1 Chronicles 12:19
Ver. 19. And there fell some of Manasseh to David,.... Of the tribe of Manasseh; they took his part, and on his side, and joined him:
when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; which was a strong proof of their cordial attachment to him:
but they helped them not: the Philistines; neither David nor his men, nor the Manassites that joined them:
for the lords of the Philistines, upon advisement; counsel taken among themselves: sent him away; that is, David and his men:
saying, he will fall to his master Saul, to the jeopardy of our heads; meaning, that he would go off with his troops to Saul, and betray them into his hands, and with their heads make his peace with him, see1Sa 29:4. 1 Chronicles 12:20Ver. 20. As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh,.... Others besides the former, who joined him when he went with the Philistines; these joined him when he was dismissed from them, and was returning to Ziklag: namely,Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh; that tribe being, as the rest were, divided into hundreds and thousands; these were captains over the thousands of the militia of the tribe. 1 Chronicles 12:21Ver. 21. And they helped David against the band of the rovers,.... The Amalekites, who, while he was gone with the Philistines, had seized on Ziklag, and burnt it, and carried the women captive, with what spoil they could make; these coming to David thus opportunely, assisted him in his pursuit and defeat of them:for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host; or army of David. 1 Chronicles 12:22Ver. 22. For at that time, day by day, there came to David to help him,.... Particularly after the defeat of Saul by the Philistines, unto the time that David came to Hebron:until it was a great host, like the host of God; the heavenly host, the angels; so the Targum. 1 Chronicles 12:23Ver. 23-37. And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war,.... That were trained up to it, and accounted for it:and came to David to Hebron; after the death of Ishbosheth and Abner, and when David had reigned seven years in Hebron:to turn the kingdom of Saul to him; to transfer it to him and his family:according to the word of the Lord; by Samuel, which they were acquainted with; and the number of those of the children of Judah, who made him their king already, and so there was the less need of a numerous appearance of them, were 6800 armed men, 1Ch 12:24, of the tribe of Simeon, valiant men, 7100, 1Ch 12:25, of the children of Levi 4600, 1Ch 12:26, of the Aaronites or priests, with Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, according to Jarchi and Kimchi, at the head of them, 3700, 1Ch 12:27, besides Zadok, a young man of the line of Eleazar, who was made high priest in the time of Solomon, who brought with him twenty two captains, 1Ch 12:28 the heads of the courses of the priests, which were afterwards twenty four, 1Ch 24:4 of the tribe of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, the greatest part of whom had been sticklers for the continuance of the kingdom in the family of Saul, 3000, 1Ch 12:29, of the tribe of Ephraim, valiant men, 20,800, 1Ch 12:30, of the half tribe of Manasseh on this side Jordan, whose names were pricked down, being given, to make David king, 18,000, 1Ch 12:31, and of the tribe of Issachar, two hundred of the heads of them; men of knowledge and understanding, either in chronology or astrology, or in the proper seasons for husbandry, or for the fixing the beginning of years and months, and the intercalation of them, for keeping the several festivals; or rather were men of prudence and wisdom, and knew that this was the proper time for making David king, Ishbosheth and Abner his general being dead; and as they were men in high esteem for their parts and abilities, their brethren were at their beck and command, 1Ch 12:30, and of the tribe of Zebulun, warlike men, skilful in war, and well armed, 50,000 men; and their numerous appearance showed that they were hearty and sincere, being the greatest number of all the tribes, 1Ch 12:33, and of the tribe of Naphtali, 1000 captains, and with them armed men, 37,000, 1Ch 12:34 and of the tribe of Dan, men skilled in war, 28,600, 1Ch 12:35 and of the tribe of Asher, warlike men, 40,000, 1Ch 12:36 and of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, on the other side Jordan, military men, well armed, 120,000, 1Ch 12:37, which in all made 348,800 men, and upwards. 1 Chronicles 12:24Ver. 24. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:25Ver. 25. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:26Ver. 26. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:27Ver. 27. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:28Ver. 28. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:29Ver. 29. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:30Ver. 30. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:31Ver. 31. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:32Ver. 32. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:33Ver. 33. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:34Ver. 34. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:35Ver. 35. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:36Ver. 36. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:37Ver. 37. See Gill on "1Ch 12:23". 1 Chronicles 12:38Ver. 38. All these men of war that could keep rank,.... Well disciplined men:came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over Israel; they were all of one mind, and quite hearty and sincere in fixing David on the throne of all Israel:and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart also to make David king; those who came not were of the same mind; it was the unanimous voice of the people that he should be their king. 1 Chronicles 12:39Ver. 39. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking,.... Keeping a festival, to testify their joy on this occasion:for their brethren had prepared for them; not the inhabitants of Hebron only, but all the country round about, brought in provisions on this joyful occasion; otherwise the men of Hebron would not have been able to have provided what was sufficient for such a vast number, as appears by what follows. 1 Chronicles 12:40Ver. 40. Moreover, they that were nigh,.... To Hebron, or bordered on the tribe of Judah:even unto Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali; as far as to those tribes, and including them:brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules; all which were creatures used to carry burdens:and on oxen; who, though commonly employed in ploughing, yet, on this occasion, might be made use of either in drawing wagons laden with provisions, such as follow, or in carrying loads on their backs; though, as Tully {g} observes, their backs show they were not formed to receive and carry burdens:and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly, that is, food made of flour, pastries, besides bread, before mentioned, with dried figs, pressed and made into cakes, and clusters of grapes dried, and of liquids, wine and oil, which make cheerful, and beef and mutton in great plenty:for there was joy in Israel; that their civil wars were ended; that they were united into one kingdom again; and had a king over them according to their hearts' desire, the darling of the people, of whom they had raised expectations; being a valiant, prudent, and good man, who studied the good both of church and state, and, above all, was one of God's choosing, appointing, and anointing: greater joy there will be, when David's son and antitype, Zion's King, reigns, when he shall be King over all the earth, and there will be one Lord, and his name one, Ps 97:1.{g} De Natura Deorum, l. 2. prope finem.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.