1 Chronicles 12:38

_ALL THESE MEN OF WAR, THAT COULD KEEP RANK, CAME WITH A PERFECT HEART TO HEBRON, TO MAKE DAVID KING OVER ALL ISRAEL: AND ALL THE REST ALSO OF ISRAEL WERE OF ONE HEART TO MAKE DAVID KING._ All the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king - i:e., entertained a unanimous desire for his elevation....

23-40 When the throne of Christ is set up in a soul, there is, or ought to be, great joy in that soul; and provision is made, not as here, for a few days, but for the whole life, and for eternity. Happy are those who wisely perceive it to be their duty and interest, to submit to the Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of David; who renounce for his sake all that is not consistent; whose earnest endeavours to do good are directed by the wisdom that God giveth, through acquaintance with his word, experience, and observation. If any man lack this wisdom, let him ask it of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him....

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

ALL THESE MEN OF WAR THAT COULD KEEP RANK,.... Well disciplined men: CAME WITH A PERFECT HEART TO HEBRON TO MAKE DAVID KING OVER ISRAEL; they were all of one mind, and quite hearty and sincere in fixing David on the throne of all Israel: AND ALL THE REST ALSO OF ISRAEL WERE OF ONE HEART ALSO TO MAKE DAVID KING; those who came not were of the same mind; it was the unanimous voice of the people that he should be their king....

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 PERFECT HEART. In contrast with. double heart. Compare 1 Chronicles 12:33. Heart being put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Subject), for its desires. ONE HEART. See note on Psalms 133:1, and its references to 2 Samuel 19:9....

_men of war, that could keep rank_ R.V. BEING MEN OF WAR, THAT COULD ORDER THE BATTLE ARRAY. _with a perfect heart_ i.e. with whole, undivided heart....

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....

THE BOOK OF 1 CHRONICLES GOD RULES HISTORY 1 CHRONICLES _Ian Mackervoy_ CHAPTER 12 THE MEN WHO CAME TO DAVID AT ZIKLAG – 1 CHRONICLES 12:1-7 V1 David went to Ziklag town to escape from Saul son of Kish. Many men came to him there. They were among the soldiers who helped David in battle. V2 They came with their bows and arrows. They could shoot arrows or *sling stones with either their right hands or their left hands. They were from Benjamin, the same *tribe as Sau