Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 27

Verses 1-34

Particulars respecting various Military Officers

This c., as distinguished from the four preceding chapters which describe David’s ecclesiastical officials, relates to his secular officers.

1. Which came.. out] i.e. relieved each other in turn: cp. 2 Chronicles 23:8. For particulars concerning several of the officers mentioned in the following vv. see 1 Chronicles 11.

3. Of the children, etc.] Rv’He was of the children of Perez, the chief of,’ etc.

4. Dodai] The words ’Eleazar son of’ have been lost: cp. 2 Chronicles 11:12.

5. A chief priest] RV ’of Jehoiada the priest, chief.’

16. Over the tribes] In the following list Gad and Asher are omitted, and the Aaronites are distinguished from the Levites.

18. Elihu] the ’Eliab’ of 1 Chronicles 2:13; 1 Samuel 16:6.

23. From twenty years old and under] In Numbers 1:3 it is laid down that those required for military service should be above this age.

25. Over the king’s treasures] The account implies that David had large private estates as well as considerable accumulations of treasure. Some of his possessions may have formed part of what the king could claim from the nation in virtue of his position (cp. 1 Samuel 8:14-15), or may have been given him freely by his subjects (cp. 1 Samuel 10:27), but the bulk was doubtless derived from his successful wars (see 1 Samuel 30:20; 2 Samuel 8:6-8). The lands in the low plains (1 Chronicles 27:28) were probably in part taken from the Philistines. Castles] better, ’towers’ to shelter the herdmen and serve as look-outs.

27. Over the increase, etc.] better, ’over the wine-cellars which were in the vineyards.’

28. The sycomore trees] not the English tree that goes by this name, but one that bears a fig-like fruit. The low plains] RV ’Lowland’: a name applied to the downs that extend from the central hills to the maritime plain.

32. David’s uncle] better, ’David’s nephew’: see 1 Chronicles 20:7.

34. Jehoiada the son of Benaiah] probably to be corrected to ’Benaiah the son of Jehoiada’: cp. 1 Chronicles 18:17.

Some of the names mentioned in this chapter belonged to periods much earlier than David’s closing years, for Asahel (1 Chronicles 27:7) was killed before David became king at Jerusalem (2 Samuel 2:14), and Ahithophel killed himself in the course of Absalom’s rebellion: 2 Samuel 17:23.