Page:The Books of Chronicles (1916).djvu/216

152 David the king, and the heads of the fathers' houses, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated. Out of the spoil won in battles did they dedicate to repair the house of the. And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomoth, and of his brethren. Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges. Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel beyond Jordan westward; for all the business of the, and for the service of the king. Of the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even of the Hebronites, according to their generations by fathers' houses. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of Gilead. And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred, heads of fathers' houses, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king.

26. David the king] Cp. xviii. 11.

29. Izharites] Cp. xxiii. 12.

the outward business] This business is here expressly defined as work "for officers and judges," as compared with the duties of maintaining the worship of the Temple and the construction or repair of the fabric (cp. xxiii. 4; 2 Chr. xix. 11; Neh. xi. 16).

30. the Hebronites] Cp. xxiii. 12.

had the oversight of Israel] How their duties were related to those of Chenaniah and his sons (ver. 29) is not made clear.

beyond Jordan westward] Cp. Josh. xxii. 7, R.V. Western Palestine is meant.

31. Jerijah] called Jeriah (Heb. Jerijahu) in xxiii. 19.

at Jazer] Cp. vi. 81 (vi. 66, Heb.); Num. xxi. 32, R.V. The Eastern Hebronites were given office east of Jordan; cp. ver. 32.

32. his brethren] i.e. the brethren of Jerijah. It is remarkable that their number should be given as 2700 for the two and a half tribes, whereas the overseers for the nine and a half tribes west of Jordan are said to number only 1700. Curtis sees in this a hint of the importance of Gilead in the Chronicler's period (cp. 1 Macc. v. 45).