well armed, 120,000, 1Ch 12:37, which in all made 348,800 men, and upwards.





1 Chronicles 12:24



Ver. 24. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:25



Ver. 25. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:26



Ver. 26. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:27



Ver. 27. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:28



Ver. 28. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:29



Ver. 29. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:30



Ver. 30. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:31



Ver. 31. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:32



Ver. 32. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:33



Ver. 33. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:34



Ver. 34. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:35



Ver. 35. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:36



Ver. 36. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:37



Ver. 37. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23".





1 Chronicles 12:38



Ver. 38. All these men of war that could keep rank,.... Well disciplined men:



came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over Israel; they were all of one mind, and quite hearty and sincere in fixing David on the throne of all Israel:



and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart also to make David king; those who came not were of the same mind; it was the unanimous voice of the people that he should be their king.





1 Chronicles 12:39



Ver. 39. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking,.... Keeping a festival, to testify their joy on this occasion:



for their brethren had prepared for them; not the inhabitants of Hebron only, but all the country round about, brought in provisions on this joyful occasion; otherwise the men of Hebron would not have been able to have provided what was sufficient for such a vast number, as appears by what follows.





1 Chronicles 12:40



Ver. 40. Moreover, they that were nigh,.... To Hebron, or bordered on the tribe of Judah:



even unto Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali; as far as to those tribes, and including them:



brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules; all which were creatures used to carry burdens:



and on oxen; who, though commonly employed in ploughing, yet, on this occasion, might be made use of either in drawing wagons laden with provisions, such as follow, or in carrying loads on their backs; though, as Tully {g} observes, their backs show they were not formed to receive and carry burdens:



and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly, that is, food made of flour, pastries, besides bread, before mentioned, with dried figs, pressed and made into cakes, and clusters of grapes dried, and of liquids, wine and oil, which make cheerful, and beef and mutton in great plenty:



for there was joy in Israel; that their civil wars were ended; that they were united into one kingdom again; and had a king over them according to their hearts' desire, the darling of the people, of whom they had raised expectations; being a valiant, prudent, and good man, who studied the good both of church and state, and, above all, was one of God's choosing, appointing, and anointing: greater joy there will be, when David's son and antitype, Zion's King, reigns, when he shall be King over all the earth, and there will be one Lord, and his name one, Ps 97:1.



{g} De Natura Deorum, l. 2. prope finem.

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

1 Chronicles 13:1



INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 13



The contents of this chapter are the same with 2Sa 6:1, only David's consultation with the principal men of Israel concerning the affair herein transacted is premised in the first four verses of this.



Ver. 1. And David consulted with the captains of thousands, and hundreds, and with every leader. With the chiliarchs and centurions, and every officer in that large body of armed men in every tribe, who met to make and crown him king: for at that time was this consultation had, and therefore is connected with it; though the affair advised about was not yet done, as Dr. Lightfoot {h} observes, and was not done until some considerable time afterwards. Advice being taken, the several officers went with their men to their respective countries, to meet again at a certain time and place to put the thing projected into execution; and between this and that time were Hiram's message to David on his accession to the throne, the taking of Jerusalem, and the two battles with the Philistines, as the same writer notes; most of which are recorded before this in the book of Samuel, and follow here.



{h} Works, vol. 1. p. 61, 62.





1 Chronicles 13:2



Ver. 2. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel,.... To the above persons, as representatives of it:



if it seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God; if it could be thought by them a good and useful thing, and agreeable to the will of God, and would make for his glory:



let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere that are left in all the land of Israel; that were not then present with them, even all the common people; whom David, though king, owns as his brethren; nor is his antitype ashamed to own this relation between him and his people, Heb 2:11



and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs: given to them in the several tribes to dwell in, see 1Ch 6:54,



that they may gather themselves unto us; at a certain time and place appointed.





1 Chronicles 13:3



Ver. 3. And let us bring again the ark of our God to us,.... The symbol of the divine Presence, than which nothing was more desirable to David, and he chose to begin his reign overall Israel with it:



for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul; he being indifferent to religion, and careless about it, and the enjoyment of the presence of God, and having direction from him; and the people also content with worship at the tabernacle at Gibeah, though the token of the divine Presence was absent.





1 Chronicles 13:4



Ver. 4. And all the congregation said that they would do so,.... They unanimously agreed to the motion:



for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people; they saw the propriety, necessity, and usefulness of it.





