1-22 The companies that came to David at Ziklag 23-40 The armies that came to him at Hebron

These are 1Sa 27:2,6 2Sa 1:1 4:10

while he yet, etc. {heb] being yet shut up Sometimes, in the East, when a successful prince endeavoured to extirpate the preceding royal family, some of them escaped the slaughter, and secured themselves in an impregnable fortress, or in a place of great secrecy; while others have been known to seek an asylum in a foreign county, from when they have occasioned, from time to time, great anxiety and great difficulties to the usurper of the crown. The expression {shut up}, so often applied to the extermination of eastern royal families. De 32:32 1Ki 14:10 21:21 2Ki 9:8 14:26

strictly speaking, refers to the two first of these cases; but the term may be used in a more extensive sense, for those who, by retiring into deserts, or foreign countries, preserve themselves from being slain by the men who usurp the dominions of their ancestors. Thus the term is here applied to David, though he did not shut himself up, strictly speaking, in Ziklag. It is described as a town in the country, and was probably an unwalled town; and it is certain that he did not confine himself to it, but, on the contrary, was continually making excursions from thence.

Saul 1Ch 8:33 9:39

the mighty 1Ch 11:10,19,24,25

2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.

could use Jud 3:15 20:16

in hurling 1Sa 17:49

3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite.

Shemaah. or, Hasmaah
Gibeathite 1Sa 11:4 2Sa 21:6

Azmaveth 1Ch 11:33

the Antothite 1Ch 11:28

4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,

Gibeonite Jos 9:3,17-23

a mighty man 1Ch 11:15

Gederathite Jos 15:36

5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,

6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,

7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

Gedor 1Ch 4:18,39 Jos 15:58

8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;

into the hold 1Ch 12:16 11:16 1Sa 23:14,29 24:22

of war [heb] of the host
handle 2Ch 25:5 Jer 46:9

whose faces 1Ch 11:22 2Sa 1:23 17:10 23:20 Pr 28:1

as swift as the roes upon the mountains [heb] as the roes upon the mountains to make haste. 2Sa 2:18 Pr 6:5 So 8:14

9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.

14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.

one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand. or, one that was least could resist an hundred, the greatest a thousand. Le 26:8 De 32:30

15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.

it had overflown [heb] it had filled over Jos 3:15 4:18 Jer 12:5 49:19

16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.

the children 1Ch 12:2

the hold 1Ch 12:8

17 And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.

to meet them [heb] before them
If ye be come 1Sa 16:4 2Sa 3:20-25 1Ki 2:13 2Ki 9:22 Ps 12:1,2

heart 1Sa 18:1,3 2Ki 10:15 Ps 86:11 2Co 13:11 Php 1:27

knit [heb] one Jer 32:39 Ac 4:32 1Co 1:10

wrong. or, violence
God Ge 31:42,53 1Sa 24:11-17 26:23,24 Ps 7:6 1Pe 2:23

rebuke it Zec 3:2 Jude 1:9

18 Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

the spirit Jud 6:34 13:25 Isa 59:17

came upon Amasai [heb] clothed Amasai 1Ch 2:17 2Sa 17:25 19:13 20:4

Amasa
Thine are we 2Ki 10:5

and on they side Ru 1:16 2Sa 15:21 2Ki 9:32 Mt 12:30

peace Ga 6:16 Eph 6:23,24

thy God 1Sa 25:28,29 2Sa 5:2 Zec 8:23 Joh 6:67,68

captains of the band 1Sa 8:12 22:7 1Ki 9:22

19 And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.

when he came 1Sa 29:2-4

to the jeopardy of our heads [heb] on our heads

20 As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh.

As he went
These captains of Manasseh seem to have met David as he was returning from the army of the Philistines to Ziklag. It is probable that they did not bring their companies with them; yet they both assured him of future assistance, and very seasonably helped him against the Amalekites who had spoiled Ziklag. 1Sa 29:11

captains Ex 18:21 De 1:15 33:17

21 And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the host.

against the band. or, with a band 1Sa 30:1-17

mighty men 1Ch 12:20 5:24 11:10,21,22

22 For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.

day by day 2Sa 2:2-4 3:1 Job 17:9

like the host of God That is, says the Targumist, a very numerous army, like the army of the angel of God Ge 32:2 Jos 5:14 Ps 148:2

