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. and 2 Samuel 23.