And [these] are the children of Israel after their number, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers that served the king in every matter of the divisions, which came in and went out month by month throughout the months of the year; in every division were twenty-four thousand.
The chapter turns from the temple and its servants to the kingdom itself. Israel's fighting men are grouped into twelve divisions of 24,000, and each division serves for one month of the year. Why does a book so full of worship stop to list soldiers? And what do the numbers mean?
The verse names commanders of thousands and hundreds. Both those ranks and the men who held them have a history:
Israel were the armies of Jehovah, keeping His charge and fighting His battles. It seems that all who reached the age of twenty were counted as able to bear arms (Num. 1:3), and they marched and camped in 4 divisions of 3 tribes each, with a captain over every tribe. The subdivisions were into thousands and hundreds (Num. 31:14), and into families (Joshua 7:17)… In David's days those heroes who were with him in the cave of Adullam formed the nucleus of his "mighty men." (2 Sam. 23:8-39.) They were devoted to the service of God's king. David afterwards organised a monthly militia of 24,000 men under 12 captains. (1 Chr. 27:1-15.)
David ordered the army on the same pattern he had already used for the priests:
David divided the priests into 24 courses… The Levites were divided in a similar way (1 Chr. 23). David also set up a kind of militia in the army, each course to serve a month (1 Chr. 27).
From chapter 22 onward, the account never announces a change of subject. The temple arrangements run straight on into the king's household and officers. One commentator reads that missing break as the point: everything rests on the king.
We see the provision David made of everything needed to build it. He set the order of the Levites' service — those appointed for song, those among them who were doorkeepers, and the priests in their classes. David ordered and arranged it all. How completely everything depended on the king is shown most of all in this: with no clear break, the other royal appointments follow — his house, his administration, his officers and guard — and finally the chief men among the people, whose number is given.
Twenty-four runs through the verse — twelve divisions of 24,000 men. One commentator reads the doubled twelve as a sign of a kingdom made firm.
In 1 Chronicles 27 we have more of the kingdom in its outward regulations… The number twenty-four stands out here, whether it is the actual number or thousands. Twelve is the number given to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church it is seven, because that is spiritual administration. In Israel, twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So it is here in the kingdom that is coming; only there is a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Nothing was established when it was only twelve. "Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom. So we do not have perfection. Perfection will be in eternity, but there will still be establishment.
This service belongs to the king, not to the temple. And one man is named out of the thousands.
This chapter (vv. 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these enumerations, the number twelve with its factors is always mentioned. It really does deal with the kingdom on earth, with the twelve tribes at its center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month. Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, one of David's thirty mighty men (cf. 2 Sam. 23:20), gets special mention as head of the third division. God delights to remember him.
The list of David's mighty men and the list of monthly captains are nearly the same men:
Except Abishai and Shammah, the first twelve were the monthly captains.
The chapter also mentions a count of the people that was left unfinished. What David did order, he ordered in full — for a house that did not yet stand:
As to the numbering of the people, it had not been finished because of the wrath of God. The point of interest here is that David ordered and arranged everything, even the doors of the house that was not yet built. So, in Christ, all is appointed before it is shown in glory.
- Appointed by the king — singers, doorkeepers, officers and soldiers — David arranged them all. Nothing was left for the servants to invent.
- Appointed in turn — a militia of 24,000 served one month each, under twelve captains, on the same pattern as the priests' courses.
- Appointed in twelves — twelve is the number of government by man. Doubled to twenty-four, it speaks of a kingdom established. Perfection waits for eternity.
- Appointed by name — the captains came from the band that joined David in the cave, and Benaiah is named because God delights to remember him.
- Appointed before it is seen — David ordered a house that was not yet built. So in Christ, all is appointed before it is shown in glory.
Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
This verse opens a list of army divisions, one for each month of the year. Why does a book so full of temple arrangements stop to count soldiers, and why is Jashobeam given the first place?
The chapters before this one arranged the Levites, priests, singers and doorkeepers for the house of God. This chapter turns to the throne. One writer ties its numbers to the kingdom on earth:
This chapter (vv. 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these enumerations, the number twelve with its factors is always mentioned. It deals with what concerns the kingdom upon earth, having the twelve tribes as their center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
24,000 is twelve twice over. One writer treats that doubling as deliberate:
The number twenty-four stands out here, whether as an actual number or in thousands. Twelve is the number devoted to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church, seven, because it is spiritual administration. In Israel, twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So here in the kingdom that is coming; only there is a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Twelve on its own established nothing. "Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom.
These divisions were a militia called up month by month, drawn from men who had long been with David:
Remember that Israel was the army of Jehovah, keeping His charge and fighting His battles… In David's days those heroes who were with him in the cave of Adullam formed the nucleus of his "mighty men." They were devoted to the service of God's king. David afterwards organised a monthly militia of 24,000 men under 12 captains.
The same names appear in the earlier lists of David's mighty men:
Except Abishai and Shammah, the first twelve were the monthly captains.
The parallel list of David's warriors in 2 Samuel names the chief captain differently. Commentators differ over how to fit the two records together:
It is difficult to reconcile the two passages. Some think that Jashobeam and Joshebbassebet are the same name — one being varied by the copyist. Some judge the passage in Samuel to be incorrect. They read "Adino the Eznite" not as a proper name, but as "he swung his spear."… The two passages may refer to different persons. Note that Jashobeam is said to have killed three hundred men, and Adino eight hundred. Jashobeam is named in connection with David's coming into power, and Adino with "the last words of David."
Jashobeam had stood with David when it cost something. One writer traces his first place back to that loyalty:
Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, is one of the three mightiest mentioned in 1 Chronicles 11. He raised his spear against three hundred of David's enemies and killed them in one tremendous fight. That victory brought him into prominence, and he became "the chief of the captains." Still, the real secret of his success was his loyalty to David, whose rejection and sufferings he shared. Later he is still with David in the glory of his kingdom… Faithful and fruitful service comes only as the love of Christ moves us to hold fast to Him. That service benefits all the children of God. Remember that David's soldiers served David for the good of all Israel, and not of one section only.
Another writer draws the same line from faithfulness now to place in the coming kingdom:
Our places in the coming kingdom will match our walk and service in this present age. To the faithful servant the Lord will say, "I will set you over much" (Matt. 25:21-23)… if any are willing to let the world go by for Christ's sake, content to bear the cross day by day, will He fail to reward them suitably in the day of His glory? In this way David acted towards the companions of his distress when he reached the throne. The Greater than David will be equally mindful of every bit of faithfulness to His Word and Name.
- Order — this chapter moves from the house of God to the throne: twelve divisions for twelve months.
