1 Chronicles 27:16 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 27:16-34

We have here an account, I. Of the princes of the tribes. Something of the ancient order instituted by Moses in the wilderness was still kept up, that every tribe should have its prince or chief. It is probable that it was kept up all along, either by election or by succession, in the same family; and those are here named who were found in that office when this account was taken. Elihu, or Eliab, who was prince of Judah, was the eldest son of Jesse, and descended in a right line from Nahshon... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 27:16-22

Furthermore, over the cities of Israel ,.... Were the following rulers or princes; the captains over the militia before named were of David's appointment; but these ruled over their respective tribes in their own right, or by the choice of their tribes: the ruler of the tribe of Reuben was Eliezer, the son of Zichri: of the tribe of Simeon, Shephatiah the son of Maachah; whether this was his father's or mother's name is not certain, it being the name both of a man and woman: of the tribe of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 27:16

Over the tribes of Israel - In this enumeration there is no mention of the tribes of Asher and Gad. Probably the account of these has been lost from this register. These rulers appear to have been all honorary men, without pay, like the lords lieutenants of our counties. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 27:16-22

These verses give the names of the rulers ( 1 Chronicles 27:16 ), or princes ( 1 Chronicles 27:22 ), of ten out of the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribes not mentioned are Gad and Asher, an omission which reminds of that of the two tribes Dan and Zebulon from the genealogies contained in 1 Chronicles 4:1-43 .-7; and equally unexplained. These designations ruler ( נָגִיד ) and prince ( שַׂר ) are the same as are found in the list of 1 Chronicles 4:1-15 —the former in 1... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Chronicles 27:16-22

Gad and Asher are omitted from this list of the tribes. Similarly, Dan and Zebulon are omitted from the genealogical survey of the tribes 1 Chr. 4–8. We can only suppose that the lists, as they came down to the writer of Chronicles, were incomplete. The “rulers” or “princes” of the tribes appear to have been the oldest lineal descendants of the patriarchs according to the law of primogeniture. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Chronicles 27:16

1 Chronicles 27:16. Over the tribes of Israel: the ruler, &c. These were the princes of the tribes, the constant rulers of the tribes; who seem to have had a superior power to these twenty-four captains, and therefore are named before them, being probably the king’s chief counsellors and assistants in the great affairs of his kingdom. 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 27:16

the tribes of Israel. Each tribe had a ruler, called (1 Chronicles 27:22 ) "the princes of the tribes": 1. The first four sons of Leah, in order of their birth. 2. Issachar and Zebulun, fifth and sixth (Genesis 30:18 , Genesis 30:20 ). Thus the first six are Leah's sons. Her maid Zilpah's (Gad and Asher) not mentioned. Then Naphtali (Bilhah, Rachel's maid). Then Ephraim and Manasseh (Rachel's, through Joseph). Then Benjamin (Rachel's other son). Dan comes last! See note on Genesis 49:17 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 27:16

THE TRIBAL HEADS IN DAVID'S REIGN"Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri the ruler: of the Simeronites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah: of Levi, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of Judah, Elihu, one of the brethren of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael: of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel: of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah: of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah:... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Chronicles 27:16

16. over the tribes of Israel: the ruler—This is a list of the hereditary chiefs or rulers of tribes at the time of David's numbering the people. Gad and Asher are not included; for what reason is unknown. The tribe of Levi had a prince (1 Chronicles 27:17), as well as the other tribes; and although it was ecclesiastically subject to the high priest, yet in all civil matters it had a chief or head, possessed of the same authority and power as in the other tribes, only his jurisdiction did not... read more