1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

Presents commentary in a tabular format for ease of reading.Click to learn more.





I Chronicles 27:1 Now the children of Israel, according to their number, the heads of families, captains of thousands and of hundreds, and officers, that served the king according to their companies, who came in and went out every month in the year, under every chief, were four and twenty thousand.

Now. This list is entirely of a political nature. It seems to have been made before David had obtained the throne of Israel, (ver. 7.) though perhaps the monthly division did not comprise 24,000, before that time. This regulation was very excellent, and enabled the king to have an army of 300,000 men, at a short notice. It was not attended with any material inconvenience to the people, as none were on service above a month. --- Hands. Commanders in chief. --- Captains. Twenty-four in number, with 240 centurions under them. --- Officers. Hebrew shoterim. Septuagint, "scribes," whose employment is not well ascertained. They perhaps acted as commissaries, or kept an account of the king's troops, and reviewed them. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "and scribes serving the people, and the king's orders respecting the divisions, both coming in and going out, monthly, throughout the year. One division comprised 24,000 men.