1 Chronicles 12:2

Of Saul's brethren of Benjamin . It would be better to read these words as the commencement of the next verse. Prominence is given to the fact that this set of helpers of David, counting in all twenty-three, comprised Benjamites—men of the same tribe with Saul ( 1 Chronicles 12:29 ). They had seen and been impressed by the wrongness and cruelty of Saul, and found themselves unable to keep in sympathy with him. Of such were Eleazar, Ilai, and Ithai, mentioned in the preceding chapter ( 1 Chronicles 11:12 , 1 Chronicles 11:29 , 1 Chronicles 11:31 , respectively). The Benjamites were noted both for their use of the bow, and of their own left hand ( 3:15 , 3:21 ; 20:15 , 20:16 ; 1 Chronicles 8:39 , 1 Chronicles 8:40 ; 2 Chronicles 14:8 ).