1 Chronicles 13:5



Ver. 5. So David gathered all Israel together,.... The principal of them, even 30,000 select men, 2Sa 6:1



from Shihor of Egypt; or the Nile of Egypt, as the Targum and other Jewish writers, called Shihor from the blackness of its water, see Jer 2:18 though some think the river Rhinocurura is meant, which both lay to the south of the land of Israel:



even unto the entering of Hamath; which the Targum interprets of Antiochia, which lay to the north of the land; so that this collection of the people was made from south to north, the extreme borders of the land:



to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim; where it then was, and had been a long time, see 1Sa 7:1, from hence to the end of the chapter the account is the same with 2Sa 6:1, see the notes there; what little variations there are, are there observed.

See Gill on "2Sa 6:1" See Gill on "2Sa 6:2" See Gill on "2Sa 6:3" See Gill on "2Sa 6:4" See Gill on "2Sa 6:5" See Gill on "2Sa 6:6" See Gill on "2Sa 6:7" See Gill on "2Sa 6:8" See Gill on "2Sa 6:9" See Gill on "2Sa 6:10" See Gill on "2Sa 6:11"





1 Chronicles 13:6



Ver. 6. See Gill on "1Ch 13:5".





1 Chronicles 13:7



Ver. 7. See Gill on "1Ch 13:5".





1 Chronicles 13:8



Ver. 8. See Gill on "1Ch 13:5".





1 Chronicles 13:9



Ver. 9. See Gill on "1Ch 13:5".





1 Chronicles 13:10



Ver. 10. See Gill on "1Ch 13:5".





1 Chronicles 13:11



Ver. 11. See Gill on "1Ch 13:5".





1 Chronicles 13:12



Ver. 12. See Gill on "1Ch 13:5".





1 Chronicles 13:13



Ver. 13. See Gill on "1Ch 13:5".





1 Chronicles 13:14



Ver. 14. See Gill on "1Ch 13:5".

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

1 Chronicles 14:1



INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 14



This chapter gives an account of the message of Hiram king of Tyre to David, and of David's taking him more wives, with the names of his children by them; and of two battles he fought with the Philistines, in which he had the victory over them; the same are recorded in 2Sa 5:11 see the notes there;

See Gill on "2Sa 5:11".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:12".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:13".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:14".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:15".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:16".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:17".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:18".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:19".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:20".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:21".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:22".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:23".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:24".

See Gill on "2Sa 5:25", and the chapter is concluded with observing, that the fame of David, on account of his victories, was spread in all countries, and they were struck with a panic from the Lord, and were in dread of him.





1 Chronicles 14:2



Ver. 2. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:3



Ver. 3. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:4



Ver. 4. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:5



Ver. 5. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:6



Ver. 6. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:7



Ver. 7. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:8



Ver. 8. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:9



Ver. 9. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:10



Ver. 10. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:11



Ver. 11. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:12



Ver. 12. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:13



Ver. 13. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:14



Ver. 14. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:15



Ver. 15. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:16



Ver. 16. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".





1 Chronicles 14:17



Ver. 17. See Gill on "1Ch 14:1".

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

1 Chronicles 15:1



INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 15



David, having prepared a place for the ark of God, gathered the Israelites, Levites, and priests, to assist in the bringing of it up thereunto, 1Ch 15:1 and which was done in a very honourable and joyful manner, 1Ch 15:24, though David, for his behaviour, was despised by Michal his wife in her heart, 1Ch 15:29.



Ver. 1. And David made him houses in the city of David,.... With the help of the masons and carpenters Hiram sent him, 1Ch 14:1, the royal palace is meant, with all the apartments in it, which were many and large, as so great a family he had required, and with all the out houses to it necessary for his servants, and their offices:



and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent; see 2Sa 6:17.





1 Chronicles 15:2



Ver. 2. Then David said,.... Either within himself, or to his ministers and courtiers about him:



none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites; he saw his former mistake in employing those that were not Levites in bringing up the ark from Kirjathjearim, and bringing it in a cart, and not on the shoulders of the Levites, and so miscarried in his attempt, 2Sa 6:1 and, perhaps, had since more diligently consulted the law of God about this matter:



for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever; as long as the Levitical dispensation lasted, as appears from Nu 1:50.