- Twelve — twelve is the number of government in Israel. Doubled to twenty-four, it speaks of a double witness and a kingdom established.
- Shared — each division served one month, and its men fought for the good of all Israel, not one section of it.
- Proven — apart from two, the monthly captains were the men already listed among David's mighty men. David gave these commands to tested men.
- Rewarded — Jashobeam shared David's rejection, then held first place in his glory. Christ will not forget those who bear the cross for Him now.
He was of the children of Pherez, the head of all the captains of the hosts for the first month.
The chapter turns from priests and singers to soldiers. Twelve commanders each served the king with 24,000 men, one commander for each month of the year. The first of them is Jashobeam, and this verse traces his family line back to Perez. Why does a family tree matter in a military roster?
One writer reads the opening section of the chapter as the king's own service, built on the pattern of the nation itself:
This chapter (vv. 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these lists, the number twelve and its factors keep appearing. It deals with the kingdom on earth, and the twelve tribes are its centre. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
A commentator on this chapter asks why the count is twenty-four, when twelve might have been enough:
In 1 Chronicles 27 we see more of the kingdom in its outward arrangements. The number twenty-four stands out here, whether as an actual number or in thousands. Twelve is the number devoted to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church, seven, because it is spiritual administration. In Israel, twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So it is with the kingdom still to come — except that here there is a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Nothing was established when it was only twelve. "Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established." The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom. So we do not yet have perfection. Perfection will be in eternity, but there will still be establishment.
The older wording he quotes reads, "every word shall be established," which is why he applies it to anything being established, not only to a legal charge.
The commander of the first month already had a record. He first appears among David's hardest fighters:
Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, is one of the three mightiest mentioned in 1 Chronicles 11. He lifted up his spear against three hundred of David's enemies, and he killed them in one tremendous fight. This is the triumph that made him stand out, and he became "the chief of the captains." Still, the true secret of his success was his attachment to David. He shared David's rejection and his sufferings. Afterwards we find him still with David in the glory of his kingdom… There may be something distinctive in our service for the Anointed of God now, as there will be in the kingdom rewards later. But faithful and fruitful service comes only as the love of Christ constrains us to cling to Him. Such service will benefit all the children of God, for we must remember that David's soldiers served David in view of the good of all Israel, and not a mere section only.
The verse names a family, not just a man. Perez was one of Judah's sons:
Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar, always comes before his twin brother Zerah, so he had the right of the firstborn. The family of Perez (Num. 26:20) held highest rank in the tribe of Judah in David's reign (1 Chron. 27:3), and seems to have been marked by its fruitfulness and strength.
The name itself carries a meaning. One writer traces where this family led:
Perez, the "breaker forth," breaks out into a vast fruitfulness that fills all the later history of Judah. From this line come her kings, and her great King.
A commentator sees a pattern of Christ in David's arranging everything in advance:
What is interesting here is that David ordered and arranged everything, even the doors of the house that was not yet built. So in Christ, all is appointed before it appears in glory.
- Order — Twelve divisions, one for each month, 24,000 men in each. The king's service is built on the pattern of the twelve tribes.
- Establishment — Twelve marks government by man. Doubling it to twenty-four gives a double witness, and a double witness is what establishes a thing. The Millennium will establish the kingdom.
- Reward — The man who leads the first month first won his place among David's mightiest. Those who shared the king's rejection are found in his kingdom.
- Attachment — His victories were real. But the secret of his success was his attachment to David. His service was for all Israel, not one section of it.
- Line — The chief captain came from Perez, the family given first place in Judah. Perez means "breaker forth," and his line runs on to Judah's kings and her great King.
And over the division of the second month was Dodai the Ahohite; and in his division was Mikloth ruler; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
1 Chronicles 27 turns from the temple to the king's own realm, and lists twelve army divisions that each served one month of the year. This verse names the officer over the second month, and raises the question of what the repeated figure of twenty-four thousand means.
Earlier chapters arranged the priests and Levites. Chapter 27 moves outward to the realm itself. One writer sums up whose service this chapter describes, and ties its numbers to the nation:
In 1 Chronicles 27 we have more the kingdom in its outward regulations.
Another describes the same section as the service of the king, and ties its arithmetic to the nation itself:
This chapter deals with the service of the king. As in all these lists, the number twelve and its factors are always mentioned. It deals with the kingdom on earth, with the twelve tribes at its center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
The same figure repeats for every division. William Kelly explains why twelve is doubled:
The number twenty-four stands out here, whether as an exact number or in thousands. Twelve is the number that belongs to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church it is seven, because the Church's administration is spiritual. In Israel it is twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So it is in the kingdom that is coming; only there is a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Twelve on its own established nothing. "Only on the evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be established." The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom.
Dodai's men were one twelfth of a force that took turns through the year. That arrangement had a long background:
Remember that Israel were the armies of Jehovah, keeping His charge and fighting His battles… In David's day the heroes who were with him in the cave of Adullam formed the core of his "mighty men." They were devoted to the service of God's king. Later David organised a monthly militia of 24,000 men under 12 captains.
David used the same pattern of turns in worship as in war:
David divided the priests into 24 courses, each taking its turn… He divided the Levites in the same way. He also set up in the army a form of militia, each course serving a month.
The verse calls Dodai an Ahohite. That title names his ancestor:
Ahoah: Grandson of Benjamin, and founder of the Ahohites.
Another list of David's captains gives a different name in this place. One writer points out the difference:
These names, apart from Abishai, are the captains of the courses for each month; only here Dodai is named, not Eleazar the son of Dodo.
Dodai held his command for one month, and Scripture keeps his name. One writer shows what such records are worth:
Because they were joined to David, his men had to face much toil and weariness, but love made it all light and easy to them. Their names and deeds were written down and faithfully remembered when David was at rest in his kingdom. None were forgotten. Second Samuel 23 gives the reader that precious list, and it will surely lead his mind on to the time when the Lord Christ will reward His faithful servants — those who, out of love to His person and by the power of His Spirit, have done acts of service for Him while He was rejected. These acts may not be seen, known, or thought of by people; but Jesus knows them, and will openly declare them from the throne of His glory.
David arranged all of this for a house that did not yet stand. One writer draws a lesson from that:
What is striking here is that David ordered and arranged everything, even for the doors of the house that was not yet built. So in Christ, all is appointed before it is shown in glory.
- Appointed — David set every division and captain in place before the house was even built. In Christ too, all is appointed before it appears in glory.
- Numbered — twelve is the number of human government, and Israel had twelve tribes. Twenty-four doubles it: a second witness that the kingdom will be established.
