1 Chronicles 11 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

Bible Comments
  • 1 Chronicles 11:1 open_in_new

    Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. Then all Israel gathered themselves to David - See 2 Samuel 5:1-10 (note), for the history contained in the first nine verses of this chapter, and the notes there.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:2 open_in_new

    And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:3 open_in_new

    Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:5 open_in_new

    And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:6 open_in_new

    And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:10 open_in_new

    These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:11 open_in_new

    And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time. The number of the mighty men - See 2 Samuel 23:8 (note), etc., and the notes there. The Targum has a remarkable addition here.

    "These are the numbers of the strong men who were with David; he was the potent chief of the army; he sat upon the throne of judgment, anointed with the holy oil, all the prophets and wise men standing about him. When he went to battle, he was assisted from on high; and when he sat down to teach the law, the true meaning arose up in his mind. He was elect and pleasant, of a beautiful mien and lovely countenance, exercised in wisdom, prudent in counsel, and strong in virtue; the prince of the assembly, of a melodious voice, master in hymns, and chief among the mighty. He was instructed in the use of martial weapons; he carried a spear, to which was appended the ensign of the host of Judah; he went forth according to the voice of the Holy Spirit, was victorious in battle, and overthrew with his spear three hundred men at one time." - T.

    On this and some of the following verses there is a judicious note of Dr. Kennicott, which I shall take the liberty to introduce, referring to his first Dissertation on the Hebrew text for farther illustration and proof, p. 128-144.

    "Among the parallel places, a comparison of which may be of very considerable service, scarce any passages will appear more effectually to correct each other than the catalogue of David's mighty men of valor, as it now stands in 2 Samuel 23:8-39, and in this chapter. About thirty-four Hebrew words have been lost out of this part of the passage in Chronicles, which are happily preserved in Samuel.

    "The chief point of proof is this, that the catalogue divides these thirty-seven warriors into the captain-general, a first three, a second three, and the remaining thirty; and yet that the third captain of the first ternary is now here omitted. The following juxtaposition will show the whole deficiency, and properly supply it. But let it be observed that Jashobeam, the first captain of the first ternary, had been already mentioned, and that the history is here speaking of the second captain, namely, Eleazar.

    2 Samuel 1 Chronicles 2 Samuel 23:9 And after him was Eleazar the son 1 Chronicles 11:12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties. men with David when they defied 1 Chronicles 11:13 He was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines that were there gathered together to the Philistines were gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away. battle, 2 Samuel 23:10 He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary and his hand clave unto the sword; and the Lord wrought a great victory that day: and the people returned after him only to spoil. 2 Samuel 23:11 And after him was Shammah. The son of Agee, the Hararite: and the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people a parcel of ground full of barley, and the people fled from the Philistines. 2 Samuel 23:12 But he fled from before the Philistines. 1 Chronicles 11:14 And they set stood in the midst of the ground and defended themselves, in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory. saved them by a great deliverance.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:13 open_in_new

    He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:14 open_in_new

    And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:15 open_in_new

    Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:18 open_in_new

    And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,

  • 1 Chronicles 11:19 open_in_new

    And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:20 open_in_new

    And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:22 open_in_new

    Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. Benaiah - slew two lion-like men of Moab - The Targum says,

    "Benaiah was a valiant man, fearing sin, and of a righteous conduct in Kabzeel; he slew two of the nobles of Moab, who were like two strong lions. He was a great and righteous man as any in the second sanctuary. On a certain day, having struck his foot against a dead tortoise, he went down to Shiloh, and having broken pieces of ice, he washed himself with them, and afterward went up, and read the book of the law of the priests, in which much is contained, in a short winter's day, viz., the tenth of the month Tebeth."

  • 1 Chronicles 11:23 open_in_new

    And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. Plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear - See the note on 2 Samuel 23:21.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:25 open_in_new

    Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard. David set him over his guard - "Made him chief ruler over his disciples." - T.

    For other particulars, see the notes on the parallel places, where the subject is farther considered.