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27 The Israeli army was divided into twelve regiments, each with 24,000 troops, including officers and administrative staff. These units were called up for active duty one month each year. Here is the list of the units and their regimental commanders:

2-3 The commander of the First Division was Jashobeam. He had charge of 24,000 troops who were on duty the first month of each year.

The commander of the Second Division was Dodai (a descendant of Ahohi). He had charge of 24,000 troops who were on duty the second month of each year. Mikloth was his executive officer.

5-6 The commander of the Third Division was Benaiah. His 24,000 men were on duty the third month of each year. (He was the son of Jehoiada the High Priest and was the chief of The Thirty, a group including the mightiest of David’s men.) His son Ammizabad succeeded him as division commander.

The commander of the Fourth Division was Asahel (the brother of Joab), who was later replaced by his son Zebadiah. He had 24,000 men on duty the fourth month of each year.

The commander of the Fifth Division was Shamuth from Izrah, with 24,000 men on duty the fifth month of each year.

The commander of the Sixth Division was Ira, the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; he had 24,000 men on duty the sixth month of each year.

10 The commander of the Seventh Division was Helez from Pelona in Ephraim, with 24,000 men on duty the seventh month of each year.

11 The commander of the Eighth Division was Sibbecai of the Hushite subclan from Zerah, who had 24,000 men on duty the eighth month of each year.

12 The commander of the Ninth Division was Abiezer (from Anathoth in the tribe of Benjamin), who commanded 24,000 troops during the ninth month of each year.

13 The commander of the Tenth Division was Maharai from Netophah in Zerah, with 24,000 men on duty the tenth month of each year.

14 The commander of the Eleventh Division was Benaiah from Pirathon in Ephraim, with 24,000 men on duty during the eleventh month of each year.

15 The commander of the Twelfth Division was Heldai from Netophah in the area of Othniel, who commanded 24,000 men on duty during the twelfth month of each year.

16-22 The top political officers of the tribes of Israel were as follows:

Over Reuben, Eliezer (son of Zichri);

Over Simeon, Shephatiah (son of Maacah);

Over Levi, Hashabiah (son of Kemuel);

Over the descendants of Aaron, Zadok;

Over Judah, Elihu (a brother of King David);

Over Issachar, Omri (son of Michael);

Over Zebulun, Ishmaiah (son of Obadiah);

Over Naphtali, Jeremoth (son of Azriel);

Over Ephraim, Hoshea (son of Azaziah);

Over the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel (son of Pedaiah);

Over the other half of Manasseh, in Gilead, Iddo (son of Zechariah);

Over Benjamin, Jaasiel (son of Abner);

Over Dan, Azarel (son of Jeroham).

23 When David took his census, he didn’t include the twenty-year-olds or those younger, for the Lord had promised a population explosion for his people.[a] 24 Joab began the census, but he never finished it, for the anger of God broke out upon Israel; the final total was never put into the annals of King David.

25 Azmaveth (son of Adiel) was the chief financial officer in charge of the palace treasuries, and Jonathan (son of Uzziah) was chief of the regional treasuries throughout the cities, villages, and fortresses of Israel.

26 Ezri (son of Chelub) was manager of the laborers on the king’s estates. 27 And Shimei from Ramath had the oversight of the king’s vineyards; and Zabdi from Shiphma was responsible for his wine production and storage. 28 Baal-hanan from Gedera was responsible for the king’s olive yards and sycamore trees in the lowlands bordering Philistine territory, while Joash had charge of the supplies of olive oil.

29 Shitrai from Sharon was in charge of the cattle on the plains of Sharon, and Shaphat (son of Adlai) had charge of those in the valleys. 30 Obil, from the territory of Ishmael, had charge of the camels, and Jehdeiah from Meronoth had charge of the donkeys. 31 The sheep were under the care of Jaziz the Hagrite. These men were King David’s overseers.

32 The attendant to the king’s sons was Jonathan, David’s uncle, a wise counselor and an educated man.[b] Jehiel (the son of Hachmoni) was their tutor.

33 Ahithophel was the king’s official counselor, and Hushai the Archite was his personal advisor. 34 Ahithophel was assisted by Jehoiada (the son of Benaiah) and by Abiathar. Joab was commander-in-chief of the Israeli army.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 27:23 The Lord had promised a population explosion for his people, literally, “the Lord had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of heaven.”
  2. 1 Chronicles 27:32 an educated man, literally, “a scribe.”

Army Divisions

27 This is the list of the Israelites—heads of families, commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and their officers, who served the king in all that concerned the army divisions that were on duty month by month throughout the year. Each division consisted of 24,000 men.

In charge of the first division, for the first month, was Jashobeam(A) son of Zabdiel. There were 24,000 men in his division. He was a descendant of Perez and chief of all the army officers for the first month.

In charge of the division for the second month was Dodai(B) the Ahohite; Mikloth was the leader of his division. There were 24,000 men in his division.

The third army commander, for the third month, was Benaiah(C) son of Jehoiada the priest. He was chief and there were 24,000 men in his division. This was the Benaiah who was a mighty warrior among the Thirty and was over the Thirty. His son Ammizabad was in charge of his division.

The fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel(D) the brother of Joab; his son Zebadiah was his successor. There were 24,000 men in his division.

The fifth, for the fifth month, was the commander Shamhuth(E) the Izrahite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

The sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira(F) the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

10 The seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez(G) the Pelonite, an Ephraimite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

11 The eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbekai(H) the Hushathite, a Zerahite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

12 The ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer(I) the Anathothite, a Benjamite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

13 The tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai(J) the Netophathite, a Zerahite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

14 The eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah(K) the Pirathonite, an Ephraimite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

15 The twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai(L) the Netophathite, from the family of Othniel.(M) There were 24,000 men in his division.

Leaders of the Tribes

16 The leaders of the tribes of Israel:

over the Reubenites: Eliezer son of Zikri;

over the Simeonites: Shephatiah son of Maakah;

17 over Levi: Hashabiah(N) son of Kemuel;

over Aaron: Zadok;(O)

18 over Judah: Elihu, a brother of David;

over Issachar: Omri son of Michael;

19 over Zebulun: Ishmaiah son of Obadiah;

over Naphtali: Jerimoth son of Azriel;

20 over the Ephraimites: Hoshea son of Azaziah;

over half the tribe of Manasseh: Joel son of Pedaiah;

21 over the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead: Iddo son of Zechariah;

over Benjamin: Jaasiel son of Abner;

22 over Dan: Azarel son of Jeroham.

These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.

23 David did not take the number of the men twenty years old or less,(P) because the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars(Q) in the sky. 24 Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. God’s wrath came on Israel on account of this numbering,(R) and the number was not entered in the book[a] of the annals of King David.

The King’s Overseers

25 Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the royal storehouses.

Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the outlying districts, in the towns, the villages and the watchtowers.

26 Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of the workers who farmed the land.

27 Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards.

Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the produce of the vineyards for the wine vats.

28 Baal-Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore-fig(S) trees in the western foothills.

Joash was in charge of the supplies of olive oil.

29 Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the herds grazing in Sharon.(T)

Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the herds 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(U) was in charge of the flocks.

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

32 Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a man of insight and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hakmoni took care of the king’s sons.

33 Ahithophel(V) was the king’s counselor.

Hushai(W) the Arkite was the king’s confidant. 34 Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar.(X)

Joab(Y) was the commander of the royal army.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 27:24 Septuagint; Hebrew number