- Rostered — Dodai's 24,000 served the second month, then stood down. The priests and Levites served in turns in the same way.
- Named — Dodai is an Ahohite, a descendant of Ahoah. Another list gives Eleazar the son of Dodo in his place.
- Remembered — David forgot none of his men when he came into his rest. What no one sees now, Christ will declare from His throne.
The third captain of the host for the third month was Benaiah (the son of Jehoiada, a principal officer) [he was] head; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
A long list of David's officers gives one line to each captain of his twelve monthly army divisions. Behind the line for the third month stands one of David's most tested men, and a title readers have taken in two ways.
The numbers in this chapter carry part of its meaning.
In 1 Chronicles 27 we see the kingdom more in its outward arrangements… The number twenty-four stands out here, whether as an actual number or in thousands. Twelve is the number set apart for perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church it is seven, because that is spiritual administration. In Israel it is twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So it is here in the kingdom that is still to come; only here there is a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Twelve on its own established nothing. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom.
Twelve captains, twelve months, 24,000 men each time. One man in the pattern gets a fuller notice than the rest.
This chapter (verses 1-15) deals with the service of the king… It deals with what belongs to the kingdom on earth, with the twelve tribes at its center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each, one for every month of the year. Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, gets special mention among David's thirty mighty men (compare 2 Samuel 23:20) as head of the third division. God delights to remember him.
Each of these names carries God's own name inside it, and one writer reads Benaiah's whole story through them.
Older versions put a second reading in the margin here. Commentators differ over whether the title names a sacred office or a civil one.
Father of Benaiah, one of David's officers. 2 Samuel 8:18; 1 Kings 1:8-44, and so on. In 1 Chronicles 27:5 he is called "a chief priest"… but in the margin he is called "principal officer."
Another writer takes the title as a priestly one, and points to Jehoiada's place at the head of Aaron's descendants.
Jehoiada, Benaiah's father, was leader of the sons of Aaron (1 Chronicles 12:27). The family came from Kabzeel, one of the farthest cities of Judah, toward Edom in the south. In 1 Chronicles 27:5 he is called "a chief priest." Through all the strife and jealousy around Solomon's rise to the throne, when even Joab turned aside to follow Adonijah, Benaiah stayed true and loyal.
Command over 24,000 men was not the top post. It was one step on a longer road.
Benaiah is of special interest to us. In David's time he already held a leading place in service (1 Chronicles 27:5). Was he not worthy? He had followed his master's footsteps in everything, step by step, and later he was made chief captain over the whole army. Still, this man has no ambition except to stay faithful to his king and to be like him. He is not like Joab, who seized the stronghold of Zion to gain the first place. No, he is humble, because his whole aim is to reproduce David in his own conduct.
One phrase keeps coming back through his life.
"With David" in his rejection and his battles; "with David" as captain of his bodyguard; "with David" in his kingdom in places of honour; now he was raised to be captain of the army of Israel with David's son Solomon, sharing his glorious reign when the wars were over. Tested and proved trustworthy, he reaped a rich and blessed reward. In the glory of the coming day, how welcome it will be for those who follow our Lord Jesus Christ now to be "with the Lord" whom they have loved and served.
- Order — The chapter shows the kingdom in its outward arrangements. Twelve marks perfect government by man. The doubled twenty-four speaks of a kingdom made firm.
- Built — Benaiah means "whom God has built," and Jehoiada means "Jehovah knows." The man God knew and built up is the man named here.
- Remembered — Twelve captains served in turn, one for each month. Benaiah is the one singled out, because God delights to remember him.
- Title — One reading calls Jehoiada "a chief priest." Another calls him "principal officer." Commentators differ over which office he held.
- Rewarded — He wanted nothing except to be like his king. So he rose step by step: bodyguard, then this division, then captain of Israel's whole army under Solomon. Those who follow Christ now look on to the same reward: to be "with the Lord."
This Benaiah was a mighty man among the thirty, and above the thirty; and in his division was Ammizabad his son.
1 Chronicles 27 lists David's army commanders month by month, mostly as bare names and numbers. At the third month the writer says more: this is the Benaiah, and his son serves under him — so why does the writer honour this one officer, and why does his son hold a place in his division?
The numbers in this chapter are not random, and one name in it gets a comment the others do not.
This chapter (verses 1-15) deals with the service of the king. In all these lists, the number twelve and its factors always appear. The chapter deals with what belongs to the kingdom on earth, and the twelve tribes are its centre. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month. Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, gets special mention among David's thirty mighty men (compare 2 Samuel 23:20) as head of the third division. God delights to remember him.
David's monthly militia had a long history behind it.
Remember that Israel were the armies of the Lord, keeping His charge and fighting His battles. Exodus 12:41; Joshua 5:14. Until the time of the kings, Israel's army followed the old tribal organisation. In Saul's time there was a bodyguard, 1 Samuel 13:2, and a captain of the army, 1 Samuel 17:55. In David's days those heroes who were with him in the cave of Adullam formed the core of his 'mighty men.' 2 Samuel 23:8-39. They were devoted to the service of God's king. David afterwards organised a monthly militia of 24,000 men under 12 captains. 1 Chronicles 27:1-15.
The thirty were David's mighty men, and this verse puts Benaiah both among them and over them. It points back to a record the first readers already knew, and one writer walks through those victories to show the believer's own conflicts.
Benaiah's valour in accomplishing many mighty acts is not forgotten. He defied and overcame the two lion-like men of Moab, the people of whom it had been said that not one should enter the congregation of the Lord to the tenth generation. On a snowy day he did not hesitate to go down into a pit and kill a lion. The faithful are like him now. They sometimes have to enter the closest conflict with Satan in the most distressing circumstances, and they overcome him by the sword of the Spirit. He also killed an Egyptian with the Egyptian's own spear. We sometimes see the same thing today: a man of the world opposes the servants and the truth of God, and the very weapon he used against them defeats him. So God turns the anger of man into praise for Him. Many other names are also listed among David's mighty men with no special mark of devotion and no victories recorded.
Benaiah's high standing did not make him a rival. One writer sets him beside Joab, and the contrast turns his rank into a lesson about ambition.
Benaiah is of special interest to us. In David's time he already held a leading place in service (1 Chronicles 27:5). He had followed the footsteps of his master in everything, step by step. Was he not worthy to become chief captain over the whole army later on? Yet this man has no ambition except to stay faithful to his king and to imitate him. He is not like Joab, who takes the stronghold of Zion to gain the first place. No, he is humble, for his whole purpose is to reproduce David in his conduct.
The verse ends with Benaiah's son serving in his father's division. One writer draws from that a word to parents.
