1 Chronicles 12:32
in 1 Chronicles 12From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
KJV
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 12
Commentary
7 notes on this verseChildren of Issachar - According to the Targum they were all astronomers and astrologers: “and the sons of Issachar, who had understanding to know the times, and were skilled in fixing the beginnings of years, the commencement of months, and the intercalation of months and years; skillful in the changes of the moon, and in fixing the lunar solemnities to their proper times; skillful also in the doctrine of the solar periods; astrologers in signs and stars, that they might show Israel what to do; and their teachers were two hundred chiefs of the Sanhedrin: and all their brethren excelled in the words of the law, and were endued with wisdom, and were obedient to their command.” - T.
This site's exposition
understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do
The children of Issachar are the only tribe in the list credited with insight rather than numbers: men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, only two hundred heads commanding a tribe that trusted their judgment enough to be at their commandment. Adam Clarke records the Targum's expansion of the phrase into astronomers who fixed the calendar's months and seasons, a later gloss rather than the text's own claim. Matthew Henry reads the verse more plainly, as leaders wise enough to read their moment and a people wise enough to follow them, the pattern he says every good state still needs.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Hence we read of the princes of Issachar, Judg. v. 15 . They knew how to rule, and the rest knew how to obey. It is happy indeed when those that should lead are intelligent and judicious, and those who are to follow are modest and obsequious.
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
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
children of Issachar, . . . that had understanding of the times, &c.--Jewish writers say that the people of this tribe were eminent for their acquirements in astronomical and physical science; and the object of the remark was probably to show that the intelligent and learned classes were united with the military, and had declared for David.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Men that had understanding of the times - This is best interpreted politically. Compare the marginal reference
Modern Voices1 voice
A commentator
Chuck PierceUnderstanding Issachar: Interpreting the Times and Seasons! (article) (2010)
proposed
The tribes were in a tremendous conflict and transition. The government was changing. They were moving from the government of the house of Saul to the government of the house of David.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּמִבְּנֵ֣י | umibenei | and of [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשָּׂשכָ֗ר | yisoshkhar | Issachar | H3485 → | 43 times |
| יוֹדְעֵ֤י | yodei | [those who] knew | H3045 → | 945 times |
| בִינָה֙ | vinah | <of> understanding | H998 → | |
| לַֽעִתִּ֔ים | laitim | of the times | H6256 → | 296 times |
| לָדַ֖עַת | ladaat | to know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| יַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה | yaaseh | will it do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| רָאשֵׁיהֶ֣ם | rasheihem | chiefs their | H7218 → | 599 times |
| מָאתַ֔יִם | matayim | two hundred | H3967 → | 581 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם | ʾacheihem | relatives their | H251 → | 630 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [were] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פִּיהֶֽם׃ ס | pihem | mouth their | H6310 → | 498 times |
וּמִבְּנֵ֣יand of [the] descendants of
umibeneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשָּׂשכָ֗רIssachar
yisoshkharH3485 →43 times
יוֹדְעֵ֤י[those who] knew
yodeiH3045 →945 times
בִינָה֙<of> understanding
vinahH998 →
לַֽעִתִּ֔יםof the times
laitimH6256 →296 times
לָדַ֖עַתto know
ladaatH3045 →945 times
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
יַּעֲשֶׂ֣הwill it do
yaasehH6213 →2628 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
רָאשֵׁיהֶ֣םchiefs their
rasheihemH7218 →599 times
מָאתַ֔יִםtwo hundred
matayimH3967 →581 times
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲחֵיהֶ֖םrelatives their
ʾacheihemH251 →630 times
עַל־[were] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
פִּיהֶֽם׃ סmouth their
pihemH6310 →498 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Ephesians 5:17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
it leads to
- Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
- Colossians 1:9
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and…
- Ephesians 5:15
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- Jeremiah 4:22
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
- Romans 12:2
Through
Isaiah 33:6He will be the sure foundation for your times, a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.
it leads to
- Psalms 112:1–3
Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
- Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the LORD leads to life, that one may rest content, without visitation from harm.
- 1 Timothy 4:8
For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.
- Psalms 112:1–3
About 1 Chronicles
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Chuck Pierce, Understanding Issachar: Interpreting the Times and Seasons! (article); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.