1 Chronicles 11

1 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 11

David Confirmed as King (11:1-12:40)

• • • • ESV Study Bible writes, “David’s accession to the kingship is presented as a sequence of growing recognition, power, and popular support from ‘all Israel’ (11:1, 4, 10; 12:38). This section is organized as an inclusio (literary ‘bookends’), beginning and ending with David’s anointing as king in Hebron (11:1-3; 12:38-40) and incorporating material illustrating this theme from different periods of David’s rise to power and his actual rule.”

David Becomes King of All Israel

• • • All of Israel came together to join David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who commanded Israel’s army. And Yahweh your God said to you, “You will shepherd My people Israel; you will rule over My people Israel.” So all of Israel’s elders came to David at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before Yahweh. They anointed David king over Israel in accordance with Yahweh’s word that came through Samuel.

• • • • HCSB says, “What was omitted from the Chronicler’s narration tells us almost as much of the Chronicler’s purpose as the story itself. He omitted all of David’s youth, his exile among the Philistines, and the struggle with Saul. He began after David’s first seven-year reign over Judah at Hebron. The narrative began with ‘all Israel’ asking him to be king over the rest of the tribes. The Chronicler wanted to emphasize Israel’s corporate identity as a nation, with a divinely chosen ruler. If all the tribes of Israel were once unified under God, it could- and would- be so again in the future.”

• • • • Guzik reminds us of the historical context of this event, “Prior to this, only one of the tribes of Israel recognized David as king. The other tribes recognized the pretend king Ishbosheth, a son of Saul. Ishbosheth was murdered (2 Samuel 4) so now the tribes turned to David…This was prophesied by Samuel in passages like 1 Samuel 13:14 and 16:11-13.”

• • • • On the statement that David is their “flesh and blood,” ESV says, “Even though there was a distinct division between Judah and the rest of Israel, they still recognized each other as kin (similarly, ‘brothers’ in 2 Sam 2:26-27).”

• • • • To that Guzik adds, “The elders of Israel received David’s leadership because he was an Israelite himself. This was significant because for a period of time David lived as a Philistine among the Philistines. The elders of Israel put that away and embrace David as one of their own.”

• • • • ESV Archaeology Study Bible makes this note on Hebron’s significance, “Hebron was located about 3,000 feet above sea level at a major crossroad halfway between Beersheba and Jerusalem. Over two dozen natural springs surrounded the city, providing a continuous and reliable water supply. Hebron also figured prominently in Israel’s history. It was here that Abram pitched his tent after God promised the land to him and his descendants (Gen 13:12-18), that Isaac and Jacob also sojourned (Gen 35:27), and that Sarah died and was buried (Gen 23:2, 19). Prior to the conquest it was under Canaanite control, but Joshua and the Israelite army captured it, along with several other Canaanite city-states, during their southern campaign (Joshua 10). Hebron was David’s first capital city.”

David Captures Jerusalem

• • • • David and all of Israel went to Jerusalem. (That is Jebus. The Jebusites, who were the land’s original inhabitants, lived there.) The residents of Jebus told David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, that is the City of David. David said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become the commander-in-chief.” Zeruiah’s son Joab attacked first, so he became commander. David took up residence in the fortress, and that is why it is called the City of David. He built up the city around it, from the terrace to the surrounding walls while Joab repaired the rest of the city. David became more and more powerful because Yahweh of hosts was with him.

• • • • Guzik remarks, “To this point Jerusalem was a small Canaanite city in the center of Israel. Some 400 years after God commanded Israel to take the whole land, this city was still in Canaanite hands. Because of its location, Jerusalem was an easily defended city. This made the Jebusites overconfident and quick to mock David and his troops. Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion: Despite the difficulty, David and his men took the city. At this time Joab the son of Zeruiah was captain of David’s armies, yet David said that whoever led the charge into Jerusalem’s walls shall be chief and captain. It may be that David hoped that someone would replace Joab, but the stubborn Joab successfully first broke into Jerusalem and retained his position. Jerusalem became the capital city of David’s kingdom. It was a good choice because: It has no prior tribal association and was therefore good for a unified Israel. The geography of the city made it easy to defend against a hostile army. David knew greatness, but he was by no means an ‘overnight success.’ David was long prepared for the greatness he later enjoyed, and he came to the place of greatness because the LORD of hosts was with him. In God’s plan there is almost always a hidden price of greatness. Often those who become great among God’s people experience much pain and difficulty in God’s training process.”