What a comfort to a father's heart to have a son on whom, in his increasing years, he may lean. What understanding, what confidence, what fellowship those two must have had. It reminds us of Timothy, who as a son with a father worked with Paul in the Gospel. For one who has tasted it, there can be nothing much sweeter. May God help you. While the children are small, may He give you the wisdom to make them your companions, so that when they are older you and they will work together naturally.
A chapter of lists can look like mere record-keeping. Yet David arranges here for service that has not yet begun.
What is interesting here is that David orders and arranges everything, even the doors of the house that was not yet built. So, in Christ, all is appointed before it is shown in glory.
- Ordered — Twelve divisions of 24,000 men, one for each month. David settled every place in advance, as in Christ all is appointed before it is shown in glory.
- Remembered — Benaiah heads the third month. Others in the list get only a name, but his deeds are recalled, because God delights to remember him.
- Tested — Moab's lion-like men, a lion in a pit on a snowy day, an Egyptian killed with his own spear. The faithful still meet conflicts like these.
- Humble — He already held a leading place under David, yet wanted only to stay loyal and copy his king. Joab grasped at first place; Benaiah did not.
- Passed on — His own son serves in his division. Companionship built while children are small becomes shared work when they are grown.
The fourth for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
This verse gives one line from a roster: the fourth captain, for the fourth month, with his son named after him. Two questions follow. Why does a whole chapter of names and months matter? And why does a man whose career was cut short still head a month?
First, the list Asahel stands in:
This chapter (verses 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these lists, the number twelve with its factors is always mentioned. It deals with what concerns the kingdom on earth, having the twelve tribes as its centre. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
One writer reads the numbers themselves as a picture of government:
We find the number twenty-four, whether actual or in its thousands, very prominent here. Twelve is the number devoted to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church it is seven, because that is spiritual administration. In Israel it is twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So here in the kingdom by and by; only there is a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Nothing was established when it was only twelve. "Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses."
The verse names Asahel by his brother, Joab. One writer looks at the three brothers together and treats Asahel's death as a caution:
David's three nephews — Joab, Abishai and Asahel — were bound to the anointed of God by ties of relationship and affection. They shared his trials when all seemed to go wrong with David… Joab was the "chief and captain" of all, and his brother Abishai was chief of the second three. Asahel's career was cut short through too much zeal, unbalanced by the necessary grace and wisdom. He insisted on pursuing one of God's own people, a distinguished soldier, despite a timely warning, and that soldier's spear suddenly ended what might have been a brilliant path of service. It is not for the servants of Christ to seek the hurt of any of God's children. David never chased Saul, though Saul often sought David's life.
So the fourth captain's name carries both honour and warning.
The verse adds Asahel's son after him. Writing on a list of builders in Nehemiah, one commentator weighs the phrase "the son of":
It is very interesting to note the number of times "the son of" is referred to. Whether there had been failure in the fathers we do not know. They may have been very successful fathers for all we know. But "the son of" suggests that there is something committed to the interests of God in the following generation.
Why record these names at all? One writer, commenting on a register of names in Numbers, sets it beside two other lists in Scripture:
May we not say that this seventh chapter of Numbers is one of those specimen pages from the book of eternity, on which the finger of God has engraved the names of His servants and the record of their work? Turn to the twenty-third chapter of 2 Samuel and the sixteenth of Romans, and you will find two similar pages. In the former we have the names and the deeds of David's worthies; in the latter, the names and the deeds of Paul's friends at Rome. We are persuaded that the same is true of all the saints of God and the servants of Christ, from first to last. Each one has his own special place on the roll, and each one his place in the Master's heart; and all will come out by and by.
All this detail points forward. One writer sees David's careful arrangements answered in a reign still to come:
David was not allowed to build the house of God. Still, it is his part to prepare all the material, to give the patterns and appoint the order of service… Besides the things, there were the twelve legions and their captains, and their monthly service. Surely all this care and detailed arrangement will have its answer in the peaceful glories of Messiah's reign!
- Place. The fourth captain fills the fourth month. The king's service runs on twelve divisions of 24,000 men, one for each month, built around the twelve tribes.
- Pattern. Twelve is the number of perfect government by man. Doubled to twenty-four, it adds the double witness that establishes a thing.
- Person. Asahel is honoured on the roll. Yet his story warns us: zeal without grace and wisdom cut short a path that could have been brilliant.
- Passing on. "His son after him" suggests that something is committed to the interests of God in the next generation.
- Permanence. God engraves the names of His servants and the record of their work. Each one has his own place on the roll, and Messiah's peaceful reign will answer all this care.
The fifth for the fifth month was the captain Shamhuth the Jizrahite; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
Shamhuth the Izrahite is one more name in a list of twelve, given the fifth month and the same 24,000 men as every other commander. So why does Scripture keep a list like this, and what does it show about how God arranges those who serve Him?
These names sit in a chapter about the king's service. One writer explains what the twelve divisions stand for:
This chapter (verses 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these lists, the number twelve and its factors keep appearing. The chapter really deals with the kingdom on earth, with the twelve tribes at the center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
Each captain leads the same number of men. One writer explains why that number is twenty-four thousand:
We find the number twenty-four, whether it be actual or in its thousands, very prominent here. Twelve is the number devoted to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church, seven, because it is spiritual administration. In Israel, twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So it is here in the coming kingdom, only with a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Nothing was established when it was only twelve. "Every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." The Millennium will be the great establishing of the kingdom. We do not have perfection then — perfection belongs to eternity — but there will be establishment.
These commanders came from the men who joined David long before he had a throne:
In David's days those heroes who were with him in the cave of Adullam formed the core of his mighty men. 2 Samuel 23:8-39. They were devoted to the service of God's king. David afterwards organised a monthly militia of 24,000 men under 12 captains. 1 Chronicles 27:1-15.
One writer sets the roll of David's mighty men beside this chapter:
Except Abishai and Shammah, the first twelve were the monthly captains.
The captain over the first month shows what lay behind these appointments, and what it means for service now:
Jashobeam the Hachmonite is one of the three mightiest men named in 1 Chronicles 11. He lifted up his spear against three hundred of David's enemies and killed them in one great fight. That victory made his name, and he became the chief of the captains. Still, the real secret of his success was his attachment to David, whose rejection and sufferings he shared. Later we find him still with David in the glory of his kingdom, in charge of the first division in the first month (1 Chronicles 27:2). Our service for the Anointed of God now may have something distinctive about it, as the kingdom rewards later will. But faithful and fruitful service only comes as the love of Christ moves us to hold fast to Him.
