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Leaders of the Army

27 What follows is a list of Israelite family leaders and commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, as well as their officers who served the king in various matters. Each division was assigned to serve for one month during the year; each consisted of 24,000 troops.[a]

Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division, which was assigned the first month. His division consisted of 24,000 troops. He was a descendant of Perez; he was in charge of all the army officers for the first month.

Dodai the Ahohite was in charge of the division assigned the second month; Mikloth was the next in rank.[b] His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

The third army commander, assigned the third month, was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest. He was the leader of his division, which consisted of 24,000 troops. Benaiah was the leader of the thirty warriors and his division; his son was Ammizabad.[c]

The fourth, assigned the fourth month, was Asahel, brother of Joab; his son Zebadiah succeeded him.[d] His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

The fifth, assigned the fifth month, was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

The sixth, assigned the sixth month, was Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

10 The seventh, assigned the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, an Ephraimite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

11 The eighth, assigned the eighth month, was Sibbekai the Hushathite, a Zerahite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

12 The ninth, assigned the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite, a Benjaminite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

13 The tenth, assigned the tenth month, was Maharai the Netophathite, a Zerahite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

14 The eleventh, assigned the eleventh month, was Benaiah the Pirathonite, an Ephraimite. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

15 The twelfth, assigned the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, a descendant of Othniel. His division consisted of 24,000 troops.

16 The officers of the Israelite tribes:

Eliezer son of Zikri was the leader of the Reubenites,

Shephatiah son of Maacah led the Simeonites,

17 Hashabiah son of Kemuel led the Levites,

Zadok led the descendants of Aaron,

18 Elihu, a brother of David, led Judah,

Omri son of Michael led Issachar,

19 Ishmaiah son of Obadiah led Zebulun,

Jerimoth son of Azriel led Naphtali,

20 Hoshea son of Azaziah led the Ephraimites,

Joel son of Pedaiah led the half-tribe of Manasseh,

21 Iddo son of Zechariah led the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead,

Jaasiel son of Abner led Benjamin,

22 Azarel son of Jeroham led Dan.

These were the commanders of the Israelite tribes.

23 David did not count the males twenty years old and under, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky. 24 Joab son of Zeruiah started to count the men but did not finish. God was angry with Israel[e] because of this, so the number was not recorded in the scroll[f] called The Annals of King David.

Royal Officials

25 Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the king’s storehouses;

Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the field, in the cities, in the towns, and in the towers.

26 Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of the field workers who farmed the land.[g]

27 Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards;

Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the wine stored in the vineyards.[h]

28 Baal Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore trees in the foothills;[i]

Joash was in charge of the storehouses of olive oil.

29 Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the cattle grazing in Sharon;

Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the cattle in the valleys.

30 Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels;

Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.

31 Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the sheep.

All these were the officials in charge of King David’s property.

32 Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a wise adviser and scribe;[j]

Jehiel son of Hacmoni cared for[k] the king’s sons.

33 Ahithophel was the king’s adviser;

Hushai the Arkite was the king’s confidant.[l]

34 Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar.

Joab was the commanding general of the king’s army.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 27:1 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel according to their number, heads of the fathers and the commanders of the thousands and the hundreds and their officers who served the king with respect to every matter of the divisions, [that which] comes and goes out month by month according to all the months of the year, one division [was] twenty-four thousand.”
  2. 1 Chronicles 27:4 tn Heb “and his division and Mikloth, the leader.”
  3. 1 Chronicles 27:6 tn Heb “That [was the] Benaiah [who was] a warrior of the thirty and over the thirty, and his division, Ammizabad his son.”
  4. 1 Chronicles 27:7 tn Heb “[was] after him.”
  5. 1 Chronicles 27:24 tn Heb “anger was on Israel.”
  6. 1 Chronicles 27:24 tc The Hebrew text has “in the number,” but מִסְפַּר (mispar) is probably dittographic—note that the same word appears immediately before this. The form should be emended to בְּסֵפֶר (besefer, “in the scroll”).
  7. 1 Chronicles 27:26 tn Heb “with respect to the work of the land.” The phrase refers to agricultural labor; see HALOT 776-77 s.v. עֲבֹדָה.
  8. 1 Chronicles 27:27 tn Heb “and over [that] which is in the vineyards, with respect to the storehouses of the wine, [was] Zabdi the Shiphmite.”
  9. 1 Chronicles 27:28 sn The foothills (שְׁפֵלָה, shephelah) are the region between the Judean hill country and the Mediterranean coastal plain.
  10. 1 Chronicles 27:32 tn Heb “was an adviser, a man of insight, and he was a scribe.”
  11. 1 Chronicles 27:32 tn Heb “[was] with” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “tutored”; NRSV “attended”; NLT “was responsible to teach.’
  12. 1 Chronicles 27:33 tn Heb “friend.”

