1 Chronicles 12:16

_AND THERE CAME OF THE CHILDREN OF BENJAMIN AND JUDAH TO THE HOLD UNTO DAVID._ The children of Benjamin and Judah. It is probable that the Benjamites invited the Judahites to accompany them, in order to prevent David being suspicious of them. Their anticipations, as the result showed, were well-founded. He did suspect them of being secret emissaries of Cush (see Psalms 7:1 's inscription), but the doubts of David as to their object in repairing to him were promptly dispelled by Amasai or Amasa, who, by the secret impulse of the Spirit, assured him of their strong attachment and their zealous services, from a unanimous conviction that his cause was owned and blessed of God (1 Samuel 18:12)....

1-22 Here is an account of those who appeared and acted as David's friends, while he was persecuted. No difficulties or dangers should keep the sinner from coming to the Savior, nor drive the believer from the path of duty. Those who break through, and overcome in these attempts, will find abundant recompence. From the words of Amasai we may learn how to testify our affection and allegiance to the Lord Jesus; his we must be throughly; on his side we must be forward to appear and act. If we are under the influence of the Spirit, we shall desire to have our lot among them, and to declare ourselves on their side; if in faith and love we embrace the cause of Christ, he will receive, employ, and advance us....

EXPOSITION This chapter is retrospective, and the contents of it are not found elsewhere. It is occupied, first (1 Chronicles 12:1), with the names and some accounts of those who had come to the help of David in three great crises in time past, to join themselves to him and his cause. And afterwards (1 Chronicles 12:23-13), with an enumeration of those representatives from the tribes who came (1 Chronicles 11:1, 1 Chronicles 11:3) to support the proceedings of the occasion when he was being made king of the whole people. Thus the chapter would divide really into four parts, t

AND THERE CAME OF THE MEN OF BENJAMIN, AND OF JUDAH,.... Besides those before mentioned, 1 Chronicles 12:2, TO THE HOLD UNTO DAVID; the same as in 1 Chronicles 12:8....

2. DAVID'S WARRIORS AND FRIENDS CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The Benjamite warriors with David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:1)_ 2. The other warriors (1 Chronicles 12:8) 3. Those who came to make him king (1 Chronicles 12:23) And now those are given by name who stood by David, when he was an outcast, rejected and persecuted by Saul. They were mighty men, his helpers in war. The leading company were of Benjamin, the tribe to which Saul belonged. These joined him when he was at Ziklag. In the wilderness of Judah certain of the Gadites separated themselves unto him, “whose faces were like the faces of lions and they were as swift as the roes upon the mountains.” May

DAVID'S SUPPORTERS. An enumeration of those who rallied round David during his outlaw life in Ziklag (_cf._ 1 Samuel 27:5 f.), and a list of those who were instrumental in setting him upon the throne. 1 Chronicles 12:2. they were of Saul's brethren of Benjamin: _cf._ 1 Chronicles 12:16 ff., 1 Chronicles 12:29; it is difficult to believe that Saul was deserted by his own kinsfolk (see 2 Samuel 2:25; 2 Samuel 2:31)

CHILDREN. sons....

Amasai and his Companions 16. _to the hold_ See 1 Chronicles 12:8, notes....

4. DAVID'S MEN IN SAUL'S DAY (1 Chronicles 12:1-22) TEXT 1 Chronicles 12:1. Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, his helpers in war. 2. They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow: they were of Saul's brethren of Benjamin. 3. The chief was Ahiezer; then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite, and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah, and Jehu the Anathothite, 4. and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty, and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite, 5. Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shema

VARIOUS STATISTICS This chapter is entirely supplementary to what is related in 2 S, and gives particulars respecting certain companies that joined David at various times, and the numbers that came to crown David at Hebron....