Shamhuth is little more than a name on a list. One writer shows why such a record was kept:
Because they belonged to David, his men had to face much toil and weariness, but love made it all light and easy to them. Their names and deeds were written down and remembered when David was at rest in his kingdom. None were forgotten. The record in 2 Samuel 23 leads the mind on to the time when the Lord Christ will reward His faithful servants — those who served Him out of love for Him, by the power of His Spirit, in the time of His rejection. Men may not see or know these acts, but Jesus knows them, and He will declare them publicly from the throne of His glory. Who would ever have known the acts of David's brave men if the Holy Spirit had not recorded them?
Another writer draws out what this means for anyone who serves:
It is good to serve the Lord in the place He gives to each one, and to serve so that His glory is shown. It is a great cheer to know that He remembers each one, and that He wants nobody to forget even the least of those who serve Him.
David set every month, every commander and every unit in advance. One writer sees a wider pattern in this:
What is interesting here is that David ordered and arranged everything, even the doors of the house that was not yet built. So in Christ everything is appointed before it is shown in glory.
- His course. Shamhuth held the fifth of twelve divisions. Each had 24,000 men, one for every month of the year — the settled service of the king's realm on earth.
- His number. Twelve speaks of perfection in government by man. Doubled to twenty-four, it becomes a double witness, since nothing is established without two or three witnesses.
- His company. The captains were men from Adullam who stood by David while he was still hunted. Attachment in rejection came before command in the kingdom.
- His name. He is known only from this list. Yet the record stands: names and deeds were remembered once David was at rest, and the Lord remembers each one who serves Him.
- His King. David assigned every place before the kingdom's glory appeared. So in Christ all is appointed before it is shown in glory.
The sixth for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
The sixth month of David's yearly rotation falls to Ira, and with him twenty-four thousand men. He is one line in a long list of names, most of them unknown to us otherwise. Why does the Bible keep such a record? And why name this man's father and home town?
Chapter 27 lists the men who served the king. One number shapes the whole arrangement.
This chapter (vv. 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these lists, the number twelve and its factors are always mentioned. It deals with what concerns the kingdom on earth, with the twelve tribes at its center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
The same pattern of rotation shaped David's other appointments.
David divided the priests into 24 courses: 16 of them were of the house of Eleazar, and 8 of Ithamar. A list of them, with the name of each head, appears in 1 Chr. 24:6-19. He divided the Levites in a similar way. 1 Chr. 23. David also set up a kind of militia in the army, each course serving a month. 1 Chr. 27.
Ira does nothing in this verse. The verse only gives his name — and that is the point of such lists.
There is little to say here except that the Lord takes pleasure in recording even the names of His servants... He has not only been a dwelling place for His own in all generations. He also honours those who honour Him. He records their names in His word now, and He will glorify their persons in the great day that is coming fast.
What Scripture leaves out says as much as what it writes down.
God has made sure the names of those who stirred themselves to answer His call to return to the land were put on record in a lasting way. The names of those who did not stir themselves are almost entirely lost.
The man named here appears earlier in David's story.
Son of Ikkesh a Tekoite, and one of David's mighty men. 2 Sam. 23:26; 1 Chr. 11:28; 1 Chr. 27:9.
That earlier list explains this later one. The men who were with David before his reign was established are the men who hold posts in it. Commentators carry the same principle over to Christ.
After David's last words, God shows us that He preserves the memory of his mighty men. They were the companions of His anointed until his reign was finally established... In the same way, the twelve disciples stood out because they had stayed with the Lord the whole time He came in and went out among them (Luke 22:28-29; Acts 1:21). And God will single out for honour those who have followed Him while the world has rejected and disowned Him.
David assigns these posts while the temple is still unbuilt and Solomon's peace is still ahead. The whole section turns on one hand.
How entirely all was dependent on the king is especially shown in this that, without any distinctive break, the other royal appointments of his house, his administration, his officers and guard, are then continuously introduced; finally, the chief among the people, the number of whom is mentioned.
The thing of interest here is, that all is ordered and arranged by David, even for the doors of the house which was not yet built. Thus, in Christ, all is appointed before it is manifested in glory.
Ira's home town leaves a mixed record of its own. Its men appear again later, helping to rebuild Jerusalem's wall — and not all of them come out well.
Designation of Ikkesh, father of Ira, one of David's mighty men. 2 Sam. 23, 26; 1 Chr. 11:28; 1 Chr. 27:9. The Tekoites lived in Tekoa. They helped to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, but "their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord." Neh. 3:5, 27.
(Older translations of Nehemiah 3:5 read "necks" where the ESV has "shoulders.")
- Named. The Lord takes pleasure in recording His servants' names. He will also glorify their persons in the day that is coming.
- Numbered. Twelve divisions of 24,000 men, one for each month. The whole nation served its king in order — no one carrying everything, no one left out.
- Tested. Ira son of Ikkesh is first named among David's mighty men. The post he holds here follows the loyalty he showed earlier.
- Rewarded. David's companions from the years before his reign were the men honoured in it. Those who follow Christ while the world disowns Him will be honoured too.
- Appointed. David arranged all of this before the house was built; in Christ, every place is settled before it is shown in glory.
The seventh for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
One name, one month, one tribe, twenty-four thousand men — that is all the Bible tells us about Helez the Pelonite. Yet God had this seventh captain written down, and the order behind that one line says a great deal about His king and His servants.
Helez appears in a roster, not a war record. One commentator reads the whole chapter as the ordering of the king's own service:
This chapter (verses 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these lists, the number twelve with its factors is always mentioned. It indeed deals with what concerns the kingdom on earth, having the twelve tribes as their centre. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
No one knows what "the Pelonite" means, and elsewhere Helez carries a different title:
Designation of Helez and Ahijah, two of David's mighty men. Why they are so called is not known. 1 Chronicles 11:27, 36; 1 Chronicles 27:10. In 2 Samuel 23:26 Helez is called "the Paltite."
Helez was already on the earlier list of David's heroes. The overlap between that list and this one is almost exact:
Except Abishai and Shammah, the first twelve were the monthly captains.
The men under Helez served in a militia, a month at a time. The army they formed belonged to God before it belonged to David:
Remember that Israel were the hosts of the LORD, keeping His charge and fighting His battles… In David's days those heroes who were with him in the cave of Adullam formed the core of his "mighty men." They were devoted to the service of God's king. David afterwards organised a monthly militia of 24,000 men under 12 captains.
That is the path Helez himself walked: a man who risked himself for a rejected king, then handed a command when the king was on the throne. Writers draw the same line from the earlier list of David's followers:
By virtue of this devotion they receive a privileged place from the king: "And David received them, and made them chiefs of bands."
