12:23 Hebron. David found other supporters at Hebron, with representatives coming from each tribe. The numbers appear very high. Several explanations of these large numbers are possible. The Hebrew word translated “thousand” may be a technical term referring to a military unit of considerably smaller size. In that case, v. 24 would read “men of Judah, carrying shield and spear, six units with eight hundred armed for war.” Second, the Hebrew consonants translated “thousand” could also be read with other vowel points, to mean “chiefs.” On this account, v. 24 would read “six chiefs with eight hundred armed for war.” Finally, it is possible that there is a figurative or rhetorical exaggeration (12:22 note).