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 month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. He was of the children of Perez, the chief of all the captains of the host for the first month. And over the course of the second month was Dodai the Ahohite, and his course; and Mikloth the ruler: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. The third captain of the host for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, chief: and his course were twenty and four thousand. This is that Benaiah, who was the mighty man of the thirty, and over the thirty: and of his course was Ammizabad his son. The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamuth the Izrahite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zerahites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite, of the Benjamites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. The tenth captain for the tenth month was Meharai the Netophathite, of the Serahites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand."

These verses present the structure of David's military establishment, which consisted of a standing army of 288,000 men, rotated 24,000 at a time, month by month, under the commanders here mentioned.

The commanders were "men of extraordinary personal activity, strength and valor, reminding us of the heroes of King Arthur or Charlemagne, except that the armor of the feudal chieftains gave them their superiority, while in the forces of David, it was main strength of body and dauntless fortitude of mind."[1]

Apparently, this arrangement continually surrounded David with 24,000 armed men, month by month, and made available for any emergency the entire 288,000. It also left the soldiery practically free eleven months in the year to pursue their own interests. The monotonous repetition is characteristic of ancient records and denies the notion that "The Chronicler" invented these records.