The tribe named here is worth a pause. Ephraim had been the leading voice against David before the kingdom was united:
But when David, of the tribe of Judah, is shown to be God's anointed in the place of rejected Saul, he is not welcomed but opposed by the other tribes, of whom Ephraim was chief, and a seven-years' war follows… In the end Israel is reunited in one kingdom under David's godly and righteous rule. The jealousy and strife that broke out on previous occasions is for the time forgotten and out of sight.
The tribe that once fought David now takes its month in his service.
The repeated numbers are not an accident of paperwork. One commentator reads them as a statement about the kingdom itself:
In 1 Chronicles 27 we see the kingdom more in its outward regulations… We find the number twenty-four, whether actual or in its thousands, very prominent here. Twelve is the number devoted to perfection in human government — in government by man… In Israel, twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So it will be in the kingdom to come; only there is a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Twelve on its own established nothing. "Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom.
Lists like this one look like filler to a modern reader. One commentator sees in them a preview of the day when God brings every service to light:
May we not say that this seventh chapter of Numbers is one of those sample pages from the book of eternity? On it the finger of God has engraved the names of His servants, and the record of their work… Turn to 2 Samuel 23 and you find a similar page: the names and the deeds of David's mighty men… Each one has his own special place on the roll, and each one his place in the Master's heart; and all will come out by and by.
The same holds for the humblest jobs in God's service:
Whether it is a matter of serving tables, of passing the bread and the cup, of taking care of the "upper room," none of this is forgotten by the Lord. He registers the names of those who have kept the charge of this service just as deservedly as others. More than once we shall see this: the one among God's children who took the last place, forgetting himself in order to serve others, will hold a place of honour, while a remarkable gift that tended to glorify man rather than Christ will sit down in shame in the last place.
- Devotion first. Helez was one of David's mighty men before he was a commander. Those who stood by the king in his rejection got place in his kingdom.
- Place second. Each captain received one month, one division, one defined turn. Service under this king means a place, not a free-for-all.
- Reach third. The seventh month went to a son of Ephraim. That tribe had once led the opposition to David; now the healed nation serves in the ranks.
- Order fourth. Twelve months, twelve captains, twenty-four thousand men each. Twelve is the number of government, and here it is doubled — a double witness that the kingdom stands.
- Record last. God wrote down a name we know nothing else about. He keeps the same register today, and no service is too small for Him to remember.
The eighth for the eighth month was Sibbechai the Hushathite, of the Zarhites; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
David organises his kingdom month by month, and the eighth month falls to Sibbecai the Hushathite. The verse looks like a bare list entry. It carries a name with a history, a family with a reputation, and a number that means something.
One writer reads the whole arrangement as shaped around the number twelve:
This chapter (verses 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these enumerations, the number twelve with its factors is always mentioned. It deals with the kingdom on earth, and the twelve tribes stand at its center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
Sibbecai's twenty-four thousand is twelve doubled. One commentator explains what the doubling says:
The number twenty-four stands out here, whether it is twenty-four or twenty-four thousand. Twelve is the number devoted to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church the number is seven, because that is spiritual administration. In Israel it is twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So it is here in the kingdom that is coming, only with a double witness of it. That is twenty-four. Twelve alone established nothing. "Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom.
Sibbecai led one of twelve groups, each on duty for its own month. The men belonged first to God:
Remember that Israel was the army of Jehovah, keeping His charge and fighting His battles… In David's days the heroes who were with him in the cave of Adullam formed the core of his "mighty men." They devoted themselves to the service of God's king. Later David organised a militia of 24,000 men under 12 captains, serving month by month.
Sibbecai appears elsewhere in Scripture too. One fight is attached to his name:
Sibbecai, also spelled Sibbechai, was the Hushathite who killed Saph, or Sippai, a Philistine giant. 2 Sam. 21:18; 1 Chr. 11:29; 1 Chr. 20:4; 1 Chr. 27:11.
One writer turns that fight into a picture of our own. Being alone is part of it. So is meeting the same enemy twice:
We may be alone, as Sibbecai the Hushathite was alone against Saph — for the giant, once struck down, always comes back in another form. What does that matter? It may even be — a discouraging thought — that Gob, the place of his defeat, becomes a battlefield for us a second time. What does it matter if we have to go over the same ground again, when we thought that dangerous fight was over?
The verse also places Sibbecai in a family. Zerah was the twin of Perez, and each twin's line ran its own way:
Shelah is fruitful, but Tamar's children much more. From them Perez, whose name means "breaker forth," breaks out into a huge crop of descendants, which fills up all the later history of Judah. From him come her kings, and her great King. Twin with Perez comes Zerah, whose name means sunrise, and from him come later on singers, such as Ethan, and warriors, such as Shammah, Sibbecai and Maharai, staunch defenders of the throne.
One writer sees God's own memory behind such a list. He also notices who is missing from it:
If God honours and glorifies David, He does not forget those whom the energy of David's faith had brought around him. The Holy Spirit lists David's mighty men and tells of their brave and devoted deeds — deeds that win them a name and a place when God writes up the people (Psalm 87). Joab is not among them.
- Order. The chapter sets out the service of the king. Twelve divisions of twenty-four thousand men served, one for each month.
- Witness. Twelve is the number of government by man. Doubled to twenty-four, it becomes a double witness. It points on to the kingdom established in the Millennium.
- Belonging. Each division served its own month. These men were Jehovah's army, devoted to the service of God's king.
- Battle. Sibbecai killed the giant Saph. Yet a giant struck down once comes back in another form, so the same ground may have to be fought over twice.
- Memory. Sibbecai comes from a family line of singers and warriors who defended the throne. His name stands in the record because God does not forget the men who gathered around His king.
The ninth for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite, of the Benjaminites; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
One line in a long roster: the ninth month's turn of duty belonged to Abiezer, a man from Anathoth in Benjamin, with 24,000 men under him. Why does Scripture record a captain's month, his home town and his tribe? And what does such a list tell us about how God views service?
One number shapes this whole chapter, and one man in it is singled out:
This chapter (vv. 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these lists, the number twelve and the numbers that divide it keep coming up. It deals with the kingdom on earth, with the twelve tribes at its center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month. Among David's thirty mighty men, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada gets special mention (cf. 2 Sam. 23:20) as head of the third division. God delights to remember him.
Abiezer served for one month, then handed over. David set this up himself, and it grew out of the men who first gathered to him:
In David's days those heroes who were with him in the cave of Adullam formed the core of his 'mighty men.' 2 Sam. 23:8-39. They were devoted to the service of God's king. David afterwards organised a monthly militia of 24,000 men under 12 captains. 1 Chr. 27:1-15.
