1 Chronicles 12

1 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 12

Warriors Who Joined David at Ziklag

        • Regarding verses 1-22, ESV Study Bible explains, “Before his reign in Hebron, David took refuge from Saul in various strongholds in the Judean desert, then in Ziklag for 16 months, under the protection of the Philistine king Achish (1 Sam 27:6). This section provides a literary flashback to those days and places, which are grouped within the larger unit of 1 Chron 11:1-12:40 under the theme of growing support for David from every tribe of Israel. The catchword ‘help’ connects this section, denoting personal commitment to and partnership with David in his task (vv. 1, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22). More specifically, ‘help’ here signifies military support and originates in God’s own support for David (v. 18).”

        • The following were the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was still banned from the presence of Kish’s son Saul. They were among the warriors who helped him in battle. They were armed with bows and could shoot arrows or sling stones with their left hand as well as their right hand. They were Saul’s relatives from Benjamin:

          • ESV Study Bible notes, “These verses [vv. 1-7] describe the growing support for David from Saul’s own tribe of Benjamin, during his stay in Ziklag, just before Saul’s death on Mount Gilboa.”

        • Guzik writes, “This was especially remarkable because they were of Benjamin, Saul’s brethren and therefore had much to gain from Saul’s continued reign. They chose David over Saul because they knew that God was with David.”He also reminds us, “Judges 3:15 and 20:16 make special notice of left handed warriors; how much more if the soldiers can use both the right hand and the left!”

        • Their chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both were sons of Shemaah from Gibeah;

        • Jeziel and Pelet who were Azmaveth’s sons;

        • Berakah;

          • Jehu from Anathoth;

          • Ishmaiah from Gibeon, who was a mighty warrior and leader among the Thirty;

          • NET Bible points out that the verse numbering begins to differ here between the English and Hebrew texts, “In the Hebrew text (BHS) a verse division occurs at this point, and for the remainder of the chapter the verse numbers of the Hebrew Bible differ by one from the English Bible. Thus 1 Chr 12:4b ET = 12:5 HT, and 12:5-40 ET = 12:6-41 HT. Beginning with 13:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.”

          • Jeremiah;

          • Jahaziel;

          • Johanan;

          • Jozabad from Gederah;

          • Eluzai;

          • Jerimoth;

          • Bealiah;

          • Shemariah;

          • Shephatiah from Haruph;

          • Elkanah;

          • Ishiah;

          • Azarel;

          • Joezer and Jashobeam, who were Korahites;

          • and Joelah and Zebadiah, who were Jeroham’s sons from Gedor.

      • Some of the Gadites also joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors who were trained for battle, and they carried shields and spears. They were as fierce as lions and could run as fast as gazelles in the mountains.

        • ESV Study Bible says, “These verses [vv. 8-15] detail the support that David received from the Gadites from Transjordan, during an earlier period, possibly at Adullam (1 Sam 22:1) or Engedi, on the shore of the Dead Sea. A frequent them here…is that the most skillful and heroic warriors in Israel are pledging allegiance to David, confirming that he is the Lord’s anointed and that God’s favor is on him.”

        • Their chief was Ezer;

        • Obadiah was the second-in-command;

          • Eliab was the third;

          • Mishmannah was the fourth;

          • Jeremiah was the fifth;

          • Attai was the sixth;

          • Eliel was the seventh;

          • Johanan was the eighth;

          • Elzabad was the ninth;

          • Jeremiah was the tenth;

        • and Makbannai was the eleventh.

          • These Gadites were army commanders. The least could take on a hundred troops and the greatest could take on a thousand. These are the men who crossed the Jordan River in the first month, when it was overflowing its banks, and drove out all the people living in the valleys to the east and west.

            • On the timing of crossing at the first month, NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible notes, “Began in March. At this time the spring temperatures were melting the snow in the mountains, and the water from the various tributaries swelled the river, causing it to burst its banks in the flood plain around Jericho ( cf Jos 3:15), where the river was usually fordable. Crossing the Jordan at this time was more dangerous…”

        • NET Bible renders the latter part of v. 14 a little differently, “the least led a hundred men, the greatest a thousand.”

      • Some other men from Benjamin and some men from Judah also came to David’s stronghold. David went out to meet them and said, “If you have come in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies even though I have done nothing wrong, may the God of our ancestors see and judge you.” Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, who was chief of the Thirty, and he said:

          • “We are yours, David! We are with you, son of Jesse! May you greatly prosper, and may those who help you prosper, because your God helps you!”

      • So David accepted them and made them leaders of his troops.

        • ESV Study Bible writes, “These verses (vv. 16-18) reflect the same period, when David’s life is threatened by Saul, and the loyalty of those who come to him in his stronghold cannot be assumed. The prophecy by Amasai affirms and encourages loyalty to David, declaring that he enjoys God’s support. Peace [rendered above as NET ‘may you greatly prosper’] does not imply absence of battle but victory and ‘success’ that attains a full and lasting peace and well-being…”

        • Should the “Spirit” in v. 18 be capitalized or not? In other words, what spirit are we talking about?

          • NET Bible points out that, “Perhaps ‘the Spirit,’ but the text has simply…(ruakh) with no article (suggesting an indefinite reference).”

          • Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers says, “ Literally, and spirit clothed Amasai. The term for ‘God’ (Elohim) has probably fallen out of the Heb. ext. (Comp. 2Chronicles 24:20, and Judges 6:34.)…”

          • HCSB renders “the Spirit” and writes, “’Took control’ is literally ‘wore’ or ‘clothed himself with.’”

          • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges says, “Lit. a spirit (i.e. from God) clothed itself with (i.e. entered into) Amasai. Cp. 2 Chronicles 24:20; Jdg 6:34.”

          • ESV Study Bible writes, “The Spirit clothed is the Chronicler’s characteristic idiom for prophetic inspiration (2 Chron 15:1; 20:14; 24:20; see Judg 6:34).”

          • On a related note of discussion on the Holy Spirit, Pulpit Commentary adds, “The Spirit (see Numbers 11:26; Nehemiah 9:30). The more literal translation of the verb came upon is clothed. Most interesting and instructive is the subject of the gradually developing manifestation of the agency of the eternal Spirit from the beginning of the world. Through the ascending illustrations of his natural work in creation (Genesis 1:2), his relation to human bodily life (Genesis 2:7; Job 27:3), his intellectual work of various kinds (Genesis 41:38; Exodus 28:3; Numbers 24:2; Judges 9:29), we are led on to his highest spiritual functions.”

        • Some men from Manasseh joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. However, he and his men did not end up helping the Philistines because, after taking counsel, the Philistine rulers sent David away saying: “It will cost us our heads if he defects to his master Saul.” When David went to Ziklag, these men from Manasseh joined him:

        • Adnah,

        • Jozabad,

          • Elihu,

          • and Zillethai.

        • These were leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh. They helped David fight against raiding bands- all of them were warriors and commanders in the army. Day after day more men came to help David until he had a great army, like an army of God.

        • On the comparison to “an army of God” NET Bible notes, “Heb ‘for at the time of day in a day they were coming to David to help him until [there was] a great camp like the camp of God.’ The term…(ʾelohim, ‘God’) is probably used idiomatically here to indicate the superlative.” HCSB’s footnote elaborates, “or like the ultimate army.”

Others Join David in Hebron

      • The following is a record of the armed warriors who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of Yahweh:

          • ESV Study Bible notes, “These verses [vv. 23-37] list military contingents from every tribe that defected to David in Hebron, corresponding to the elders of every tribe, who anointed him (11:3). To turn the kingdom of Saul over to him refers back to 10:14 and summarizes the overall theme of chs 10-12.”

          • With respect to the phrase “in accordance with the word of Yahweh” the same source continues, “The tribes, like their elders (11:3), act in obedience to the prophetic word declaring David to be king.”

        • With respect to the numbers provided, again the same source says, “Some interpreters understand these to be the actual numbers of soldiers, since elsewhere the ‘tens’ and ‘hundreds’ and ‘thousands’ add up correctly (see Num 1:46). Others conclude that the total number of troops seems overly high for such a gathering. One possibility is that the word for ‘thousand’ (Hb ‘elep) in a military census denotes a ‘unit’ (of undetermined size)…It is also possible that the word originally had the vowels for the word for ‘chief’ (Hb ‘allup). By this second possibility, the 6,800 in 1 Chron 12:24 would reveal that Judah supplied 800 armed troops under six commanders. The contributions from Judah and Levi (vv. 26-28) may seem surprisingly low compared to the northern and Transjordanian tribes (vv. 30-37), but these numbers may indicate those who rallied to David at a later stage than others from their tribes (since David had already been king in Hebron for several years).”

        • From the tribe of Judah, there were 6,800 warriors armed with shields and spears.

        • From the tribe of Simeon, there were 7,100 brave warriors.

        • From the tribe of Levi, there were 4,600.

          • Guzik remarks, “Some think that the Levites were prohibited from going to war, but this is not specifically stated. Numbers 1:47-53 says that in that census they were not to be counted among the other tribes when the men ready for war were numbered, but it does not say that they could never fight for Israel.”

          • These included Jehoiada, the leader of Aaron’s descendants, who brought 3,700 men with him, and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 leaders from his own ancestral house.

        • From the tribe of Benjamin, Saul’s tribe, there were 3,000 warriors, most of whom, up until that time, had maintained their allegiance to Saul’s house.

        • From the tribe of Ephraim, there were 20,800 brave warriors who were famous in their ancestral houses.

        • From the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 18,000 who had been designated by name to come and make David king.

        • From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.

        • From the tribe of Zebulun, there were 50,000 warriors who were prepared for battle, equipped with all kinds of weapons, with undivided loyalty to David.

        • From the tribe of Naphtali, there were 1,000 commanders, along with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears.

        • From the tribe of Dan, there were 28,600 men prepared for battle.

        • From the tribe of Asher, there were 40,000 warriors prepared for battle.

        • From the east side of the Jordan River, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 men equipped with all kinds of weapons.

        • All these warriors, lined up in battle formation, came to Hebron with wholehearted determination to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel was also in agreement to make David king. They spent three days there with David, feasting and drinking, because their relatives had provided for them. Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, olive oil, cattle, and sheep. Indeed, there was great joy in Israel.

          • Guzik says, “This celebration came late (some seven years after the death of Saul), but it did come. The people of God together recognized David as their king. Significantly, David would not force his reign upon the people; he waited until they were willing to make David king over Israel.”

        • ESV Study Bible writes, “The three-day festival celebrated the covenant made ‘before the Lord’ between David and the elders of Israel (11:1-3). Religious celebrations in Chronicles are regularly characterized by joy (15:25; 29:22; 2 Chron 7:8-10; 30:23-27). Under David’s leadership, God had given the nation peace, unity, prosperity, and joy.”

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