The Three: David’s Elite Commanders

• • • • Referencing our notes from the parallel passage in 2 Sam 23, the following is a refresher regarding the groups designated as “the Three,” and “the Thirty”:

• • • • • ESV Study Bible writes, “This list of David’s mighty men begins formally with ‘These are the names of’ and ends with the total number, ‘thirty-seven in all’ (v. 39)…The list is divided into two groups: ‘the three’… and ‘the thirty’…Thirty four names are listing among ‘the thirty’: this could mean that (1) ‘thirty’ is a round number, or (2) the group began with thirty members and continued to be called ‘the thirty’ when others were added; or (3) the group remained at 30, but when some died they were replaced by other names on this list (the parallel list in 1 Chron 11:10-47 has 16 additional names in 1 Chron 11:41-47, probably for this reason)…”

• • • • • NET Bible’s text critical notes offer an additional option for interpretation of “the three,” “The Hebrew word is sometimes rendered as ‘the three,’ but BDB is probably correct in taking it to refer to military officers (BDB 1026 s.v. In that case the etymological connection of this word to the Hebrew numerical adjective for ‘three’ can be explained as originating with a designation for the third warrior in a chariot.”

• • • The following were the leaders of David’s warriors, who, together with all Israel, strongly supported him in his reign to make him king in accordance with the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. This is the list of David’s warriors:

• • • • Jashobeam, who was a Hakmonite, was chief of the three. He killed 300 men with his spear in a single battle.

• • • • Guzik points out, “This man is also mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:8 records a slightly different name for this man, and records that he killed 800 instead of three hundred here in 1 Chronicles. The difference is probably due to scribal error in copying.”

• • • • Next in command among the three elite warriors was Eleazar; His father was Dodai, who was a descendant of Ahoah. He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle and attacked the Israelites in a field full of barley. The Israelite army ran away, but Eleazar and David took a stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and killed the Philistines. Yahweh saved them by a great victory.

• • • • When David was at the rock at the cave of Adullam and the Philistine army was camped in the Valley of Rephaim, three of the thirty leaders went down to him. David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David was extremely thirsty and said, “Oh how I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem!” So the Three broke through the Philistine forces, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to Yahweh and said, “Far be it from me that I would do this before my God! Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it to him, he refused to drink it. These were examples of the exploits of the three elite warriors.

• • • • Guzik writes, “In response to David’s longing – which wasn’t a command or even a request, just a vocalized longing – three of David’s mighty men decided to give him what he was longing for. They had to break through the garrison of the Philistines to do it, and to bring the water all the way back to Adullam Cave. It was a dangerous and difficult mission, but the courage and persistence of the mighty men made it happen. David was so honored by the self-sacrifice of these three mighty men he felt that the water was too good for him – and worthy to be poured out in sacrifice to the LORD. He believed that the great sacrifice of these men could only be honored by giving the water to the LORD.”

The Thirty: David’s Mighty Men

• • • • Joab’s brother Abishai was chief of the Thirty. He killed 300 men with his spear and became as famous as the Three. He was the most renowned of the Thirty and became their commander, though he was not one of the Three.

• • • • As mentioned in the notes for 2 Sam 23, this is a very difficult passage, “This rendering is preferred by many English translations and, as noted in their footnotes, is the rendering of ‘Two Hebrew manuscripts’ and the ‘Syriac Peshitta.’” However, as NET Bible’s text critical notes explain, “…many medieval Hebrew mss, the LXX, and Vulgate in reading (hashlosha, ‘the three’) rather than the Kethib of the MT (hashalishi, ‘the third,’ or ‘adjutant’).” The result of that reading is that Abishai was commander of the Three, but not actually a member of the Three.

• • • • Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. He killed an Egyptian who was 7 ½ feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand as big as the crossbeam of a weaver’s loom, but Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. Deeds like these made Jehoiada’s son Benaiah as famous as the three elite warriors. He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

• • • The mighty warriors were:

• • • • • Joab’s brother Asahel,

• • • • Elhanan, the son of Dodo who was from Bethlehem,

• • • • Shammoth from Harod,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:25 has the variant spelling of “Shammah.”

• • • • Helez from Pelon,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:26 has the variant spelling of ‘Paltite.’”

• • • • Ira, the son of Ikkesh who was from Tekoa,

• • • • Abiezer from Anathoth,

• • • • Sibbekai from Hushah,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “In 2 Sam 23:27 this individual’s name is given as ‘Mebunnai.’”

• • • • Ilai from Ahoah

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:28 has the variant ‘Zalmon.’”

• • • • Maharai from Netophah,

• • • • Heled, the son of Baanah who was from Netophah,

• • • • Ithia, the son of Ribai who was from Gibeah in Benjamin,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:29 has the variant spelling ‘Ittai.’

• • • • Benaiah from Pirathon,

• • • • Hurai from the wadis of Gaash,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:28 has the variant spelling ‘Hiddai.’”

• • • • Abiel from Arabah,

• • • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:31 has the variant spelling ‘Abi-Albon.’”

• • • • Azmaveth from Bahurim,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:31 has the variant spelling ‘Barhumite.’”

• • • • Eliahba from Shaalbon,

• • • • the sons of Hashem who was from Gizon,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “In 2 Sam 23:32 this individual’s name is given as ‘Jashen.’”

• • • • Jonathan, the son of Shagee who was from Harar,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:33 has the variant spelling ‘Shammah.’”

• • • • Ahiam, the son of Sharar who was from Harar,

• • • • • NET Bible points out, “In 2 Sam 23:33 this individual’s name is given as ‘Sharar.’”

• • • • Ur’s son Eliphal,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:34 has the variant ‘Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite.’”

• • • • Hepher from Mekerah,

• • • • Ahijah from Pelon,

• • • • Hezro from Carmel,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:35 has the variant spelling ‘Hezrai.’”

• • • • Ezbai’s son Naarai,

• • • • Nathan’s brother Joel,

• • • • NET Bible points out, “The parallel text of 2 Sam 23:36 has the variant ‘Igal son of Nathan from Zobah.’”

• • • • Hagri’s son Mibhar,

• • • • Zelek from Ammon,

• • • • Naharai from Beeroth, who was the armor-bearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab,

• • • • Ira from Jattir,

• • • • Gareb from Jattir,

• • • • Uriah the Hittite,

• • • • Ahlai’s son Zabad,

• • • • Adina the Reubenite was the chief of the Reubenites and the 30 warriors with him. He was the son of Shiza the Reubenite.

• • • • HCSB clarifies, “This ’30’ was a different group from ‘the 30’ in verse 15. The number here occurs without the definite article.”

• • • • Maakah’s son Hanan,

• • • • Joshaphat from Mithna,

• • • • Uzzia from Ashtaroth,

• • • • Shama and Jeiel, Hotham’s sons, from Aroer,

• • • • Shimri’s son Jediael,

• • • • Jediael’s brother Joha from Tiz,

• • • • Eliel from Mahavah,

• • • • Jeribai and Joshaviah, Elnaam’s sons,

• • • • Ithmah from Moab,

• • • • Eliel,

• • • • Obed,

• • • • Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

• • • • Regarding all the names on this list after Uriah the Hittite, NLT Illustrated Study Bible notes, “These warriors, not mentioned in the parallel passage at 2 Sam 23, were from locations east of the Jordan River. David had broad support among all the tribes of Israel as well as among foreigners.”

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