These monthly captains were David's champions already, with one exception:
These names, except for Abishai, are the captains of the monthly divisions. Only Dodai is named, not Eleazar the son of Dodo.
Anathoth was no ordinary village:
City assigned to the priests in the territory of Benjamin, where Abiathar the high priest had his own 'fields,' and where Jeremiah was born.
So the verse raises a question. Abiezer is called a Benjaminite, yet his town belonged to the priests, who came from the tribe of Levi. Jeremiah's case explains it:
His village of Anathoth lay a little over three miles northeast of Jerusalem. It had been given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron, from the family of the Kohathites (Josh. 21:18; 1 Chron. 6:60)… Jeremiah was a Levite, yet he counted as a Benjaminite, because his birthplace lay in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin.
Benjamin's record was not a proud one. The tribe had once been almost wiped out for its own sin. Yet here it stands next to the king:
This little tribe of Benjamin was once nearly wiped out after their sin (Judges 20 — Judges 21). Now it holds an honored place in the testimony. God notes with approval that they were "of the brethren of Saul" (vv. 1-7). Theirs was the eager faith of that first hour, before the kingdom dawned. How can we miss this faith? David's presence by itself was enough for them, at the very moment when, in man's judgment, everything seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed.
A verse like this looks like leftover paperwork. One writer sees God's own hand in such lists:
May we not say that Numbers 7 is one of those sample pages from the book of eternity, on which the finger of God has engraved the names of His servants and the record of their work? We believe it is. Turn to 2 Samuel 23 and Romans 16, and you will find two pages like it… Each one has his own special place on the roll, and each one his place in the Master's heart; and all will come out by and by.
These captains were David's companions before his throne was secure. There is a counterpart to that:
After David's last words, God shows us that He keeps the memory of his mighty men. They were the companions of His anointed until his reign was fully set up… In the same way, God will single out for honor those who have followed Him while the world rejected and disowned Him.
Notice when David made these arrangements:
What is interesting here is that David ordered and arranged everything, even the doors of the house that was not yet built. So in Christ, everything is appointed before it appears in glory.
- Ordered. The chapter is the king's own administration. It is built on the number twelve, matching the twelve tribes.
- Shared. Twelve captains over 24,000 each, one month each — service by turns, so no man carried the year alone.
- Rooted. Abiezer came from Anathoth, a priests' town inside Benjamin's land. That is why a man from there could be called a Benjaminite.
- Restored. Benjamin, once nearly destroyed by its own sin, still gets a named place beside the king.
- Remembered. God engraves the names of His servants on these pages. Those who stood by the rejected king are the ones honored when his reign begins.
The tenth for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
David set up twelve army divisions, one on duty for each month of the year, and the tenth month belonged to Maharai. Why does Scripture stop to name a man whose whole record here is a month, a family and a number?
One writer explains why the number twelve keeps appearing in these lists:
This chapter (vv. 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these enumerations, the number twelve with its factors is always mentioned. It deals with the kingdom on earth, and the twelve tribes are at its center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
Every appointment here traces back to one man on the throne:
Everything depended on the king. You can see it here: with no clear break, the account moves straight on to the other royal appointments — his household, his administration, his officers and his guard — and last of all the chief men among the people, and it gives their number.
Every division numbers twenty-four thousand. One writer reads that number as twelve doubled:
We find the number twenty-four, whether it be actual or in its thousands, very prominent here. Twelve is the number devoted to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church the number is seven, because the Church's administration is spiritual. In Israel, twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So it is here in the coming kingdom; only here there is a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Nothing was established when it was only twelve. As Scripture says, every matter is established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom.
This is not the first time Scripture names Maharai:
Maharai: the Netophathite, one of David's mighty men. 2 Sam. 23:28; 1 Chr. 11:30; 1 Chr. 27:13.
One writer compares the list of David's mighty men with the list of monthly captains:
Except Abishai and Shammah, the first twelve were the monthly captains.
Maharai belongs to the family of Zerah. One writer reads the meaning of Zerah's name and his twin brother's:
Perez means "the one who breaks out," and his line breaks out into a huge family, which fills the whole later history of Judah. From him come Judah's kings, and her great King. Twin with Perez comes Zerah, whose name means "the sunrise," and from him come singers later on, such as Ethan, and warriors, such as Shammah, Sibbecai and Maharai — strong defenders of the throne.
One writer ties the strength of David's servants to the king on the throne:
Now that David is restored to his true position, such is the overflowing of grace that his servants become mighty men. Their brave deeds only proclaim who is on the throne… The Lord uses men now, and honours them by using them as His servants; but His power does not need us.
David is not the only one God honours:
If God honours and glorifies David, He does not forget those whom the energy of David's faith had brought around him. The Holy Spirit lists David's mighty men and tells of their brave and devoted deeds — deeds that win them a name and a place when God writes up the people.
One writer draws out what such a record means for each person named in it:
Each one gets his own place on the page of the book of responsible, practical life, according to what he was or what he had done. And we are told exactly what each one did and how he did it. Nothing is forgotten. Every detail stands on record, and no one can ever take another's place. Each does his own work, fills his own niche, and gets his own reward.
- Throne. Every appointment in this chapter hangs on the king. David ordered the administration, the officers and the guard.
- Twelve. Twelve months, twelve captains. Twelve is the number of government on earth, and the twelve tribes stand at its centre.
- Doubled. Twenty-four thousand doubles twelve. A double witness points on to a kingdom fully established, not just begun.
- Tested. Maharai was already one of David's mighty men. The men who fought beside David now command his army.
- Recorded. Nothing is forgotten — each servant has his own niche and his own reward, and no one can take another's place.
The eleventh for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
David's list of army commanders runs through the twelve months of the year, and the eleventh month falls to a man from Ephraim. Why does a chapter of rosters and numbers sit in Scripture at all, and why does it record this soldier's name, home town and tribe?
These lists are the last stage in a long sequence of arrangements David made before his death. One writer traces the order through the closing chapters:
Then in 1 Chronicles 23 David divides the Levites for their services, and in 1 Chronicles 24 the sons of Aaron into their twenty-four courses, as in 1 Chronicles 25 the singers and musicians into a like number. The doorkeepers and other officials are seen arranged in 1 Chronicles 26. Then in 1 Chronicles 27 we have the civil officers for every month, and heads of tribes, and the royal controllers in their several places.
