1 Chronicles 27:1

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 27:1-15

We have here an account of the regulation of the militia of the kingdom. David was himself a man of war, and had done great things with the sword; he had brought into the field great armies. Now here we are told how he marshalled them when God had given him rest from all his enemies. He did not keep them all together, for that would have been a hardship on them and the country; yet he did not disband and disperse them all, for then he would have left his kingdom naked, and his people would... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 27:1

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 27:1

The chief fathers and captains of thousands - The patriarchs, chief generals, or generals of brigade. This enumeration is widely different from the preceding. In that, we have the orders and courses of the priests and the Levites in their ecclesiastical ministrations; in this, we have the account of the order of the civil service, that which related simply to the political state of the king and the kingdom. Twenty-four persons, chosen out of David's worthies, each of whom had a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 27:1

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. It is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Chronicles 27:1

This verse is a general heading to the list 1 Chronicles 27:2-15. 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. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Chronicles 27:1

1 Chronicles 27:1. Now the children of Israel, &c. After the settlement of sacred affairs, we have here an account of the manner in which the army, or militia, as we may call it, was disposed. It was distributed into twelve legions, each consisting of twenty-four thousand men, who were commanded by one of the chief of the fathers; under whom there were captains of thousands, such as we now call colonels; and then under them captains of hundreds. Each of these legions attended one... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 27:1-34

Military and civilian leaders (27:1-34)In contrast to the detail that the writer gives in the lists of the Levites, there is only a brief summary of David’s military and civil leaders. Each month 24,000 men were required to do one month’s military service. The twelve commanding officers (who took turns at commanding this fighting force, one month at a time) all belonged to David’s group of ‘mighty men’ (27:1-15; see 11:10-47). Three other lists name the leaders of Israel’s tribes (16-24), the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Chronicles 27:1

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 1:0 1... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 27:1

THE MEN WHO HEADED THE MILITARY STRUCTURE; HEADS OF EACH OF THE TWELVE TRIBES; AND OTHER HIGH OFFICERS; HEADS OF THE COURSES; MONTH BY MONTH"Now the children after their number, to wit, the heads of fathers' houses and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers that served the king, in any matter of the courses that went in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year - of every course were twenty and four thousand. Over the first course for the first... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Chronicles 27:1

1 Chronicles 27:1. Now the children of Israel, &c.— We have here an account of the manner in which the army was disposed. It was distributed into twelve legions, each consisting of twenty-four thousand men, who were commanded by one of the chief of the fathers, under whom there were captains of thousands and captains of hundreds. Each of these legions attended one month for the security of the king and kingdom; at the end of which they retired to their respective places of abode, and were... read more

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