The Military Divisions

27 This is the list of the people of Israel, the heads of families, the commanders of the thousands and the hundreds, and their officers who served the king in all matters concerning the divisions that came and went, month after month throughout the year, each division numbering twenty-four thousand:

Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division in the first month; in his division were twenty-four thousand.(A) He was a descendant of Perez and was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month. Dodai the Ahohite was in charge of the division of the second month; Mikloth was the chief officer of his division. In his division were twenty-four thousand. The third commander, for the third month, was Benaiah son of the chief priest Jehoiada; in his division were twenty-four thousand. This is the Benaiah who was a mighty man of the Thirty and in command of the Thirty; his son Ammizabad was in charge of his division.[a](B) Asahel brother of Joab was fourth, for the fourth month, and his son Zebadiah after him; in his division were twenty-four thousand.(C) The fifth commander, for the fifth month, was Shamhuth, the Izrahite; in his division were twenty-four thousand. Sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; in his division were twenty-four thousand.(D) 10 Seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, of the Ephraimites; in his division were twenty-four thousand.(E) 11 Eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zerahites; in his division were twenty-four thousand.(F) 12 Ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer of Anathoth, a Benjaminite; in his division were twenty-four thousand.(G) 13 Tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai of Netophah, of the Zerahites; in his division were twenty-four thousand.(H) 14 Eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah of Pirathon, of the Ephraimites; in his division were twenty-four thousand.(I) 15 Twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel; in his division were twenty-four thousand.

Leaders of Tribes

16 Over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites, Eliezer son of Zichri was chief officer; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah son of Maacah; 17 for Levi, Hashabiah son of Kemuel; for Aaron, Zadok; 18 for Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers; for Issachar, Omri son of Michael; 19 for Zebulun, Ishmaiah son of Obadiah; for Naphtali, Jerimoth son of Azriel; 20 for the Ephraimites, Hoshea son of Azaziah; for the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel son of Pedaiah; 21 for the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo son of Zechariah; for Benjamin, Jaasiel son of Abner; 22 for Dan, Azarel son of Jeroham. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.(J) 23 David did not count those below twenty years of age, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars of heaven.(K) 24 Joab son of Zeruiah began to count them but did not finish, yet wrath came upon Israel for this, and the number was not entered into the account of the Annals of King David.(L)

Other Civic Officials

25 Over the king’s treasuries was Azmaveth son of Adiel. Over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the villages and in the towers was Jonathan son of Uzziah. 26 Over those who did the work of the field, tilling the soil, was Ezri son of Chelub. 27 Over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite. Over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite. 28 Over the olive and sycamore trees in the Shephelah was Baal-hanan the Gederite. Over the stores of oil was Joash.(M) 29 Over the herds that pastured in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite. Over the herds in the valleys was Shaphat son of Adlai. 30 Over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite. Over the donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite. 31 Over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagrite. All these were stewards of King David’s property.

32 Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, being a man of understanding and a scribe; Jehiel son of Hachmoni attended the king’s sons. 33 Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend.(N) 34 After Ahithophel came Jehoiada son of Benaiah and Abiathar. Joab was commander of the king’s army.(O)

Footnotes

  1. 27.6 Gk Vg: Heb Ammizabad was his division