The rotation itself is simple, and it ties the kingdom to the twelve tribes:
This chapter (verses 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these enumerations, the number twelve with its factors is always mentioned. It deals with what concerns the kingdom upon earth, having the twelve tribes as their centre. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month. Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, is especially mentioned among David's thirty mighty men as head of the third division. God delights to remember him.
The figure repeated in every verse of the list is not chosen at random. Commentators read the doubling of twelve as a doubled witness:
We find the number twenty-four, whether it be actual or in its thousands, very prominent here. Twelve is the number devoted to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church it is seven, because that is spiritual administration. In Israel it is twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So it will be in the kingdom to come, only with a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Nothing was established when it was only twelve. "Every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom. Even then we do not have perfection. Perfection will be in eternity, but there will still be establishment.
Two commanders in this list are named Benaiah. The man given the eleventh month is the one from Pirathon, and he appears elsewhere too:
One of David's valiant men, a Pirathonite. 2 Samuel 23:30; 1 Chronicles 11:31; 1 Chronicles 27:14.
Being listed twice matters. The captain of the first month was listed the same way, and one writer draws out why:
Jashobeam is one of the three mightiest men mentioned in 1 Chronicles 11... he became the chief of the captains. Still, the real secret of his success was that he held on to David, sharing in his rejection and sufferings. Later we find him with David in the glory of his kingdom, over the first division in the first month (1 Chronicles 27:2). There may be something distinctive in our service for the Anointed of God now, as there will be in the kingdom rewards later on. But faithful and fruitful service results only as the love of Christ moves us to hold fast to Him.
A list of little-known soldiers can look like the least useful page in the Bible. One writer finds the opposite:
Because they belonged to David, his men had to face much toil and weariness, but love made it all light and easy to them. Their names and deeds were written down and remembered when David was at rest in his kingdom. None were forgotten... These acts may not be seen, known, or thought of by men; but Jesus knows them, and will publicly declare them from the throne of His glory. Who would ever have known the acts of David's worthies if the Holy Spirit had not recorded them?
The verse also names his tribe. Ephraim's record in Israel was not a happy one:
Ephraim had the place of the firstborn (Jeremiah 31:9)... The tent of worship also stood in the tribe of Ephraim, so in the time of the judges we find this tribe pushing its own importance... They are a picture of many in the church who proudly argue with their brothers and sisters, but do not fight God's battles against spiritual wickedness.
Against that record, a man of Ephraim is still trusted with a month of the king's army.
One writer reads all this careful arrangement as a pointer forward:
David's closing days are in peace, and the house of God is his uppermost thought. Though not allowed to build it, it is his part to prepare all the material, to give the patterns and appoint the order of service... Besides the things, there were the twelve legions and their captains, and their monthly service. Surely all this care and minute arrangement will have its answer in the peaceful glories of Messiah's reign!
- Loyalty first. Benaiah of Pirathon appears among David's valiant men before he appears as a commander. The attachment came before the appointment.
- Loyalty named. The verse gives his name, his town and his tribe. Scripture records those who stood with the king in detail, and forgets none.
- Loyalty ordered. Twelve captains, one month each, 24,000 men apiece. Twelve is the number of government in Israel. Doubled to twenty-four, it stands as a double witness of a kingdom established.
- Loyalty from an unlikely quarter. Ephraim had a name for pushing its own importance. Yet a man of that tribe holds his month in the king's service.
- Loyalty rewarded. Commentators read the whole arrangement forward. The care David took over these rosters answers to the peaceful glories of Messiah's reign. Then Jesus will declare from His throne the service done for Him while He was rejected.
The twelfth for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
Heldai the Netophathite closes David's list of twelve monthly commanders. The chapter ends a long run of registers, so why does God's word keep twelve names, twelve months and the same number over and over?
What kind of list is this? One writer answers by pointing to who is served, and to the numbers that keep coming back.
This chapter (verses 1-15) deals with the service of the king. As in all these enumerations, the number twelve with its factors is always mentioned. It indeed deals with what concerns the kingdom upon earth, having the twelve tribes as their center. There were army divisions of 24,000 men each for the twelve months of the year, one division for each month.
Heldai did not command a standing army. His force grew out of something older and smaller.
In David's days the heroes who were with him in the cave of Adullam became the core of his 'mighty men.' 2 Samuel 23:8-39. They were devoted to the service of God's king. David afterwards organised a monthly militia of 24,000 men under 12 captains. 1 Chronicles 27:1-15.
Why twelve, and why twenty-four thousand? One writer treats both numbers as deliberate.
We find the number twenty-four whether it be actual, or in its thousands, very prominent here. Twelve is the number devoted to perfection in human government — in government by man. In the Church, seven, because it is spiritual administration. In Israel, twelve — twelve tribes, not seven. So here in the kingdom that is coming; only there is a double witness of it. It is twenty-four. Twelve alone established nothing. "Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." The Millennium will be the great establishment of the kingdom.
The verse gives Heldai two labels: his town and his family. A dictionary entry on him adds nothing more.
A Netophathite, a descendant of Othniel, and one of David's captains. 1 Chronicles 27:15.
Which Othniel is this? The same dictionary describes the man Israel remembers, and leaves the link open:
Son of Kenaz, brother or nephew of Caleb. He captured the town of Kiriath-sepher and married Achsah, Caleb's daughter. He later became one of the judges, and defeated Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. Under him the land had rest forty years… An Othniel is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 27:15, which may be the same or a descendant.
Does a name buried in a list matter to God? One writer answers from a similar list in Numbers.
Can we not say that this seventh chapter of Numbers is one of those sample pages from the book of eternity? On it the finger of God has written the names of His servants and the record of their work. We believe it is. Turn to 2 Samuel 23 and Romans 16, and you will find two similar pages… Each one has his own special place on the roll, and each one his place in the Master's heart. All of it will come out one day.
The same instinct appears in Rossier's note on the third captain in this list, Benaiah: singled out among David's mighty men, and "God delights to remember him."
David arranged all this for a house that did not yet stand. One writer sees a pattern in that.
The thing of interest here is, that all is ordered and arranged by David, even for the doors of the house which was not yet built. So, in Christ, all is appointed before it is shown in glory.
- Service. The section is the service of the king — twelve divisions of 24,000, one for every month of the year.
- Share. No one carried the whole load. David organised a militia, and each division served one month under its own captain.
- Symbol. Twelve marks government by man among the twelve tribes. Double it to twenty-four and you get a double witness — the mark of a kingdom still to come.
- Standing. Heldai gets a town and a family — a Netophathite of Othniel. Commentators leave open whether that is the judge himself or a descendant.
- Settled. Each servant has his place on the roll and in the Master's heart. In Christ, God appoints everything before it appears in glory.