1 Chronicles 12:22

_FOR AT THAT TIME DAY BY DAY THERE CAME TO DAVID TO HELP HIM, UNTIL IT WAS A GREAT HOST, LIKE THE HOST OF GOD._ The host of God - i:e., great and powerful army. 'Of all the Hebrew tribes, there were no men better fitted than these by their native training to form the nucleus of David's army. They covered the whole ground described as the land of the patriarchs. Hebron and Ziklag, lying in the north and south, and Adullam among the mountains of Judah on the west, are chiefly marked as three of the boundaries of the territory covered by them, and we recognize the fourth in Sebbeh, the ancient Masada, on the west of the Dead Sea. That this was "the hold" mentioned, 1 Chronicles 12:8: cf. 1 Samuel 20:4, may be inferred from the identity of name; and to the same effect is the testimon

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....

Verse 1 Chronicles 12:22. _LIKE THE HOST OF GOD._] "That is, a very numerous army; like the army of the angel of God." - _T_....

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

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....

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)

A GREAT HOST. About 300,000 men....

Manassite Adherents 19. _And there fell some of Manasseh_ R.V. OF MANASSEH ASLO THERE FELL AWAY SOME. _when he came with the Philistines_ See 1 Samuel 28:1-2; 1 Samuel 29:1-11. _but they helped them not_ David's men did not help the Philistines. _upon advisement_ "After consideration"; lit. "by counsel." Cp. 1 Chronicles 21:12, "advise thyself." _fall_ R.V. FALL AWAY. _to_the jeopardy of _our heads_ Rather, AT THE PRICE OF OUR HEADS. David once became son-in-law to Saul at the price of the lives of two hundred of the Philistines ...

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