The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 183

1·ized Version; xxiv. 1, Authorized Version). xxiv. 2; Judg. ix. 29), we are led on to his This gro.phic description of the milita.ry highest spiritual functions. Rnd indeed native qualities of these Gadites, Ver. 19.-And there fell . .. of :Manasseh is in ha.rmony with many other glimpses to David. Of this use of -',p ',;:,i there are we get of them and their character (eh. v. many other examples (2 Chron: 'xv. 9; J er. 19-22; 2 Sam. i. 23; ii. 18). xxxvii. 14 ; xxxix. 9). The phrase does Vera. 9-13.-The eleven names of these not conespond with our own idiom of" foJI- verses 11,re all known elsewhere, but none of ing to" one's lot, bot with that of " faJiing them as designating the same persons. away" from the service or love of one to Ver. 14.-0ne of the lee.et WllB over an another, i.e. deserting. The occasion hero hundred. This, evidently an inconect trans- spoken of is described in full in 1 Sam. lation, is easily superseded by the correct xxix. 2-11. literal version, One to a hundred the little cme, Ver. 20.-Althongh those of Manasseh and the great one cme to a thousand. The who wished to ally themselves with David preposition l,amed prefixed to the two did not-most providentially for David and numerals," hundred " and" thousand," will his Ziklag people-have the opportunity of signify either that the "little one was as aiding him when, on the eve of Gilboa, he good as a hundred, and the great one as was about to aid Achish the prince of the good as 11, thousand;" or that the " little Philistines age.inst the Israelites and San!, one was rare as one of a hundred, and the yet their help must have come in useful great one rare as one of a thousand." when, on his return " to Zikle.g on the third Ver. 15.-In the :first month. This cone- day," he found what the Amalekites had sponds with our end of March. The interest- done, and pursued them (1 Sam. Lu. 1-6, ing incident of this verse is unrecorded in 11-25). Seven is the number also of Ee.stem detail elsewhere (Josh. iii. 15; Jer. xii. 5; Manasseh mentioned in eh. v. 24. Nothing xlix. 19 ; I. 44 ). is now said of the men belonging- to them Ver. 16. -In addition to the Gadites, joining with them. Jozabe.d. o·ne manu- some others of Benjamin and Judah join script quoted by Kennicott hllB for this name David. on its first occun-ence Joohabe.r. It is scarcely Ver. 17.-The solemn tone of David's likely that the same name should appear language recorded here, and the bea.utiful twice in this short list, without some quali- pa.thos and religious appeal of the Inst two fying mark being put to one of the two. sentences of the verse, bespeak sufferings Nothing else is known of these seven oap- and disappointments experienced by David ta.ins of the thousands of l\fona.sseh. heretofore through deception. It is, how- Ver. 21.-The band. The b1md referred ever, noticeable that there is no direct to is evidently that of A.mo.lek in 1 Sam. testimony of anything of this kind, lea.at xxx. 8, 9. Were oapta.ins; better, became of all of any flagrant instance of it, on the captains. part of such detachments of friends llB had Ver. 22.-The host of God. A forcible come to him; and that, though they had comment on the metaphorical use of tbis occRsionally been contributed from sources phrase is found in 1 Sam. xiv.15; Authorized not the most desirable (1 Sam. xxii. 2). Version," a very great trembling" is the Ver. 18.-The response of the band, by translation of Hebrew " trembliug of God." the mouth of Amaaai was worthy of the The for with which this verso commences oharo.oter ofthea.ppea! that Do.vid me.de, both probably explains the co.II there wo.s for in its heo.rtiness and its high tone. Amasai. many and able " captains " for a host Possibly the same with Amase. (eh. ii. 17), becoming daily larger. tho son of Abigail (David's sister), wife of Ver. 23.-The bands; rather, the ~hie/ J ether (2 Sam. xvi i. 25; xviii. 6; xix. 13; men, or captains, by one or the other of which xx. 10). Ewald discusses this point(' Gen. words this same term bas been several tunes lnt.,' ii. 544). He was made captain of the hitherto rendered in the immediato context host by Ab~alom, afterwards by David, and (yet soo Judg. ix. 87, 44, and v. 30 for yet Joab put au end to his life. The Spirit a third signification). There follow (vers. (see Numb. xi. 26; Neh. ix. 30). The more 24-37) the numbers of each tribe (the full literal translation of the verb oame upon thirteen being enumerated) who "ea.me with is clothed. Most interesting and instructive a perfect heart to Hebron, to ma.ke Do.vid is the subject of the gradually developing king over all Israel." The linge numbers manifestation of the agency of the eternal of some of the joyful pilgrims to Hebron, as Spirit from the beginning of the world. for instance of the tre.ns-Jorde.nic tribes, the Through the ascending illustrations of his• very small number that came of the tribe natural work in creation (Gen. i. 2), his of Judah (in fact, lowest but one, i.e. relation to human bodily life (Gen. ii. 7; Benjamin, nnd yet nearest home), and of Job xxvii. 3), his intellectual work of varions somo others, help to invest with doubt the kinds (Gen. xli. 38; Exod. xxviii. 3; Numb. nnmerals of Ibis plLllSage, o.lthough it is not  170 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [cu. xu. 1-40.