8 And of the Gadites H1425 there separated H914 themselves unto David H1732 into the hold H4679 to the wilderness H4057 men H1368 of might, H2428 and men H582 of war H6635 fit for the battle, H4421 that could handle H6186 shield H6793 and buckler, H7420 whose faces H6440 were like the faces H6440 of lions, H738 and were as swift H4116 as the roes H6643 upon the mountains; H2022
And there were three H7969 sons H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 there, Joab, H3097 and Abishai, H52 and Asahel: H6214 and Asahel H6214 was as light H7031 of foot H7272 as a H259 wild H7704 roe. H6643
And he also that is valiant, H1121 H2428 whose heart H3820 is as the heart H3820 of a lion, H738 shall utterly H4549 melt: H4549 for all Israel H3478 knoweth H3045 that thy father H1 is a mighty man, H1368 and they which be with him are valiant H2428 men. H1121
And David H1732 went up H5927 from thence, and dwelt H3427 in strong holds H4679 at Engedi. H5872
And Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada, H3077 the son H1121 of a valiant H2428 man, H376 H381 of Kabzeel, H6909 who had done many H7227 acts, H6467 he slew H5221 two H8147 lionlike men H739 of Moab: H4124 he went down H3381 also and slew H5221 a lion H738 in the midst H8432 of a pit H953 in time H3117 of snow: H7950
And David H1732 was then in the hold, H4686 and the Philistines' H6430 garrison H5333 was then at Bethlehem. H1035
Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada, H3077 the son H1121 of a valiant H2428 man H376 of Kabzeel, H6909 who had done many H7227 acts; H6467 he slew H5221 two H8147 lionlike men H739 of Moab: H4124 also he went down H3381 and slew H5221 a lion H738 in H8432 a pit H953 in a snowy H7950 day. H3117
And there came H935 of the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 and Judah H3063 to the hold H4679 unto David. H1732
Moreover Amaziah H558 gathered H6908 Judah H3063 together, H6908 and made H5975 them captains H8269 over thousands, H505 and captains H8269 over hundreds, H3967 according to the houses H1004 of their fathers, H1 throughout all Judah H3063 and Benjamin: H1144 and he numbered H6485 them from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and above, H4605 and found H4672 them three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand H505 choice H977 men, able to go forth H3318 to war, H6635 that could handle H270 spear H7420 and shield. H6793
The wicked H7563 flee H5127 when no man pursueth: H7291 but the righteous H6662 are bold H982 as a lion. H3715
Make haste, H1272 my beloved, H1730 and be thou like H1819 to a roe H6643 or to a young H6082 hart H354 upon the mountains H2022 of spices. H1314
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 12
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
What the mighty men did towards making David king we read in the foregoing chapter. Here we are told what the many did towards it. It was not all at once, but gradually, that David ascended the throne. His kingdom was to last; and therefore, like fruits that keep longest, it ripened slowly. After he had long waited for the vacancy of the throne, it was at two steps and those above seven years distant, that he ascended it. Now we are here told,
1Ch 12:1-22
We have here an account of those that appeared and acted as David's friends, upon the death of Saul, to bring about the revolution. All the forces he had, while he was persecuted, was but 600 men, who served for his guards; but, when the time had come that he must begin to act offensively, Providence brought in more to his assistance. Even while he kept himself close, because of Saul (v. 1), while he did not appear, to invite or encourage his friends and well-wishers to come in to him (not foreseeing that the death of Saul was so near), God was inclining and preparing them to come over to him with seasonable succours. Those that trust God to do his work for them in his own way and time shall find his providence outdoing all their forecast and contrivance. The war was God's, and he found out helpers of the war, whose forwardness to act for the man God designed for the government is here recorded to their honour.
1Ch 12:23-40
We have here an account of those who were active in perfecting the settlement of David upon the throne, after the death of Ishbosheth. We read (ch. 11:1, and before 2 Sa. 5:1) that all the tribes of Israel came, either themselves or by their representatives, to Hebron, to make David king; now here we have an account of the quota which every tribe brought in ready armed to the war, in case there should be any opposition, v. 23. We may observe here,