1 Chronicles 15:3



Ver. 3. And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem,.... The chief and heads of the people:



to bring up the ark of the Lord; from the house of Obededom, where it had been three months, and for the sake of which his house was blessed, and which David heard of; and this encouraged him to take this step to fetch it from thence: unto his place, which he had prepared for it;

1Ch 15:1.





1 Chronicles 15:4



Ver. 4-10. And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites. Whose business it was to bear the ark when there was any occasion for it: and from hence to the end of 1Ch 15:10 an account is given of the Levites, and their number employed in this affair:



of the sons of Kohath; a son of Levi, that is, of his posterity; for his immediate sons, and so those of the rest after mentioned, had been dead ages ago; the principal of those, at this present time, was Uriel, and his kindred, or those of the same family with him, were one hundred and twenty: of those of Merari, another son of Levi, the chief was Asaiah, with two hundred and twenty of his relations: of those of Gershon, another son of Levi, was Joel, and his brethren were one hundred and thirty: of the posterity of Elizaphan, a grandson of Kohath, Ex 5:18, the most noted was Shemaiah, who had two hundred of his family with him: and of those of Hebron, the son of Kohath, Ex 6:18, Eliel was the most famous, and he had eighty of his kindred with him: and of those of Uzziel, another son of Kohath in a different line from Elizaphan, who also was a son of Uzziel, was Amminadab the chief, who had one hundred and twelve of his kindred with him: the number of Levites, in all, gathered together, were eight hundred and sixty two, besides their chiefs.





1 Chronicles 15:5



Ver. 5. See Gill on "1Ch 15:4".





1 Chronicles 15:6



Ver. 6. See Gill on "1Ch 15:4".





1 Chronicles 15:7



Ver. 7. See Gill on "1Ch 15:4".





1 Chronicles 15:8



Ver. 8. See Gill on "1Ch 15:4".





1 Chronicles 15:9



Ver. 9. See Gill on "1Ch 15:4".





1 Chronicles 15:10



Ver. 10. See Gill on "1Ch 15:4".





1 Chronicles 15:11



Ver. 11. And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests,.... See 2Sa 8:17



and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab; the six chiefs before mentioned.





1 Chronicles 15:12



Ver. 12. And he said unto them, ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites,.... Of the families of the Levites, heads of their fathers' houses:



sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren; respectively under each, whose numbers are before given, by washing their bodies and clothes, and abstaining from their wives:



that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it; 2Sa 6:17.





1 Chronicles 15:13



Ver. 13. For because ye did it not at the first,.... Did not sanctify themselves, as the supplement in our version directs; but rather the sense is, ye were not there at first, when the ark was brought from Kirjathjearim as far as the house of Obededom, as they should have been; they were not then employed, as was their business, and therefore



the Lord our God made a breach upon us; by smiting Uzzah with death, who was no Levite, and touched the ark, which is called his "error", and for which God smote him, 2Sa 6:7 on which place Lud. Capellus observes, the word "shal", we there render "error", signifies a "disease" in the Arabic language, and might formerly design a sudden one with the Hebrew; as an apoplexy; and so the sense be, that God smote Uzzah with an apoplexy, of which he suddenly died:



for that we sought him not after the due order; but, instead of employing the Levites to carry the ark on their shoulders, it was put upon a cart.





1 Chronicles 15:14



Ver. 14. So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves,.... As they were ordered, and in the manner they should:



to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel; for though it was chiefly the work of the Levites, yet the priests might do it, and sometimes did, see Jos 3:13.





1 Chronicles 15:15



Ver. 15. And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders, with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord. Not only bare it on their shoulders, but with the staves in it, which rested on their shoulders, see Nu 7:9, the reason of this command, that the ark should be carried on men's shoulders, and not in any carriage, according to Maimonides {h}, was both for the honour of it, and lest its form and structure should be any ways damaged.



{h} Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 45. p. 479.





1 Chronicles 15:16



Ver. 16. And David spake to the chief of the Levites,.... The six before mentioned, 1Ch 15:11



to appoint their brethren to be the singers; before the ark, as they brought it up:



with instruments of music, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals; which were used in those times, see 2Sa 6:5



sounding by lifting up the voice with joy; the instrumental music was to be attended with vocal music, and that very sonorous and loud, and performed with all tokens of inward joy and gladness, as the occasion required.





