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Texts -- 1 Chronicles 12:8-40 (NET)

Context
12:8 Some of the Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the desert . They were warriors who were trained for battle ; they carried shields and spears . They were as fierce as lions and could run as quickly as gazelles across the hills . 12:9 Ezer was the leader , Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third , 12:10 Mishmannah the fourth , Jeremiah the fifth , 12:11 Attai the sixth , Eliel the seventh , 12:12 Johanan the eighth , Elzabad the ninth , 12:13 Jeremiah the tenth , and Machbannai the eleventh . 12:14 These Gadites were military leaders ; the least led a hundred men, the greatest a thousand . 12:15 They crossed the Jordan River in the first month , when it was overflowing its banks , and routed those living in all the valleys to the east and west . 12:16 Some from Benjamin and Judah also came to David’s stronghold . 12:17 David went out to meet them and said , “If you come to me in peace and want to help me, then I will make an alliance with you. But if you come to betray me to my enemies when I have not harmed you, may the God of our ancestors take notice and judge !” 12:18 But a spirit empowered Amasai , the leader of the thirty warriors, and he said: “We are yours, O David ! We support you, O son of Jesse ! May you greatly prosper ! May those who help you prosper! Indeed your God helps you!” So David accepted them and made them leaders of raiding bands . 12:19 Some men from Manasseh joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul . (But in the end they did not help the Philistines because, after taking counsel , the Philistine lords sent David away , saying : “It would be disastrous for us if he deserts to his master Saul .”) 12:20 When David went to Ziklag , the men of Manasseh who joined him were Adnach , Jozabad , Jediael , Michael , Jozabad , Elihu , and Zillethai , leaders of a thousand soldiers each in the tribe of Manasseh . 12:21 They helped David fight against raiding bands , for all of them were warriors and leaders in the army . 12:22 Each day men came to help David until his army became very large .
Support for David in Hebron
12:23 The following is a record of the armed warriors who came with their leaders and joined David in Hebron in order to make David king in Saul’s place, in accordance with the Lord’s decree : 12:24 From Judah came 6,800 trained warriors carrying shields and spears . 12:25 From Simeon there were 7,100 warriors . 12:26 From Levi there were 4,600 . 12:27 Jehoiada , the leader of Aaron’s descendants , brought 3,700 men with him, 12:28 along with Zadok , a young warrior , and twenty-two leaders from his family . 12:29 From Benjamin , Saul’s tribe , there were 3,000 , most of whom , up to that time , had been loyal to Saul . 12:30 From Ephraim there were 20,800 warriors , who had brought fame to their families . 12:31 From the half tribe of Manasseh there were 18,000 who had been designated by name to come and make David king . 12:32 From Issachar there were 200 leaders and all their relatives at their command – they understood the times and knew what Israel should do . 12:33 From Zebulun there were 50,000 warriors who were prepared for battle , equipped with all kinds of weapons , and ready to give their undivided loyalty. 12:34 From Naphtali there were 1,000 officers , along with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears . 12:35 From Dan there were 28,600 men prepared for battle . 12:36 From Asher there were 40,000 warriors prepared for battle . 12:37 From the other side of the Jordan , from Reuben , Gad , and the half tribe of Manasseh , there were 120,000 men armed with all kinds of weapons . 12:38 All these men were warriors who were ready to march . They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel by acclamation ; all the rest of the Israelites also were in agreement that David should become king . 12:39 They spent three days feasting there with David , for their relatives had given them provisions . 12:40 Also their neighbors , from as far away as Issachar , Zebulun , and Naphtali , were bringing food on donkeys , camels , mules , and oxen . There were large supplies of flour , fig cakes , raisins , wine , olive oil , beef , and lamb , for Israel was celebrating .

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • Another instance of incomplete obedience followed the great victory God gave His people and the military commanders' sacrificial, voluntary worship of Yahweh.32:1-19 Maybe the leaders of Reuben and Gad concluded that their br...
  • 3:1-6 Joshua may have moved the nation from Shittim to the Jordan's edge at approximately the same time he sent the spies on their mission (cf. vv. 1-2 and 1:11; 2:22). However the sequence of events was probably as it appear...
  • The Danites' defeat of the inhabitants of Laish appears cruel and unjustified (cf. 9:45-49). The town that seemed so desirable to the spies was really vulnerable and isolated. Its advantages proved to be weaknesses. Since God...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • Chronicles covers a broader period of history than any other Old Testament book. It begins with Adam and ends with Anani who lived eight generations after King Jehoiachin (1 Chron. 3:24). If we allow 25 years for each generat...
  • The central subject of 1 and 2 Chronicles is the temple of God. Someone evidently wrote these books at the end of the Babylonian exile to encourage the Israelites to reestablish Israel's national life in the Promised Land. In...
  • I. Israel's historical roots chs. 1-9A. The lineage of David chs. 1-3B. The house of Israel chs. 4-71. The family of Judah 4:1-232. The family of Simeon 4:24-433. The families of Transjordan ch. 54. The family of Levi ch. 65....
  • "Having established the remnant's genealogical link with the Davidic and priestly lines, he [the writer] focused on the groundwork of the Davidic promises. His design was to show how the kingly and priestly concerns came toge...
  • This list of great warriors reflects the greatness of David. We know something about a man or woman by the company he or she keeps. The writer identified three groups: the chiefs among David's mighty men (11:10-25), the might...
  • "The Babylon oracle revealed that world history, even in its most threatening and climactic forms, is so organized that the people of God are cared for. The Philistia oracle confirmed this by insisting that the Davidic promis...
  • The scene continues to be on earth.7:1 The phrase "after this"(Gr. meta touto) indicates that what follows is a new vision (cf. 4:1). The general chronological progression of the visions suggests that the events John saw now ...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Joshua 3:5-17The arrangement of the narrative of the passage of Jordan, which occupies Joshua 3. and Joshua 4., is remarkable, and has led to suggestions of interpolation and blending of two accounts, which are quite unnecess...
  • Joshua 4:10-24This chapter is divided into two sections. The first (from Joshua 4:5, 6 of the chapter belong to the section which deals with the preparation. General instructions had been already issued that the host was to f...
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