1 Chronicles 27:1

_NOW THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AFTER THEIR NUMBER, TO WIT, THE CHIEF FATHERS AND CAPTAINS OF THOUSANDS AND HUNDREDS, AND THEIR OFFICERS THAT SERVED THE KING IN ANY MATTER OF THE COURSES, WHICH CAME IN AND WENT OUT MONTH BY MONTH THROUGHOUT ALL THE MONTHS OF THE YEAR, OF EVERY COURSE WERE TWENTY AND FOUR THOUSAND._ Captains of thousands and hundreds. The division of the people was the same for military as for civil purposes (cf. Exodus 18:21 with Numbers 31:14); at least, the rotation of 24,000 men appointed to attend David every month is described so as to indicate their being arranged by this old and familiar division (see Graves, ii., p. 15; Lowman, 'On the Government of the Hebrews,' p. 73). The legions of 24,000 were divided into regiments of 1,000, and these again into companies o

1-15 In the kingdoms of this world readiness for war forms a security for peace; in like manner, nothing so much encourages Satan's assaults as to be unwatchful. So long as we stand armed with the whole armour of God, in the exercise of faith, and preparation of heart for the conflict, we shall certainly be safe, and probably enjoy inward peace....

CHAPTER XXVII _An account of the_ twelve _captains who were over the monthly_ _course of_ twenty-four thousand _men; each captain serving_ one _month in turn_, 1. _The names of the_ twelve, _and the months in which they served_, 2-15. _The names of the rulers of the_ twelve _tribes_, 16-22. _The reasons why the whole number of Israel and Judah had not_ _been taken_, 23, 24. _The persons who were over the king's property, treasures,_ _fields, flocks, c._, 25-31. His offic

This verse is a general heading to the list 1 Chronicles 27:2. The heading has been taken from some fuller and more elaborate description of David’s army, whereof the writer of Chronicles gives us only an abridgement. Omitting the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the officers (probably “scribes”) who served the king, he contents himself with recording the “chief fathers” or heads of the divisions 1 Chronicles 28:1, and the number of Iraelites in each course....

EXPOSITION This chapter, continuing the general subject of David's arrangements of all the leading departments, sacred and civil, of the kingdom, which he was so soon to yield into the hands of his son Solomon, proceeds in the first fifteen verses to the enumeration of the military courses of his people, month by month. These were twelve in number, each containing twenty,four thousand men; and the _captain_,_ _or _chief_, or _chief father_,_ of _each is specially mentioned. 1 CHRONICLES 27:1 It is impossible to feel fully satisfied with any translation which the words of this verse offer. Yet there can scarcely he any doubt of the meaning of the verse, viz. that the writer would speak of the children of Israel, including the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, as regards their c

NOW THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AFTER THEIR NUMBER,.... Not the whole body of the people, but the militia of the nation; for after the account of the division of the priests and Levites into courses, follows an account of the militia of the nation, being divided also into monthly courses; which, though done in the beginning of David's reign, as Kimchi and Jarchi observe, yet is here related; and that it was so soon is clear from the instance of Asahel, who was killed while David was king in Hebron, 1 Chronicles 27:7 to wit, THE CHIEF FATHERS; the chief men in the tribes, the princes of them, not the natural fathers of the soldiers in each course, as a learned man suggests i: since it can never be thought that such a number sprung from those as made a course of 24,000; for they are distinct from the captains and officers after mentioned, under which the soldiers were;

6. THE CAPTAINS, PRINCES, AND VARIOUS OFFICIALS CHAPTER 27 _ 1. The twelve captains (1 Chronicles 27:1)_ 2. The princes of the twelve tribes (1 Chron. 27-16-22) 3. The unfinished numbering (1 Chronicles 27:23) 4. Various officers (1 Chronicles 27:25) We have here the military organization of David's kingdom. The army comprised all males over twenty years of age. The host had twelve divisions each of 24,000. It is remarkable how the number twenty-four occurs again and again. Twelve is the governmental number and twice twelve, that is, twenty-four, would indicate a perfect and complete government such as will be established when Heaven's Ki

ORGANISATION OF DAVID'S ARMY: ENUMERATION OF HIS OFFICIALS (_cf._ 1 Chronicles 11:10 ff.) 1 Chronicles 27:1. According to this verse the army comprised 288,000 soldiers; this is an exaggeration. 1 Chronicles 27:32. David's uncle: better kinsman; the Hebrew word _dô d_ is used in this general sense. 1 Chronicles 27:33. _Cf._ 2 Samuel 15:12; 2 Samuel 15:37. the ki

CHILDREN. sons. CHIEF FATHERS. heads of the fathers. CAPTAINS OF THOUSANDS. The host comprised all males over twenty. From this were organized twelve divisions of 24,000 men, commanded by twelve of the thirty. David's 600 (1 Samuel 23:13, &c.) divided into three of 200 each (consisting of ten subdivisions of twenty each, commanded by the "thirty"), commanded by the "three". The commander of the "thirty" was not one of the "three", but next below them. See notes on 1 Chronicles 1. and 2 Samuel 23....

1 Chronicles 27:1-15. The Service of the Courses These "courses" are not mentioned elsewhere in the O.T.; but in 1 Kings 5:14 (5:28 Heb.), where however the Heb. word is different, courses of Israelites engaged on Solomon's building works are mentioned. 1. _the chief fathers and captains_ R.V. THE HEADS OF FATHERS" HOUSES AND THE CAPTAINS. _came in and went out_ Came on duty and went off duty; cp. 2 Chronicles 23:8....