1 Chronicles 15:17



Ver. 17. So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel,.... The grandson of Samuel the prophet, 1Ch 6:33



and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; a famous singer, often mentioned in the Psalms, 1Ch 6:39



and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; the same with the son of Kishi, 1Ch 6:44, these were the chief of the singers.





1 Chronicles 15:18



Ver. 18. And with them their brethren of the second degree,.... Who were next unto them, both in office and skill in singing:



the fourteen following, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, the porters; who, when they were not employed in singing, were doorkeepers of the sanctuary; either they had been porters at the tabernacle in Gibeon, or were so after the ark was placed in the tabernacle David prepared for it.





1 Chronicles 15:19



Ver. 19. So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan,.... The three principal of them: these were appointed



to sound with cymbals of brass; for as there were three sorts of musical instruments, 1Ch 15:16 these three chief singers had one of those instruments appropriated to them, one of which were the cymbals of brass, to which the apostle alludes, 1Co 13:1.





1 Chronicles 15:20



Ver. 20. And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah,.... Who were eight of the second degree; Aziel is the same with Jaaziel, 1Ch 15:18 and Ben is left out, in whose room Azaziah, in the next verse, seems to be put; Ben is thought to be sick or dead before they came to execute their office, and whom the father of Kimchi takes to be the same with him who is expressed in the title of Ps 9:1 which title is, "on Muthlabben", or the death of Ben: these were appointed to sound



with psalteries on Alamoth; psalteries were another kind of instruments of music; and Alamoth was either the beginning of a song, to the tune of which those instruments played, or the tune itself, and the note of it; either the treble or counter tenor, a shrill sound, like that of organs, which this word sometimes signifies, see Ps 46:1.





1 Chronicles 15:21



Ver. 21. And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah,.... These six were appointed to sound:



with harps on the Sheminith to excel; which Sheminith some take to be an harp with eight strings, or the beginning of a song, or a musical tone, the bass; see the title of Ps 6:1.





1 Chronicles 15:22



Ver. 22. And Chenaniah chief of the Levites was for song,.... But the chief for the song were Heman, Asaph, and Ethan; rather



for the burden, as the Targum; for the lifting up and bearing the ark:



he instructed about the song; or about the taking up and bearing the burden, the ark; directing when to take it up, and how far to go with it, and then rest:



because he was skilful; a wise and prudent man in all things, and so proper to direct in this business.





1 Chronicles 15:23



Ver. 23. And Berechiah, and Elkanah, were doorkeepers for the ark,.... Either while it was at Kirjathjearim, and at Obededom's house; or rather after it was put in the tabernacle David had prepared for it; though it may be best of all to understand it, that those, as it was carrying, went before it, to keep the people from pressing to it, and gazing on it.





1 Chronicles 15:24



Ver. 24. And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God,.... With the silver trumpets; one use of which was to blow with when the camps and ark of the Lord moved, Nu 10:5.



and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark; they went behind it, as the others before it, for the same purpose, as it was bringing up.





1 Chronicles 15:25



Ver. 25. So David and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands,.... He and the principal men of the nation, and the officers of the army or militia:



went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy; with all demonstrations of it; for which purpose such a band of music was prepared, as before described.





1 Chronicles 15:26



Ver. 26. And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord,.... Not merely granted them bodily strength to carry it, which did not require a great deal; but helped them to carry it with cheerfulness, and without fear, and so as to commit no error, nor in any respect provoke his displeasure, as when it was brought before from Kirjathjearim:



that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams; by way of thanksgiving, besides what David offered; and this was done by the way, see 2Sa 6:13.





1 Chronicles 15:27



Ver. 27. And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen,.... For though a king, he, being among the singers, was clothed as they; for so it follows:



and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song; or of those that bore the burden, the ark, as the Targum:



with the singers; all were clothed in robes of fine linen:



David also had upon him an ephod of linen; which he had besides his linen robe, and was over it; and being a shorter and tighter garment, it bound the other closer to him; though some think this is explanative of the former, and designs the same, and is what others, besides priests, were, on occasion, allowed to wear, see 1Sa 2:18.





1 Chronicles 15:28



Ver. 28. Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting,.... See 2Sa 6:15.





1 Chronicles 15:29



Ver. 29. And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul, looking out at a window,.... Of the palace, to see the procession, see 2Sa 6:16 where not only this circumstance is related, and the inward contempt she had David in, because of his behaviour, but also what she said, and what David returned in answer to it.

 

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

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