Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

So all Israel was recorded in the genealogies written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

“all Israel were reckoned by genealogies--From the beginning of the Hebrew nation, public records were kept, containing a registration of the name of every individual, as well as the tribe and family to which he belonged.”

Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

“Now the Philistines fought against Israel--The details of this chapter have no relation to the preceding genealogies and seem to be inserted solely to introduce the narrative of David's elevation to the throne of the whole kingdom.”

When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him.

“the battle went sore against Saul; and the archers hit him, and he was wounded--The Hebrew words may be thus rendered: "The archers found (attacked) him, and he feared the archers." He was not wounded, at least not dangerously, when he resolved on committing suicide.”

So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,

“Both of these acts were great sins--the first as a violation of God's express and positive command [1Sa 15:3], and the second as contrary to a well-known statute of the kingdom (Le 19:31).”

and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

“And inquired not of the Lord--He had done so in form (1Sa 28:6), but not in the spirit of a humble penitent, nor with the believing confidence of a sincere worshipper.”

Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.

“The convention of the estates of the kingdom, the public and solemn homage of the representatives of the people, and the repeated anointing of the new king in their presence and by their direction, seem to have been necessary to the general acknowledgment of the…”

Now these were the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who, together with all Israel, bolstered and strengthened his kingdom, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

“In the original form of the list, and the connection in which it occurs in Samuel, there is no reference to the choice of a king; and even in this passage it is only in the clause introduced into the superscription that such a reference…”

This is the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the officers; he wielded his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed at one…

“Jashobeam, an Hachmonite--or, "son of Hachmoni." He is called also son of Zabdiel (1Ch 27:2), so that, strictly speaking, he was the grandson of Hachmoni (compare 1Ch 27:32).”

Three of the thirty chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

“It is probable that, when uttering the wish, David had no recollection of the military posted at Beth-lehem. It is generally taken for granted that those who fought a way to the well of Beth-lehem were the three champions just mentioned [see on 1Ch 11:13].”

Now these were the mighty men: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

“Also the valiant men of the armies--This was the third degree of military rank, and Asahel was their chief; the names of few of those mentioned are historically known.”

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

“Naharai--armorbearer to Joab (2Sa 23:37). The non-occurrence of Joab's name in any of the three catalogues is most probably to be accounted for by the circumstance that his office as commander-in-chief raised him to a position superior to all these orders of military knighthood.”

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,

“The number of the names at 1Ch 11:26-41 (exclusive of Asahel and Uriah, who were dead) is thirty, and at 1Ch 11:41-47 is sixteen--making together forty-eight (see on 1Ch 27:1-34).”

These Gadites were army commanders, the least of whom was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.

“Another meaning, therefore, must obviously be sought, and excluding was, which is a supplement by our translators, the import of the passage is, that one of the least could discomfit a hundred, and the greatest was worth a thousand ordinary men; a strong hyperbole to…”

They helped David against the raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and commanders in the army.

“21, 22. they helped David against the band--that is, the Amalekites who had pillaged Ziklag in David's absence.”

including Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with 3,700 men,

“Jehoiada, the leader of the Aaronites--not the high priest, for that was Abiathar (1Sa 23:9), but the leader of the Aaronite warriors, supposed to be the father of Benaiah (1Ch 11:22).”

From Benjamin, the kinsmen of Saul: 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to the house of Saul up to that time.

“Benjamin . . . three thousand--This small number shows the unpopularity of the movement in this tribe; and, indeed, it is expressly stated that the mass of the population had, even after Ish-bosheth's death, anxiously endeavored to secure the crown in the family of Saul.”

Then David conferred with all his leaders, the commanders of hundreds and of thousands.

“During the reign of the late king, the ark had been left in culpable neglect. Consequently the people had, to a great extent, been careless about the ordinances of divine worship, or had contented themselves with offering sacrifices at Gibeon, without any thought of the…”

David and all Israel went up to Baalah of Judah (that is, Kiriath-jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the…

“David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah--(See on 2Sa 6:1-11). whose name is called on it--rather, "who is worshipped there" (2Sa 6:2).”

So David again inquired of God, who answered him, “Do not march up after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.

“Go not up after them--The text in 2Sa 5:23, more correctly has, "Go not up." turn away from them--that is, by stealing round a baca-grove, come upon their rear.”

So David did as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

“The line from this to Gazer was intersected by the roads which led from Judah to the cities of the Philistines.”

David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

“The old tabernacle, which Moses had constructed in the wilderness and which had hitherto served the purpose of a sacred covering, was to be left at Gibeon, either because of the unwillingness of the inhabitants to part with such a venerable relic, or because there…”

David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals.

“David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint . . . the singers with instruments--These eminent Levites were instructed to train the musicians and singers who were under them, for the solemn procession.”

As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David dancing and celebrating…

“David dancing and playing--His movements would be slow and solemn, suitable to the grave and solemn character of the music. Though his royal robes were laid aside, he was attired like the other officials, showing a becoming humility in the immediate presence of God.”

and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

“Benaiah also and Jahaziel--The name of the former is mentioned among the priests (1Ch 15:24), but not the latter. The office assigned to them was that of blowing trumpets at regular intervals before the ark and in the tabernacle.”

to regularly present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offerings, morning and evening, according to all that was written in the Law of the LORD, which…

“Thus, in the time of David, the worship was performed at two places, where the sacred things that had been transmitted from the age of Moses were preserved.”