Matthew Henry on 1 Chronicles 27:1-15
We have here an account of the regulation of the militia of the kingdom. David was himself a man of war, and had done great things with the sword; he had brought into the field great armies. Now here we are told how he marshalled them when God had given him rest from all his enemies. He did not keep them all together, for that would have been a hardship on them and the country; yet he did not disband and disperse them all, for then he would have left his kingdom naked, and his people would have forgotten the arts of war, wherein they had been instructed. He therefore contrived to keep up a constant force, and yet not a standing army. The model is very prudent. 1. He kept up 24,000 constantly…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Chronicles 27:7
Asahel--This officer having been slain at the very beginning of David's reign [Sa2 2:23], his name was probably given to this division in honor of his memory, and his son was invested with the command.
Adam Clarke on 1 Chronicles 27:7
Asahel the brother of Joab - This verse proves that the division and arrangement mentioned above were made before David was acknowledged king in Hebron; for Asahel, the brother of Joab, who was fourth captain, was slain by Abner, while Ishbosheth reigned over Israel at Mahanaim, Sa2 2:19-23.
John Gill on 1 Chronicles 27:2
Over the first course for the first month,.... The month Nisan, sometimes called Abib, which was March:
was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel; the first and chief of David's worthies, 1 Chronicles 11:11.
and in his course were twenty and four; and so in all the following ones; this man was of the posterity of Perez, or Pharez, a son of Judah, and so had the preference and command of all the captains of the army for that month:
Dodai an Ahohite; the same with Dodo, 1 Chronicles 11:12 was over the course of the second month, the month Ziv, sometimes called Jiar, or April; and his lieutenant or successor was Mikloth:
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest; or rather a prince, a principal of…