23 And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.

A.M. 2956 B.C. 1048 An. Ex. Is. 433
the numbers 1Ch 11:1-3 2Sa 2:3,4 5:1-3

bands. or, captains, or men {heb] heads
came to David Some learned men understand this as relating to the time when David was make king over Judah, on his first coming to Hebron: but it seems wholly to refer to his being made king over all Israel, after the death of Ishbosheth; for there was no such union or assembly of the several tribes on the former occasion, as is here described.

to turn 1Ch 10:14

according 1Ch 11:10 1Sa 16:1,3,12,13 2Sa 3:18 Ps 2:6 89:19,20

24 The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.

armed. or, prepared

25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.

26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.

27 And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;

the leader 1Ch 9:20 2Ki 11:4,9 25:18

Aaronites 1Ch 6:49-57 27:17

28 And Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.

Zadok 1Ch 6:8,53 2Sa 8:17 1Ki 1:8 2:35 Eze 44:15

29 And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.

kindred [heb] brethren 1Ch 12:2 Ge 31:23

the greatest part of them [heb] a multitude of them 2Sa 2:8,9

30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous throughout the house of their fathers.

famous [heb] men of names Ge 6:4

31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.

the half tribe Jos 17:1-18

32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

understanding of the times That is, as the following words indicate, intelligent men, who understood the signs of the times, well versed in political affairs, and knew what was proper to be done in all the exigencies of human life; and who now perceived that it was both the duty and political interest of Israel to advance David to the throne. Ge 49:14 Es 1:12 Isa 22:12-14 33:6 Mic 6:9 Mt 16:3 Lu 12:56,57

to know Pr 14:8 Eph 5:17

all their Pr 24:5 Ec 7:19 9:18

33 Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.

Expert in war. or, ranger of battle, or ranged in battle.
keep rank. or, set the battle in array.
they were not of double heart. [heb] they were without a heart and a heart. That is, they were all sincerely affected towards David, though so numerous. Ps 12:2 Joh 1:47

34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.

35 And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.

36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.

expert in war. or, keeping their rank 1Ch 12:33 Joe 2:7

37 And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.

the other side 1Ch 5:1 Nu 32:33-42 De 3:12-16 Jos 13:7-32 14:3 22:1-10

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.

with a perfect heart. The meaning of this expression may be inferred from that of {a double heart} in verse 33. If a double heart be expressive of insincerity or duplicity, a perfect heart, which seems to be put in opposition to it, must signify a sincere, faithful, and entire attachment. 1Ki 8:61 11:4 2Ki 20:3 Ps 101:2

all the rest 1Ch 12:17,18 Ge 49:8-10 2Ch 30:12 Ps 110:3 Eze 11:19

39 And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.

eating and drinking Ge 26:30 31:54 2Sa 6:19 19:42

40 Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.

brought The Septuagint reads () `brought to them' which is probably correct; the Hebrew {lahem} `to them' might be easily mistaken for {lechem} bread. The passage will then read, `bought them on asses, on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, meat, meal, cakes of figs,' etc., which renders the introduction of {and} unnecessary. From the mention of oil, figs, and raisins, mr. Harmer thinks that this assembly was held in autumn. 2Sa 16:1 17:27-29

meat, meal, or victual of meal
cakes of figs 1Sa 25:18

there was joy 1Ki 1:40 2Ki 11:20 Pr 11:10 29:2 Jer 23:5,6 Lu 19:37,38 Re 19:5-7