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1 Chronicles 12:23

in 1 Chronicles 12

Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD:

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And these are the numbers of the heads of them that were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of Jehovah.

KJV

And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord.

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This verse in 1 Chronicles 12

Commentary

6 notes on this verse
Rather, “These are the numbers of the men, ready equipped for the host, that came to David, etc.” In the list which follows such points as (1) The large mumber sent by the trans-Jordanic tribes; (2) The large numbers from Zebulon, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan, all tribes somewhat remote, and generally speaking undistinguished; (3) The small size of the contingent from Judah, which is generally represented as numerically superior to every other tribe, and which might have been expected to be especially zealous on behalf of its own prince and tribesman; throw some doubt upon the numbers, which may be suspected of having in some instances undergone corruption.

This site's exposition

to turn the kingdom of Saul to him

on 1 Chronicles 12:23-27

The second list begins at Hebron itself, numbering the tribes that came to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord, a phrase that frames this whole muster as the fulfillment of a promise rather than a coup. Judah supplies six thousand eight hundred and Levi four thousand six hundred, with the house of Aaron under Jehoiada numbering three thousand seven hundred more. Clarke identifies this Jehoiada as father of Benaiah rather than the sitting high priest Abiathar, a distinct man raising a distinct company; the priestly tribe stands armed here in a coronation muster where Numbers would ordinarily exempt it from a military census.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over a hundred, and the greatest over a thousand. 15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v14-15

And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

these are the numbers of the bands . . . that came to David to Hebron--after the death of Ish-bosheth (see on 2Sa 5:1). to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord-- (1Ch 10:14;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

And came to David to Hebron - That is, after the death of Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son. See 2Sa 4:5.

The words behind it

15 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְ֠אֵלֶּהand these

    veelehH428 →746 times

  • מִסְפְּרֵ֞י[are] [the] numbers of

    mispereiH4557 →134 times

  • רָאשֵׁ֤י[the] chiefs of

    rasheiH7218 →599 times

  • הֶֽחָלוּץ֙the [man] equipped

    hechalutzH2502 →

  • לַצָּבָ֔אfor <the> war

    latzava'H6635 →485 times

  • בָּ֥אוּ[who] they came

    bauH935 →2568 times

  • עַל־to

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • דָּוִ֖ידDavid

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • חֶבְר֑וֹנָהHebron towards

    chevronahH2275 →72 times

  • לְהָסֵ֞בto turn over

    lehasevH5437 →161 times

  • מַלְכ֥וּת[the] kingdom of

    malkhutH4438 →91 times

  • שָׁא֛וּלSaul

    shaulH7586 →402 times

  • אֵלָ֖יוto him

    ʾelavH413 →5510 times

  • כְּפִ֥יaccording to [the] mouth of

    kefiH6310 →498 times

  • יְהוָֽה׃ סYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

14 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Chronicles 11:10Now 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.7 works2 Samuel 2:3–4David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.7 works1 Samuel 16:1Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”4 works1 Chronicles 10:14and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.4 worksDeuteronomy 17:15you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.4 worksPsalms 89:19–20You once spoke in a vision; to Your godly ones You said, “I have bestowed help on a warrior; I have exalted one chosen from the people.3 works
The other 8 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Samuel 16:3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”3 works2 Samuel 3:9May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:3 works2 Samuel 5:1–3Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.2 works1 Samuel 16:12–13So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”2 worksPsalms 2:6“I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”2 works2 Samuel 3:18Now take action, because the LORD has said to David, ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’”2 works2 Samuel 15:10Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”2 worksJoshua 10:36Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 16:1

    Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending…

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 15:23

      For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

    • 2 Kings 9:1

      Now Elisha the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak under your belt, take this flask of oil, and go to Ramoth-gilead.

    • Psalms 78:68–71

      But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.

    • 1 Samuel 15:35

      And to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

    • 1 Samuel 16:15

      Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 16:3

    Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 9:16

      “At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him leader over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of…

    • 2 Samuel 15:11

      Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter.

    • 1 Samuel 16:12–13

      So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”

About 1 Chronicles

Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
1 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 1 Chronicles 12 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Chronicles 12 →